Addiction Drug

Any drug could be an addiction drug if the individual finds himself unable to control the use of it. An addiction drug causes physical addiction, mental addiction, or both. Drugs are essentially poisons. The amount taken determines the effect. A small amount of a given drug acts as a stimulant, a larger dose will act as a depressant, and enough of any particular drug can kill one dead. An addiction drug becomes addictive when the individual’s attempt to handle mental or physical pain becomes dependant on the use of the drug, and the individual craves the relief that only ‘appears’ to come from the use of the substance. The substances in the long run will be found to escalate the discomfort and create new emotional and physical side effects in many cases, thus not only are dosages increased but one often finds himself using new drugs to try and counteract these new side effects. Once an individual is restored to an ability to feel better (mentally and physically) without the use of the drug, then one no longer requires the drug and rehabilitation can progress to an address of the underlying causes.

Medical drugs are generally prescribed as short term solutions in the handling of pain. Many of these medical drugs will build up tolerance in the system requiring increased amounts for the same effect. Thus dependence sets in and one begins taking these at abusive and addictive levels before long. This accounts for drugs like OxyContin being more and more used in illegal black markets to handle addiction to them. Black market illegal use of drugs such as these is outstripping legitimate use and prescription. Anti-depressants and anti-psychotics are much the same story with many school age children selling their prescriptions in the school yard. Add the horrific side effects, some of which are life threatening, and what we see is an epidemic rise in the abuse and addiction to prescription medications.

Prescription drug addiction generally occurs with those medications which suppress pain of a physical or emotional nature. Painkillers suppress physical pain and many are taken at levels exceeding recommended dosages and tolerance builds up fast, abuse then continues in an attempt to handle the pain, or just out of fear of future pain. Medications such as anti-depressants are designed to suppress various forms of mental stress or duress. Abuse of these is similar to painkillers in that dosages are exceeded and tolerance builds leading to more and more of the drug needed in an attempt to maintain emotional balance. Prescription drug addiction in both these cases results from trying to mask the symptoms rather than treating and resolving the underlying causes of the physical or emotional pain.

At Narconon Arrowhead we do no refer to our participants as ‘patients’ but rather they are considered ‘students’. Using the word ‘patient’ tends to give an erroneous impression of illness and disease, which is not the main thrust of our program. Certainly issues of health and nutrition need to corrected, especially in the withdrawal and detoxification phases of the program. The term student is used as we are educating the individual into the use of the tools and abilities needed to sustain a continuous drug free productive life and to confront and resolve the three main factors behind relapse and continued use. Addiction is not a disease of a lifetime. It can and is being ended on a daily basis here a Narconon Arrowhead.

Drug rehab for young adults can sometimes present unique but fully resolvable issues to be addressed. Young adults can often the life experience which would serve to drive home the seriousness of their situation. They often times have little or no experience at being fully independent and responsible. Many still have very close financial ties to family, and as such may not have yet felt the full impact of their addiction. The rebelliousness of youth has often not fully play out and can get very irrational indeed when coupled with drug addiction. Addiction always involves cravings and feeling of guilt and depression whether the individual is fully aware of it or not. Narconon Arrowhead is fully aware of the particular factors related to age when entering rehab. Our personalized approach is able to achieve results that last, regardless of age or life experience.