Drug Use

How does one go about determining when drug use crosses the line into drug abuse and addiction? Drugs are used as a solution to pain, be it mental, emotional, or physical. Fore instance one takes a painkiller and physical pain subsides or one take a street drug and the emotional pain of feeling like an outsider goes away. There are many motivations but they all come under the heading of handling pain in one way or another. Drug abuse sets in when the drug is being used more and more to mask and cover up the pain rather than addressing the actual causes of the pain itself. From abuse one quickly moves on to addiction where tolerance to the drugs builds up to the point where the individual can’t conceive of life without them for fear of unbearable pain of one type or another. Ones life then becomes centered on acquiring and using more and more drugs at any cost or sacrifice. Along with this comes all the cravings, guilt and depression that results from harm done to self, family, loved ones, careers, etc.

Rehabilitation means to restore to a previous state or condition. So what exactly does this mean when applied to drug or alcohol rehabilitation? An effective rehabilitation will address both mental and physical conditions that have been altered and worsened as a result of the addiction. Ceasing drug or alcohol use is usually the easier of the problems relating to drug and alcohol abuse. With correct medical and nutritional care and proper withdrawal regimens this can be gently and quickly achieved in a few days in most cases. Rehabilitation of the individual and the body follows. Cravings, guilt, and depression are among the key factors needing addressed and resolved in order to obtain lasting rehabilitation and a return of previous abilities, behavior levels, and personal drive. A truly effective drug rehab can actually put a person in even better mental and physical shape than he was prior to the onset of drug or alcohol abuse. When the factors which cause the original abuse are handled and tools for the future obtained, the need or desire for further drug or alcohol abuse tends to fall away and not return. Narconon Arrowhead is such a program and routinely delivers such results.

A relapse to substance abuse can occur when the individual has not fully confronted and handled the personal issues leading up and then continuing the substance abuse. Relapse is almost inevitable if there are unhandled cravings, guilt, and depression issues that have not been fully resolved. Relapse is a desire to mask these symptoms with the same substances that helped create them. Getting someone to cease use and through an effective withdrawal process is only the beginning of the puzzle of substance abuse. At Narconon Arrowhead a majority of our staff are past substance abusers themselves and know what it takes to resolve the problems of cravings, guilt, and depression in a manner that lasts. With new skills and abilities learned at Narconon one is able to obtain lasting relief without the need to run away and continually numb themselves with further substances. Happy, drug free, and productive for a lifetime is the goal at Narconon Arrowhead, our 76% success rate speaks for itself.

Most addicts or alcoholics and confronted with multiple factors when it comes to effective drug treatments. One of the first drug treatments is of course a safe cessation of drug use and as gentle a withdrawal from actual use as possible. Another one of the drug treatments is effective detoxification and removal of the actual drug and toxins from the body. This alleviates and in many cases totally removes the cravings which can lead to relapse. Some programs consider the addict ‘detoxed’ once withdrawal is accomplished. At Narconon Arrowhead we deliver the New Life Detoxification Program in addition to withdrawal services. This is a unique and state of the art program which actually removes stored drugs and toxins from the body. There is a definite difference between withdrawal and a full detoxification.

When considering any form of alcohol treatment the following elements of treatment should be looked for in order to insure maximum chance for lasting success without constant reversion or relapse. 1. A safe, gentle cessation and withdrawal from alcohol use. (Medically supervised as needed) 2. A full detoxification of the body to remove metabolites of alcohol or other drugs and toxins from the body. The Narconon New Life Detoxification Program achieves this and many report an end to cravings following this action. 3. Life skill training segments to enable the individual to confront and be freed from feelings of guilt and depression that accompany the alcoholic lifestyle and are very often factors leading up to alcoholism to begin with. 4. The ability to face the present and effectively plan for tomorrow, including repairing what damage one can. When one is feeling better (physically and mentally) and performing better in life without alcohol than with it, then they will cease to require or crave or need alcohol and have a realistic shot at a happy and productive life and future.