Side Effects of Addiction

Each alcohol or drug can and does have its own set of side effects; however there are some side effects that are common to any form of addiction. These can be classed under the broad categories of cravings, guilt and depression. Cravings are the intense feeling of physical or emotion need for more drugs or alcohol. Guilt and depression are the inevitable side effects of all the things the individual has done to hurt or harm himself, his family and loved one, friends, associates, and others in general. These feelings along with cravings make it very difficult for the individual to stay away from drugs or alcohol. As he or she has a very hard time confronting the reality of the harm created, the drugs appear to be the only solution to remove the physical and emotional pain. It is a deadly trap as the drugs are the main contributor to these feelings.

When searching for an effective rehab program one can be flooded and confused with all the different options. How does one sort through this myriad of choices? The starting point should be experience and success rates. Does the rehab program you are considering have a track record of success for a period of years? If it’s not stated, ask. The goal is a drug free and productive lifestyle that lasts for a lifetime, not merely stopping drug use. Narconon Arrowhead has over 40 years of experience with a success rate often exceeding 70%. This is compared to average of 5-15% for many of the more traditional rehab programs. Whether Narconon Arrowhead is your choice or not, look for and insist on experience, effectiveness, and success rates.

Long term addiction is a phrase that could be applied to the condition wherein the addict has continued his addiction despite attempts to terminate it. We all know someone who has tried over and over to beat the addiction. There may have even been multiple visits to drug rehab facilities and just as many relapses following these visits. There are three key factors that lead to long term addiction with continual relapse. These are mental and physical cravings, guilt from all the damage caused, and depression resulting from the shattered hopes and dreams that the addiction has created. An addict is headed either towards, jail, death or sobriety. To achieve lasting sobriety the above three points must be fully resolved. Long term addiction is best addressed in a long term residential treatment environment.

Drug addiction treatment to be effective needs to help and guide the individual in confronting and gaining the skills and abilities needed to resolve all areas of their lives – not merely ceasing their drug use which is only the beginning. Personal issues of nutrition and gaining a healthy balance need to be addressed. Issues of cravings, quilt, and depression resulting from addiction need confronted and relieved, legal issues often exist. Broken or strained relationships in the family and workplace need resolved. The issue of how the addict gets on with his life in a drug free and productive manner, and be happy and fulfilled doing so, can be one of the biggest issues of all. Addicts and alcoholics are often quite concerned about being miserable and suffering without the drugs or alcohol. Narconon Arrowhead is an empowering program that assists the individual in resolving each of these situations as well as others he or she may have. We don’t enforce or insist rather we help, guide, and assist the individual in finding their own unique answers that will work and more importantly continue to work for them. This helps insure a continuing drug free life as their solutions are theirs and not something dictated or enforced on them.

The first experience of using meth may involve some pleasure; methamphetamine however begins to destroy the user’s life right from the beginning. This all starts with low intensity use where the individual wants to meth effects to stay away, increase energy, or suppress appetite. It is usually snorted or swallowed. The mental and physical effects are so severe that the use quickly moves into binge use. Binge use usually involved smoking or injecting the meth allowing a stronger faster effect that quickly results in psychological meth addiction. In high intensity use ones whole existence focuses on preventing the inevitable crash following meth use. Tolerance builds up in meth addiction requiring more and more of the drug at closer and closer intervals. Withdrawal can be mentally and physically painful and is often accompanied by severe depression and suicidal ideation.