Throughout the course of my 25 years as a clinical psychologist, I have worked extensively with people who have had drug-addiction issues. I have seen that while recovery from drug addiction is possible, it requires great commitment and perseverance. The recovery process is both tough and touching.Any discussion of drug addiction should include alcohol addiction, because alcohol is a drug like any other mood-altering substance. However, many people distinguish between alcohol and other forms of drugs because alcohol is legal and its use is, for the most part, culturally acceptable. For that reason, I have separated alcohol and drugs into separate topics.Drug use that makes life unmanageable or causes negative consequences is, like alcohol abuse, a disease of the brain. In fact, drug abuse causes physiological changes to the brain; changes that enable the brain to adapt to the excessive use. These changes make the drug-craving difficult to resist, even for people who are otherwise strong-willed and disciplined. Nonetheless, the brain can recover in many cases, depending on the length of use, and the quantity and nature of the drug that has been abused.
The recovery process can include education, psychotherapy with an addiction specialist, self-help participation programs, even meditation. Because drug addictions often have a dramatic effect on the addict’s family, an effective treatment plan may require family involvement.
While I have used the term “recovery,” in connection with drug addiction, that may be a misnomer. For those who succeed in battling drug addiction, the process is actually transformational. A new person emerges, different from the person who began using in the first place.
Seeking HelpThe treatments for addiction depend on the nature of the addiction. Therefore it is best that you contact me or further research your drug of choice/addiction, to get a better sense of the evidence-based care that is being used on various categories of drugs.
To see books I recommend on drug addiction please go here.