Medical science has been researching substance addiction for many years. As a result, today much more is understood about how various drugs interact with receptors in the body and brain to drive physical and, by extension, psychological addiction. But, many people still make assumptions about addiction and treatment based on false information from unqualified sources. So, let’s look at some of the most harmful myths about drug addiction and rehab and use this information to start helping people become better informed about the problem and solutions.
What Are the Biggest Myths About Addiction and Treatment?
Substance addiction is a physical and psychological plague that is having a severe impact on the health of individuals, families, and communities throughout the country. Here, we will examine a few of the most harmful common myths regarding drug addiction and recovery. Instead of repeating the myths, here are some myth corrections to help dispel some falsehoods often believed about drug addiction and treatment.
It’s Not Just About Willpower
A powerful myth that undermines the belief systems of many people who need treatment for drug addiction is that you just need enough willpower to overcome addiction. However, simply willing away the physical compulsion to stop using an addictive drug usually is not possible with a substance abuse disorder. After a physical and deep psychological dependence has taken hold, professional help in addiction rehab is usually necessary to achieve lasting recovery.
Drug Addiction Treatment Is Well Worth It
The myth is that there’s no point in working toward recovery because substance abuse disorder is incurable. It’s true that sustaining recovery from a drug abuse habit requires maintaining a lifelong commitment. But, the many game-changing benefits that people gain from their rehab treatment make the value of rehab very clear.
Just being free from the intense cravings, understanding how the drug acts on their brain and body and stopping the physical and mental health damage from ongoing drug abuse all make rehab a great solution to the ravages of untreated addiction.
It’s a Tragic Mistake To Wait Until an Addict Hits Rock Bottom
It’s a common false belief that people need to “hit rock bottom” before they can be ready to commit fully to turning their lives around through rehab. But, of course, the compounded problems caused by continued drug use make it easy enough to understand the critical importance of getting off the addictive drug as soon as possible. For example, waiting to start drug addiction treatment can lead to:
- Physical damage, like organ failure
- Potentially fatal overdose
- Severe long-term mental health consequences
- Job loss, damage to professional relationships and references
- Lost or irreparably damaged personal relationships
It just doesn’t make sense to wait until a person’s addiction gets worse before getting help. The sooner recovery begins, the less damage to the body and brain and a person’s professional and personal relationships.
Relapsing Does Not Mean Your Addiction Treatment Did Not Work
Relapse is a temporary setback that many people experience sooner or later after recovery treatment. It’s far from a permanent failure, and it certainly doesn’t mean you can’t overcome the addiction. It means you need to continue getting the level of support necessary to avoid relapse as you learn to alleviate feelings of the need to use more and more effectively.
After relapse, some people are best helped by increased support or more advanced care. Others often need more emphasis on understanding the impacts of trauma, stressors, or mental health issues contributing to their addiction. A drug rehab center is a place that provides the ideal resources for helping accomplish these critical goals.
The Best Help for Overcoming Drug Addiction
If you’re struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, there is a range of rehab programs to help you regain control of your life. An addiction assessment can help determine the level of addiction treatment that would best benefit you. Pathways drug addiction recovery programs include:
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP)
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
- Men’s drug rehab program
- Women’s drug rehab program
- Aftercare relapse prevention support
Pathways Real Life Recovery for Real Help Beating Addiction
To dispel another common myth — you can overcome drug addiction! People do it every day. At Pathways Real Life Recovery Center, we treat drug addiction, depression, PTSD, and other co-occurring disorders to help people gain control over their lives. Our therapeutic team helps people overcome the common deep senses of guilt and shame that can psychologically paralyze people and keep them from believing they deserve healing and happy, meaningful life.
Our highly experienced rehab treatment team includes Medical Doctors (MD), Alcohol and Drug Addiction Specialists, EMDR (Trauma) specialists, Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), Licensed Family Counselors (LMFT), and other professionals.
