By using these guidelines, you can better identify programs that will promote and empower your lasting recovery. The cost of rehab with insurance can be much more affordable than paying on your own. Even if your insurance won’t cover drug rehab, some recovery centers offer financial aid or payment programs. Your employer may be willing to help with costs, or a family member may be able to help. The long-term costs of addiction are far greater than the short-term costs of medical treatment.
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Releases
- The alcohol consumed will still be processed by the body and can still lead to impairment; the onset of intoxication is simply delayed.
- Connecting with support during and after treatment is essential to maintaining sobriety long-term.
- Detox is the time period when you focus on getting all of the toxic substances out of your system.
- Education and spreading accurate information can also help break down stigmas.
- Misconceptions about addicts are rife in society, yet it’s key to ditch these distorted ideas and push for understanding.
Those views shaped society’s responses to drug use, treating it as a moral failing rather than a health problem, which led to an emphasis on punishment rather than prevention and treatment. In our journey of breaking down the myths and misconceptions about addiction and recovery, we arrive at the powerful conclusion. This conclusion sheds light on the importance of promoting understanding, compassion, and support for those facing addiction and on the path to recovery. Let us delve into the final insights that will reshape our perception and pave the way for a more empathetic and inclusive society.
Hidden Addiction and the Spread of Myths and Misconceptions
Many of the newest drugs now available or in trials work best at the earliest stages of the disease. The challenge of finding volunteers in these early stages is a major reason that progress has been so slow, for so long. It’s essential to educate providers and researchers about this effort. People often hesitate to seek help for changes with thinking or memory because they fear how a doctor or other clinician might treat them. It’s part of the reason why people delay seeing a doctor for multiple years, leading to a delayed diagnosis. Through compelling anecdotes, scientific research, and practical wisdom, Dr. Maté invites audiences to reconsider their understanding of mental health, addiction, and the nature of human connection.
Myth 8: Seeking Help Is A Weakness
- Anti-depressants and non-addictive prescriptions greatly aid with underlying mental health illnesses that may have motivated the addiction to transpire in the first place.
- Simply put, codependency is an unscientific theory that gained attention in the 1980s and unfortunately still dominates our society’s beliefs about families impacted by addiction.
- Treatment tailored to individual needs is fundamental for long-term sobriety.
- The medication doesn’t suffice the urge to chase a remembered, great feeling.
- Researchers interviewed people who use heroin and people receiving medication for opioid use disorder and found that having naloxone available did not lead to increases in drug use.
- I am board certified in psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and addiction medicine.
Not only is it offensive, but it actively holds back early diagnosis, effective care, and faster research progress towards new, life-changing treatments. In summary, naloxone is an important medication that can save the life of someone overdosing from opioids. Even if you are not 100% sure the person is overdosing from opioids, it is still a good idea to administer naloxone if they are showing any of the overdose symptoms because naloxone will not cause the person harm. Some ways you can help your community respond to the opioid epidemic include getting trained to administer naloxone, carrying naloxone with you, and advocating for wider access to naloxone in your area. Therefore, the key to responsible drinking is to pay attention to the amount of alcohol consumed and the pace at which it is consumed, rather than the specific types of drinks.
Common myths about addiction
- Mental health illness is a product of insufficient neurotransmitters in the brain, which can be a reaction to one’s environment or self, or it can have genetic roots.
- Commonly abused prescription drugs include ADHD medications, narcotic pain medications and drugs intended to treat anxiety.
- But the truth is, withdrawing from an addictive substance is only the first step in the process.
- This makes the disease a difficult one to identify, prevent and treat.
- At Gateway Rehab, we provide comprehensive addiction treatment services to help individuals break free from the grips of addiction and achieve long-term recovery.
I answered that this was a logical and true answer, since getting drugs on the street was always more deadly than taking drugs under medical supervision. But I added that this was not a sufficient explanation for drug deaths due to everything from stimulants to the whole array of depressant-analgesic drugs rising in lockstep. Later, my host at the conference, Liam O’Loughlin, told me over dinner how he had badly hurt his hand, but stopped taking the powerful opioid and anti-inflammatory he had been given after just three days. “I didn’t like becoming groggy at two in the afternoon.” In other words, he had other matters to attend to with which narcosis interfered, and therefore he wasn’t inclined to savor the drugs’ effects. These myths hurt families and friends – and they make it harder for people to get well. If you’re on the fence about entering a program, you need accurate information to help you make informed decisions about which program is best for you.
Prescription drugs have harmful effects, so accurate info about addiction is needed. Myths and misconceptions about addiction and recovery can have a bad effect on treatment and an individual’s success in their recovery journey. These can come from a lack of knowledge in the medical world, social shame, and stigma. By breaking these myths and confronting the misconceptions, we can create a kinder and more supportive environment for those needing help.
Myth: You can’t become addicted to a drug from just one use.
- Different elements, including genetics, environment, and mental health, can lead to addiction, which cannot be cured by personal determination.
- By acknowledging that addiction recovery is a complex and sometimes unpredictable journey, we can better support those in recovery and celebrate their progress, even when faced with setbacks.
- Many with addiction also battle underlying mental health issues.
- Psychological factors, including underlying mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or unresolved trauma, can contribute to the vulnerability to addiction.
Changing how we talk can change how we fight Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive impairment — unleashing earlier diagnosis, better care, and improved lives for people with these conditions. I was fortunate to have received a relatively early Alzheimer’s diagnosis. I learned that life doesn’t stop with a diagnosis; in fact, it’s just the opposite. The MiSUPER team offers training and resources on opioid use disorder, harm reduction, and how policies, systems, and environments criminalize and punish people who use substances. As our work evolves in this space, please help us promote harm reduction strategies in your community by sharing this article and continuing to learn and educate others about harm reduction.
Addiction Affects Only Weak People
These meds, although helpful in certain situations, can be highly addictive and amplify addiction rates. Understanding prescription drugs’ part in addiction allows us to tackle https://ecosoberhouse.com/ the issue more appropriately and provide appropriate intervention and prevention strategies. Addiction to prescription drugs is an illness that needs proper treatment.
Dual Diagnosis and the Importance of Addressing Mental Health Issues
They largely spread misinformation while simultaneously discouraging people from seeking the help they desperately need. Visit any news article or blog topic about addiction and see what the comments section says—it is typically riddled with emotionally charged, often callous remarks about people with addiction. While entering treatment may seem like the obvious action to take, it’s easy to see myths about addiction and recovery why a person may hesitate in acknowledging the issue by seeking help. Especially in recent years, there is a common misconception that only “hard” drugs are dangerous. Prescription medication, alcohol, and marijuana are often categorized as “safer to use” because of legalization and normalization of use. Hard drugs tend to carry heavier social stigmas, while other substances may get a pass.