Surveys have shown that drug and alcohol abuse and the need for substance abuse treatment or drug rehabilitation for addicts are more likely to cost a person their job than incompetence. Drug addicts suffering drug abuse and addiction have affected every area of society.
Some believe that drug addiction is more pervasive in show business, and addicts are apparently abundant, while others counter that this perception exists only because of the high-profile nature of the show business industry. The fact drug addiction crops up everywhere suggest that addicts are plentiful regardless of locale or social strata.
There is little comfort in this however, when an addict you know becomes difficult to get along with, unreliable or untrustworthy, incapable of trust, or even violent due to their worsening drug or alcohol addiction.
There are a myriad of attitudes concerning drug addiction, and drug addicts. Unfortunately, there are still those who believe this condition to be the result of poor judgment, or perhaps a flawed character and of course a drug addict or alcoholic, at one time did make an uninformed decision to try drugs or alcohol and soon become addicted and in need if substance abuse treatment or drug rehabilitation.
Types of drug addicts
There really isn’t a big difference between methamphetamine addicts, cocaine addicts, heroin addicts or prescription drug addicts when it comes to needing drug rehabilitation. No one thought in the beginning they would end up being a drug or alcohol addict and in need of substance abuse treatment or drug rehabilitation.
This isn’t to imply that each and every drug addict’s situation of dealing with addiction or becoming addicted to drugs is the same by comparison at all. Each and every addict has problems that are real to them and significantly unconfrontable which drives drug or alcohol addicts further into the mud. Being a drug addict is hard work and takes a lot of creativity in keeping the addiction going.
Drugs and alcohol is a trap, and if it were known at the time many of our nation’s addicts would never try drugs or commit substance abuse. It’s estimated there are 5500 kids drink alcohol or try drugs each day. Studies have shown 20% of those that try drugs will become addicted. This means there are 1100 new addicts each and every day.
Addicts and the timeline of drug addiction
Heroin addiction and addicts have posed a significant risk to society since its inception back in the 1930’s and 40’s.
The late 1970’s and early 80’s brought on an abundance of cocaine addicts. Cocaine addicts suffer effects are extremely detrimental to the addicts body and the consequences related to cocaine effects can eventually lead to permanent damage, addiction and death as does an addiction to methamphetamine only cocaine effects do not last as long.
While each addict who uses this drug reacts to it differently, there are two distinct categories of cocaine effects: short-term effects and long-term effects. Even if a person has only used cocaine once, he/she can experience short-term cocaine effects. Long-term cocaine effects appear after increased periods of abuse and are dependent upon the duration of time and amount of cocaine that has been consumed.
Short-term cocaine effects are noticeable immediately and although they are not always damaging, in some cases they have caused serious bodily damage and death. Deaths related to cocaine effects are often a result of cardiac arrest or seizures and respiratory failure. Some of the short-term cocaine effects first time users experience includes increased energy, decreased appetite, and increased heart rate and blood pressure.
Addicts who tried cocaine and became addicted often got hooked to the short-term cocaine effects, namely feeling as though they have increased energy. The quick high keeps users feeling energetic and able to endure longer in physical activities. New cocaine users often try cocaine to increase productivity at work and in other areas of their lives so that they can work longer and harder. While these results may seem promising in the beginning, increased tolerance and dangerous life choices often follow repeated cocaine use. Many cocaine addicts became addicted as part of the party like associated with the disco area. Cocaine was deemed the rich mans drug subsequently crack was developed as a means of providing cocaine in smaller for affordable amounts that provided a much more intense high. In the mid to late 80’s crack addicts and addiction to crack was significant.
In the 1990’s and into the new millennia meth addiction was on the rise. Studies have shown someone who tries methamphetamine for the first time, 95% of the time will do the drug again. Methamphetamine and its derivatives, crystal meth addiction, crank or ICE addiction has many street names and claims the lives of numerous addicts. Meth addicts will exhibit mannerisms such as obsessive, fidgety behavior like compulsive cleaning or the need to fix things or take them apart and not put them back together. A meth addict engages in constant, rambling conversation. Meth addicts will have dilated pupils and rapid, darting eyes and experience frequent sweating due to the rise in body temperature caused by the drug. Tooth decay, skin lesions and weight loss are also afflictions meth addicts suffer due to improper diet, nutritional deficiencies and poor hygiene.
Prescription drug addiction is on the rise and addiction to drug like oxycontin, percaset, hydrocodone are rapidly increasing with the new fad called “pharming parties” where teenagers raid their parents or grandparent medicine looking for powerful addictive drugs for getting high.
Prescription drug addicts who have become heroin addicts often turn to drugs such as heroin and ultimately become addicted as a result of prescription drugs being harder to obtain because of availability and price.
Although there are a number of different kinds of drug addicts like meth addicts, cocaine addicts, heroin addicts and prescription drug addicts they all share some basic common issues like an extreme physical addiction, underlying mental emotional issues and the ability to make rational decisions. Depression and anxiety upon withdrawal are also common issues among all addicts.
There are a number so called functioning addicts that have never been treated or reported so the actual numbers of addicts is impossible to determine. Particularly those addicted to prescription drugs.
Being aware of irresponsible behavior is a key to spotting someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. When someone places more value in drugs and alcohol than thing like family and job then addiction and the need for treatment is definite.
AddictionWatch.com
When in need of an addiction counselor or looking for the right addiction treatment center, it is important to consider all the facets of drug addiction or substance abuse and realize there drug rehab programs out there that do not necessarily have the best interest of you or you’re loved one at heart.
Most addiction treatment centers offer one of four types of drug or alcohol rehabilitation programs that vary in cost, length and most importantly success. These programs offer many different kinds of treatment for the recovery of addicts, like inpatient treatment, outpatient rehab, detox facilities, and sober living homes. Inpatient addiction treatment is generally designed for addicts who require more intensive treatment from their addictions where they will reside with supervision and counseling from certified addiction treatment professionals.
Outpatient addiction treatment is usually for those addicts who have less severe addictions and might achieve success in a drug rehabilitation program with a few addiction counseling sessions a week for several hours, then return home at the end of the day. Detox is the first step in recovering from addiction to alcohol and benzodiazepines and offered at some addiction treatment centers, but only those with medical equipment and staff on hand to handle the safe detoxification of addicts in a comfortable environment.
For more information about addiction and addiction treatment centers, please feel free to explore our website. If you have questions about your drug use or that of a loved one, please call us at 1-866-989-4499. We are here to help.
