Becoming a drug addict does not indicate weakness or character flaw. And, overcoming the addiction problem requires more than willpower. Abusing prescription or illegal drugs changes the brain. It also causes powerful compulsion and cravings. When this happens, sobriety looks like an unachievable goal. However, a person can recover from drug addiction regardless of how hopeless their situation seems or the number of times they try and fail. With proper treatment and adequate support, a person can change.
The hardest step of the recovery process is making the first step. Recognizing the addiction problem and deciding that change is necessary is not easy. Feeling uncertain about the readiness to begin recovery is normal. A person might not even be certain whether they are capable of quitting the use of addictive substances.
When a person has a prescription drug addiction, they can be concerned about finding alternative ways to treat their condition. Feeling torn is normal and okay. However, maintaining sobriety requires more than calling a reliable rehab hotline at Georgia. This is a phone number that provides the help that addicts and their loved ones need to deal with the problem. It’s manned by addiction recovery experts that understand the predicaments of addicts and their loved ones. But, calling this phone number is not just enough.
Life-long sobriety requires recovering addicts to change things like:
- How they deal with stressful situations
- Who they allow into their life
- What they do during their free time
- How they think about themselves
- The over-the-counter and prescription medications they take
Recovery requires motivation, support, and time. However, committing to change can help a person overcome addiction and start to take control of their life.
Think about the Change You Want to Make
Research has shown that people have different motivations when it comes to changing how an addict lives. Knowing and thinking about change and the reasons why it’s necessary can help you overcome the addiction problem. For instance, consider important things in your life as your motivation to change. These can include your kids, partner, career, and health. How you’re your addiction affect them?
You can list down the pros and cons of changing. This can include the costs of continued drug use. Talk to a person you trust about your problem and the decision to change. This will give you a clearer sense of how addiction is affecting your life and why change is important.
To prepare for this change, take these steps:
- Remember why you decided to change
- Think about the past attempts- what worked and what failed?
- Set specific and measurable goals like when to start and drug use limits
- Avoid reminders of your drug addiction from the workplace, home, or other places that you frequent
- Tell family members and friends that you’ve decided to change and request them to support you.
Explore the Available Treatment Options
Calling the addiction hotline number in Georgia can provide valuable information, including the available treatment options. It’s, however, important to consider these treatment options carefully to choose what suits you depending on your predicament. Addiction treatment varies depending on the addictive substance. However, a successful treatment program will include the following elements.
- Detoxification- This is the first step in the recovery process. It entails purging the body of addictive substances and managing withdrawal symptoms.
- Behavioral counseling- Family, individual, and/or group therapy can help a person identify the causes of their substance abuse, repair damaged relationships, and learn coping skills.
- Medication- Medication can help with withdrawal symptoms management, relapse prevention, and treatment of co-occurring mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
- Long-term follow-up- This can help with relapse prevention and sobriety maintenance. It can involve attending online and in-person support group meetings that help a person keep track of their recovery.
Types of Addiction Treatment Programs
Rehab facilities provide different treatment programs that should also be explored. The choice of a program should depend on the unique needs of a recovering addict. Here are the major types of addiction treatment programs.
- Residential treatment- This involves undergoing treatment while living at a rehab facility. That means a person has to get away from home, work, family, friends, school, and triggers.
- Partial hospitalization/Day treatment- This entails living at home and having a stable environment to live in while receiving ongoing medical monitoring. Patients in this program meet at the treatment facility for 7-8 hours before going home in the evening.
- Outpatient treatment- This involves undergoing treatment in the evening or during the day without living in a treatment facility.
- Sober living communities- This entails living with recovering addicts in a supportive, safe, and drug-free environment.
A person gets information about these treatment options and programs near them when they call a drug help hotline in Georgia. It’s, however, important to note that no treatment option works for every addict. Ideal treatment should not just address drug abuse. It should also focus on developing ways of addressing the causes of addiction and developing new ways of living.
If you are finding a better service for such treatment programs, Saint John’s Recovery Place is one of the best options to visit.
Find Addiction Recovery Support
Research has shown the importance of peer group support in addiction recovery. Trying to recover alone won’t help. Instead, a person should get support from people that provide positive influences, guidance, and encouragement.
To get support, recovering addicts should:
- Lean on family and friends
- Establish sober networks in their social circles
- Move to sober living houses if necessary
- Prioritize support group meetings
Learn Healthy Coping Skills
Calling the drug help hotline in Georgia can mark the beginning of a transformative process. However, an addict needs to learn and unlearn many things. They should unlearn bad things that could be fueling their addiction and learn healthy coping skills.
For instance, a recovering addict should identify and deal with the root cause of their addiction. They should also learn how to relieve stress and face troublesome situations in life without using drugs. Some of the healthy coping skills that recovering addicts can learn may include meditation, yoga, and exercising.
What’s more, recovering addicts should learn to keep cravings and triggers in check. Coping skills will help a recovering addict avoid relapsing and lead a meaningful, healthy, drug-free life.
The Bottom Line
Overcoming a drug addiction requires willpower and hard work. A person should be ready to abandon their addictive behaviors, situations that prompt them to use and learn new ways to live without drugs. Call an addiction hotline free in Georgia to start your recovery process if struggling with a substance abuse problem.
