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Dispelling Myths About Substance Abuse Recovery

It takes bravery to decide to enroll in an addiction treatment program since it involves more than just talking about your feelings or mustering the strength to stop using.

Your physical, mental, and emotional needs are addressed throughout addiction rehabilitation, which takes work.

Whether you have already made this choice or are still debating it, you should be pleased of yourself for making this crucial initial move.

Because of some of the fallacies they’ve heard about treatment programs or about substance abuse in general, people are sometimes reluctant to start their journey toward recovery.

Most people have heard a lot about drug addiction, but if you’re like most people, you probably haven’t heard much about recovery programs or what happens to someone when they decide to combat their addiction.

You need reliable information to assist you decide which program is ideal for you if you’re on the fence about enrolling in one.

A few facts concerning addiction rehabilitation may have been mentioned to you along the way, but let’s sort reality from fantasy.

Dispelling Myths About Substance Abuse Recovery

10 Myths and Facts About Addiction

Ten of the most widespread fallacies regarding addiction are listed here, along with the truths:

Myth 1: I Just Need to Cleanse.

The term “detox” suggests that everything will be OK after the drug to which you are addicted has left your body. In actuality, though, quitting an addictive drug is just the beginning of the journey.

You’ll probably go through some severe physical symptoms of withdrawal that might hurt or make you uncomfortable. Addiction.

Myth No. 2: I Can Treat My Withdrawal Symptoms on My Own.

You are hooked to a substance if using drugs or alcohol prevents you from sleeping or functioning normally. Contrary to popular belief, chemical dependency is a very real physical reliance on an addiction.

Because your body has come to rely on that chemical rather than its natural functions, you have developed an addiction to that substance.

Your body will have a severe physical reaction when you remove alcohol or another drug from your system because it has been accustomed to having that substance in your system.

Myth #3: Quitting cold turkey is preferable.

When someone says they’re going to quit drinking or using drugs “cold turkey,” they indicate they’re going to do it suddenly and without the use of any medicine or professional medical support.

When someone opts to deal with their addiction in this fashion, they frequently make an effort to abstain from drugs or alcohol at home on their own.

There are two reasons why quitting abruptly is risky. First, when your body starts to suffer severe withdrawal symptoms, you could feel like giving up and turn to drugs or alcohol to numb them.

Sometimes these sensations might be so painful that a person would want to get back to their addiction just to feel better. other instances.

Second, resigning by yourself may be fatal. Keep in mind that addiction to alcohol or drugs occurs when your brain gets reliant on these substances to operate.

You may encounter major adverse effects that may even be fatal when those substances abruptly vanish. You are at risk if you aren’t in a controlled setting.

Myth #4: Taking medication does not constitute treatment.

The term “medically supervised withdrawal” is wide and encompasses a variety of methods. Utilizing certain drugs to reduce cravings and assist in controlling brain chemistry when you’re going through withdrawal is one of these strategies.

For instance, in order to assist people with opioid use disorder, doctors may prescribe methadone. At Gateway, we occasionally substitute Suboxone or Vivitrol.

Some people have reservations about utilizing a prescription medication to address a physical substance dependence.

However, these drugs are regarded as a crucial tool in lowering the possibility that a patient may hurt themselves or another person when going through withdrawal. Your path toward recovery is not hampered by going through medically supervised and aided withdrawal.

Prescription drugs can offer significant, and even life-saving, help during withdrawal with the right direction and care.

When a patient has made a certain amount of improvement, their medical team might start to reduce the amount of medicine they are using to address their symptoms.

Myth #5: In a treatment program, I Won’t Have Any Freedom

There are rules and restrictions in treatment programs that you are required to follow, but there is also a lot of flexibility in our programs.

At Gateway, we don’t utilize a one-size-fits-all therapy model because we think that every patient is unique and requires individualized care.

When you enroll in our residential program, you can anticipate nutritious meals, opportunities for peer interaction, and relaxing settings that will help you concentrate on getting well. You’ll get some alone time, and as your program advances, you could even be able to see family members.

Consider outpatient programs as another option if you want to continue living independently while receiving addiction treatment.

Myth #6: I can’t leave my life to get treatment, according 

It may be intimidating to consider putting your life on wait in order to enroll in a treatment program. You could be frightened to leave your family behind or concerned that you won’t have a place to stay when your treatment is through.

It’s normal to feel this way, but taking a break from your regular routine can help with therapy and your overall recovery.

Losing the habits and circumstances that probably led to your addiction in the first place is a big component of the recovery process.

You offer yourself a higher chance of keeping your sobriety once you return home when you give yourself time to recuperate in a setting free of triggers.