The Importance of Understanding Addiction

understanding addictionPhoto by Carolina Heza on Unsplash

Many people fail to realize, that addiction is a real medical condition that millions of people around the country suffer from. The first step to overcoming addiction is admitting that you have a problem and asking for help. Drugs and alcohol result in over 5 million deaths in the United States annually. One common misconception many people have when it comes to overcoming addiction, is they fail to realize that addiction is a disease, which can be just as deadly as cancer. Often times beating addiction, requires professional treatment, in a medical setting. At Harris House St. Louis Treatment Center, they have over 50 years of experience and professionals who understand what our going through, where they’ll not only help you overcome addiction, but also teach you how to manage the depression, anger, and anxiety that many addicts experience while trying to quit. They understand the importance of sobriety and treat over 800 patients each year. Here are the benefits of going to a treatment center.

Encourages a Healthy Lifestyle

Going to a treatment center will not only help you overcome your addictions, but it will also teach you how to embrace a healthier lifestyle. They’ll encourage you to embrace healthier eating habits, and include more physical activity in your life, thus increasing your energy levels, which will allow you to wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It’s important to understand that the food you put into your body, will affect you, which is why good nutrition is a vital part of rehabilitation. Most treatment centers have a trained staff, which will help you create a nutrient-rich diet, and workout schedule, which will not only strengthen you mentally but also physically.

Helps Manage your Stress and Anxiety

Treatment centers also have a professional staff that will help you manage your stress and anxiety. Often time’s people will use drugs or alcohol as a means to help them manage their stress and anxiety. In treatment, they’ll teach you ways to help manage your stress, without repeating past negative behaviors, and give you the tools you need to handle life’s day to day stresses.

Teaches you Ways to Cope with Pain

We all suffer some sort of pain in life; rather it is physical, or emotional. Many addicts will use because it’s the only coping mechanism they know. In treatment, they’ll offer therapies that will help teach positive ways to cope with pain and help rejuvenate your mind body and soul. Usually, physical pain is a result of some type of deep-rooted emotional trauma. The best way to cope with pain is by talking, talking is a way for you to free your mind, and let go of any emotional restraints which are hindering your sobriety.

Gives you Time to Reflect

While in treatment, it will also give you time to reflect on your past relationships and decisions, which will help give you clarity and provide you with some sort of closure. Keeping a journal is a great way to document your recovery and rehabilitation, which will help you understand you’re past feelings and behaviors. Many people are better at expressing their written emotions, then expressing them verbally; a journal gives you a way to let out these feelings.

Living in a Substance Free Environment

The greatest benefit of attending treatment is you’ll be immersed in a completely sober environment. One of the reasons many addicts have trouble maintaining their sobriety is because it’s hard for them to escape that negative lifestyle, where drugs and alcohol are always readily available, but treatment will provide you the environment needed to maintain your sobriety, which will also make the chances of you relapsing less likely.

Surrounded by Trained Medical Professionals

It’s important that you understand addiction is a medical condition, which often times will require a medical detox. While in recovery many addicts experience symptoms of withdrawing, which tend to vary depending on the extent of the addiction. Many times these withdrawal systems can have life-threatening complications, especially if a user decides to quit cold turkey. This is usually when a medical detox is needed, where you’ll have a team of trained medical staff there to help ensure your recovery goes safely.

Support

Having a healthy support system is the greatest tool for recovery. While in treatment, you’ll be surrounded by people who are also struggling with addiction, and fully understand your situation. Treatment centers also have a professionally trained staff, which will share their past experiences of addiction with you, and are there to walk you through every step of your recovery.