Many people do not realize how common drug and alcohol addiction is. Since the year 2000, more than 700,000 people have died of drug overdoses in the United States alone. On top of that, the government spends more than $35 billion every single year at the federal level for drug control.
Many people consider options like alcohol rehab in Massachusetts but do not know very much about addiction treatment. They do not realize that with the right drug or alcohol detox program, they can leave many of their addiction difficulties behind.
But does that mean that you can actually cure addiction with alcohol or drug rehab treatment? Read on to learn all about the most important things to understand about addiction treatment programs in MA and what they can do for you!
Can You Cure Drug Addiction?
Many people ask questions like, “Can alcohol addiction be cured?” Some people will argue with great certainty that it can be. Other people will argue with just as much certainty that you cannot cure addiction.
So who is right? The truth is that both sides are both right and wrong. It depends entirely on what you mean by “addiction” and what you mean by “curing” it.
What Exactly Is Addiction?
Defining an addiction exactly can be difficult. There are many definitions out there, and they do not all agree. However, there are some basic principles that can help you understand what an addiction is for practical purposes.
One of the main qualities of an addiction is that it is compulsive. People feel like they have to perform a certain behavior even if they do not necessarily want to. If people try to resist, they often find that this compulsion grows stronger and stronger.
However, that is not even close to all there is to addiction. After all, people feel compelled to eat food, and they feel their compulsion getting stronger and stronger if they resist eating. That does not mean that eating food is an addiction, of course.
The other main trait of an addiction is that it is harmful. Whether or not something is harmful sometimes depends on the situation.
For example, somebody might behave perfectly well while they are drinking alcohol. Other people lose control of themselves and start to take drastic actions that harm their life. In most cases, even frequent drinking will not be properly classified as an addiction unless it starts to cause problems in the life of the drinker, which could include daily reliance on alcohol.
Overcoming Alcoholism or Drug Addiction
This definition can make it hard to say exactly if somebody is cured of addiction or not. However, what we can say with certainty is that many people stop harming their lives with drugs and alcohol.
Many people will find that they have some amount of compulsion that they have to manage for the rest of their lives. In order to avoid using drugs or alcohol, they might have to avoid certain triggers for the rest of their life, otherwise, they will potentially relapse.
Are these people cured of their addiction? After all, they are still experiencing compulsion.
The important thing is that people are able to get their lives back. With the right addiction treatment, overcoming drug addiction is possible whether or not we can exactly define whether you can cure an addiction completely or not.
Many people find their compulsion gets weaker and weaker over time. As long as they can avoid relapsing for a year or so, they often find that they only need to think about their addiction in order to manage it.
Benefits of Addiction Treatment in Massachusetts
Many people try to quit over and over again. Unfortunately, it is the first part of quitting an addiction that is the hardest. That is when you have to deal not only with compulsions but also with physical withdrawal symptoms.
On top of that, quitting cold turkey under the wrong circumstances can actually be bad for your health. Withdrawal symptoms are sometimes more than just unpleasant. They can be potentially deadly.
That makes professional addiction treatment the most helpful during this first stage of overcoming addiction. Alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers have developed a long list of techniques that help people get past the first difficult part of stopping their use of a drug or alcohol.
On top of that, people can learn important skills at rehabilitation centers. These skills are designed to help people better manage their addictions after they leave the center.
Although the hardest part of overcoming addiction might happen at the center, the longest part of the process will happen outside the center. That is why it is so important for people to develop long-term management skills while they are getting past their withdrawal symptoms.
One of the most powerful ways to overcome an addiction is to become part of a community. Rehabilitation centers have all kinds of resources that help people find mutual support from others who are also overcoming addictions. Many people who attend rehabilitation also find that they make friends there who help them gain a broader perspective on addiction.
Understand the Most Important Things to Know About Addiction Treatment in Massachusetts
We hope learning about addiction treatment and drug and alcohol rehab has been helpful for you. Many people delay going to drug rehab because they do not fully understand what kind of future they can potentially attain. Understanding a little bit more about how a drug detox or alcohol detox works can help people appreciate that they do not have to live with the same cravings and withdrawal symptoms forever.
That makes learning a little bit more about detoxes a potentially life-changing investment. To learn more about how to successfully manage addiction or to speak with experts in overcoming addiction, feel free to reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!
