There are thousands of people entering treatment for drug and alcohol problems every month in the UK. Accessing treatment provides the most effective means of recovery.
During one of the most stressful periods of a person’s life, being supported by a team of medical experts and addiction therapists is essential.
Drugs and alcohol often consume the whole of a person’s life. When so much time and effort has been spent focused on getting and taking a substance, it can be challenging for people to think of other healthy pleasures in life that can bring contentment.
Most people are searching for happiness. What becomes more and more clear when a person has an addiction is that happiness doesn’t exist at the end of an alcohol or drug session.
The Rehab 4 Addiction team is here to support people to discover a path of healing. A referral through us can make this challenging time as smooth as possible for you.
When people drink or use drugs over a length of time it’s inevitable that there will be effects. The reason for this is that these substances have toxic effects on the body.
\When the body has to focus on clearing toxins it’s less able to complete other functions effectively. With time, toxins also build up.
Effects of regular and long-term alcohol and drug use include the following:
It’s common that drug and alcohol use reduces the amount people eat. They can also make people crave unhealthy foods as well as binge eat and go days without food.
Drug and alcohol toxins build up in the body and the vital organs aren’t able to process all of them and eliminate them all. This creates damage to the various organs and how they function.
Substances affect the chemical balances in the brain and hormonal regulation. This exacerbates any existing, and also creates, mental health problems. Many people with addictions also have symptoms linked to anxiety and depression. Others also experience psychosis and hallucinations.
Drinking too much alcohol damages the pancreas which affects its efficiency in creating insulin. This can lead to diabetes.
Drug and alcohol use increase the risk of most types of cancer.
The use of drugs and alcohol can cause a vast amount of problems with your heart.
Drugs and alcohol abuse can cause infertility problems, as well as problems with pregnancy and for the baby when the child is born.
Addiction is rife throughout all areas of society. Whatever walk of life you come from, there are people who have been through traumatic experiences, who suffer from mental health problems, and who have had difficult childhoods and relationships.
All these factors increase the risk of an addiction developing.
Accessing treatment can be difficult for some because they might feel embarrassed to admit they have a problem or that they need support to become sober.
There are also many people who are very skilled at hiding the problem and still others who are able to “hide” the problem behind social norms. This is how alcoholism can be “hidden in plain sight”.
While some people with addictions will lose everything, there are also people who are termed “high functioning” which means their lives will look “regular” on the outside.
But underneath their job and keeping up with rent and raising a family, there is a serious drug or alcohol problem.
There is a stigma attached to addiction that has serious detrimental effects. It’s important for people to bear in mind that addiction is a health concern, it’s a disease that deserves to be treated in the same way that other conditions are treated.
It’s important for people to be treated for addiction because it’s a health concern that affects both the mind and body. This type of illness requires treatments that cover all areas.
People need medical help that will support them to physically detox and clear the body of the substance.
It’s also critical that people are provided treatments to heal the psychological aspects of addiction. By treating the mind and addressing thoughts, emotions, and the underlying causes of addictions, a person is able to tackle it from a new perspective.
Therapists enable a person to find peace and new ways of coping through presenting strategies and tools to heal.
There are various ways you can access treatments. Some people will choose to stay at a rehab clinic. This provides a totally immersive approach to healing.
Residential stays at rehab usually last between seven to twenty-eight days depending on a person’s individual needs. A stay at a rehab centre is really beneficial for those with severe addictions.
Other people will access outpatient services which means that they’ll remain living at home and access therapies and groups on a more casual basis.
As a general rule, this is more suitable for people who have mild substance misuse problems.
Change is possible, yes. At Rehab 4 Addiction, we see people recovering from addictions successfully and creating new, meaningful, sober lives all the time.
It’s essential to remember, though, that you’ll need to be determined, committed, focused, honest with yourself and others, and willing to participate fully in treatments. You will also need to make lifestyle changes.
To maintain a life of abstinence you’ll have to make changes. This might mean losing certain friends and making new friends through peer support groups.
It will also mean putting in the time to develop interests and hobbies in order to bring deeper value to life.
If you’re ready to take back control of your life and give up alcohol or drugs then there are rehab programmes in your local area to support you.
The team of advisors at Rehab 4 Addiction can discuss your options and assess your needs. With your consent, we can then lead you through the referral process into treatment.
Contact us today on 0800 140 4690.
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