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Oxycontin Withdrawal
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Addiction is a recognized disease that effects the brain and its neurochemistry. The cycle of addiction is created by changes in brain chemistry and perpetuated by physiological, psychological, and emotional dependency. This cycle of addiction goes along unrestrained, until some type of intervention occurs (self-intervention, legal, family, etc). Long term recovery is possible with addiction treatment.
Stop spinning out of control. You can break the cycle of addiction today just call and speak with a Recovery Connection coordinator. Specially trained, our coordinators can answer most of your questions about detox, treatment and addiction. Take the step to lead you to health. Call now.
Drug and alcohol addiction research has clearly demonstrated that the addicted brain is chemically and physiologically different from a normal brain. The idea of addiction being a neurologic disorder is critical to understanding its development, and the recovery process.
Eventually, from internal turmoil and conflict, or through outside interventions, a person will seek to stop the addiction cycle, and enter into a healthier lifestyle called recovery. It may take months, years, or decades before this process leads one onto the path of recovery. An addict or alcoholic may understand the cycle of addiction, but will remain unable to break the repetition of the cycle, until they develop the insight to seek help. For some, this may mean entry into a religious organization, self-help group, or simply developing a better way of life. However, the vast majority of addicted persons require outside help, such as that given by counselors, physicians, and addiction treatment centers.
Addiction is defined as obsessive thinking and compulsive need for drugs, alcohol, food, sex, or anything despite the resulting negative consequences. Addiction includes the development of tolerance combined with withdrawal symptoms. In addition to tolerance, an addict or alcoholic will experience intense physical cravings for the drug and an emotional obsession to take alcohol or drugs regardless of the consequences.
In order to alleviate emotional or physical pain, a person might experiment with drugs or alcohol. Alternatively, one may use drugs or alcohol in a social setting, and decide to try them again, just to have fun. On the surface, initially, the substances seem to work; the person's pain dissipates or a good time is had. At this point, the drugs or alcohol are valuable to the person, because the substance has temporarily relieved discomfort, or has created a sense of well-being and excitement. This effect may seem ideal. In the beginning, unwanted feelings disappear, and euphoria, excitement, and/or relaxation predominate. Relieved of feelings of discomfort, the individual will continue to use drugs or alcohol a second time, a third time, and so on.
Soon the person increases use to maintain the desired effects and becomes fully addicted to drugs or alcohol. They've lost control and are trapped. The original problems are left unattended and/or unresolved. If the person didn't have problems at the onset of use, problems have now been created as a result of the use. Constant attempts to satisfy the body's cravings for drugs or alcohol become the person's new reality.
Great time and effort is spent acquiring the alcohol or drugs. Once the addict or alcoholic is completely entrenched in the cycle of addiction, the health, financial, social, and emotional consequences begin to appear. Sometimes, these consequences appear slowly, which allows the addict or alcoholic to overlook their true origin, which is use of substances. The addict may just feel that they have been unlucky, or blame the consequences on others.
Drug and alcohol use alters the way the brain and the certain neurotransmitters function. These changes in brain chemistry create addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms, which all lead to cravings. Drugs and alcohol not only affect the primitive brain areas, such as the amygdala and hippocampus, but more recently, scientists have demonstrated that they affect input and output into the frontal lobe. This is the lobe that allows humans to control their behavior..
Levels of certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, send messages to the brain and the rest of the body. The altered brain chemistry essentially requires constant, repetitive exposure to the substance or action, in order to function psychologically and physiologically. This chemical dependence is what leads to tolerance and withdrawal symptoms, two of the hallmarks of substance abuse addiction that most often requires a professionally monitored alcohol and drug detox.
Addiction alters the brain chemistry affecting the process of thought and decision making. The definition of addiction also includes strong references to denial, minimization, and justification, all of which are primitive internal defense mechanisms that allow the user to avoid internalizing or recognizing his or her alcohol or drug addiction. This is because once the addiction is acknowledged, the addict may ultimately be forced to make a decision to stop using chemicals thus breaking the cycle of addiction. The abnormal, addicted brain cannot tolerate that decision. The cycle of addiction is powerful usually requiring outside interventions that include alcohol detox or drug detox and substance abuse treatment.
Breaking the cycle of addiction may seem impossible. Most people require an intervention to stop the craziness of addiction. Call to speak with a trained Recovery Connection coordinator. Many of these staff members are recovering addicts and alcoholics who understand what you are feeling, thinking, or doing. Help is available. Pick up the phone and call and break the cycle of addiction now.
The Cycle of Addiction is characterized by:
1) Frustration and internal pain, that leads to anxiety and a demand for relief of these symptoms
2) Fantasizing about using alcohol and drugs or behaviors to relieve the uncomfortable symptoms
3) Obsessing about using drugs and alcohol and how his or her life will be after the use of substances
4) Engaging in the addictive activity, such as using substances in order to gain relief (acting-out)
5) Loosing control over the behavior (substance use)
6) Developing a feeling of remorse, guilt, and shame, that lead to feelings of dissatisfaction
7) Making a promise or resolve to oneself to stop the behavior or substance use
8) After a period of time, the pain returns, and the addict will again begin to experience the fantasies of using substances
This cycle can rotate on a variable basis. For example, binge users will rotate through this cycle more slowly; whereas, daily users may rotate through the addictive cycle of addiction daily, or several times throughout the day. This cycle can be arrested at any point, once the addict or alcoholic makes a decision or is forced to get help. Sometimes, the consequences that arise due to the use, such as legal, financial, medical, or social, will force the addict or alcoholic to stop using. However, typically in the absence of outside help, such as alcohol or drug detox followed by addiction treatment help, the substance abuse or addictive behavior is likely to return.
Prochaska's stages of change illustrates the addictive cycle and it's relationship to recovery.
1) Pre-contemplation - the addict has not yet considered stopping the behavior or use of substances
2) Contemplation - the addict is starting to consider making a change in behavior
3) Preparation - the addict is mentally and, possibly, physically preparing to make a change
4) Action - the addict has taken an action, such as seeking treatment, self-help groups, or counseling. Treatment has been provided and th addict has stopped using.
5) Maintenance - the addict is maintaining his or her new lifestyle and behavior, following a recovery program.
Unfortunately, relapse can occur during the action or maintenance stage, which will mean the addict or alcoholic again enters the cycle of addiction.
The Drug Personality
The Drug Personality develops though continued, chronic use. There is a typical set of behaviors that an addict or alcoholic will exhibit. Not all alcoholics or addicts exhibit all these behavioral characteristics. Likewise, many people who aren't addicted to drugs or alcohol will exhibit some of these behaviors. However, when taken as a whole, the following symptoms are strong indicators of addiction.
A drug personality may:
Some substance abuse treatment programs focus mainly on spiritual talk therapy but without tackling the disease's underlying physiology. Quality addiction treatment programs focus on correcting the neurological imbalances caused by substance dependence. Psychosocial counseling, addiction education, and a variety of therapies, counseling, relapse prevention, and aftercare plans empower the patient with the tools to stay on the road to recovery.
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