Drug & Alcohol Rehab in High Peak
It is easy to be overwhelmed by addiction.
The constant need to sustain substance use can take over an individual’s life, and the pressure to do so can wreak havoc on both their financial and emotional well-being. Furthermore, constant consumption can spark serious, life-changing health defects.
What can also make the experience of developing an addiction difficult is the confusion individuals can experience when it comes to looking for treatment. The road to recovery can seem murky, and it is normal for those who are considering rehab to have a lot of questions.
It is essential that anyone who thinks that they are struggling with an addiction reaches out to a medical expert and gets help as quickly as they can. At OK Rehab, we understand that doubts and concerns about substance abuse and its treatment can get in the way of this, so we are here to help answer some of the most common questions.
For more information about drug and alcohol rehab in High Peak, call us today at 0800 326 5559.
What is Denial?
Research tells us that many people who develop addictions exhibit signs of denial. [1] But what exactly is denial?
When an individual is in denial about their addiction, it means that they are unconsciously refusing to believe that their situation is as dangerous as it is. In order to protect themselves from the consequences of their behaviour, they ignore the problem and instead believe that their substance use is normal and the reactions of the people around them are excessive.
Denial can be very dangerous. Not only does it prevent individuals from acknowledging the need for treatment, but it also allows substance abuse to continue developing until its symptoms are impossible to ignore. When this happens, health can be put at serious risk.
Of course, denial poses a difficult challenge. Individuals are often not able to break out of it by themselves and see the true extent of what their behaviour is doing, so it is often up to those around them to convince them of their addiction’s reality.
If you are concerned about someone you care about, the best course of action is to reach out to a GP and explain the situation to them.
How Does Addiction Affect the Body & Mind?
Consuming drugs and drinking alcohol impacts individuals in very serious ways. Taking them once makes the body experience a ‘high’ which can often be very relaxing and pleasurable, but there are more serious long-term impacts too.
1. What happens to the body?
At first, the consumption of a substance does not do anything too extreme to the body. There is a ‘high’ in which the body becomes more relaxed or energetic or numbed, and then the effect passes.
With more frequent usage, however, more impactful changes begin to take place. When the substance starts to be used routinely, with doses being ingested at least once a day, the body’s chemistry starts rearranging itself to accommodate the constant presence of a drug or alcohol within its system.
Over time, the body accepts the substance as a part of its daily chemical balance until eventually, it starts to depend on its presence in order to function. If the consumption is then stopped, withdrawal symptoms are triggered which can be incredibly dangerous.
Including shaking, insomnia, heart palpitations, and vomiting, these symptoms push individuals into desperately trying to consume more of a substance, and thus the cycle of addiction is pushed further on.
2. What happens to the mind?
The reason why many individuals begin drinking alcohol or taking drugs in the first place is often their desire to calm or improve their mental state. The attraction of these substances commonly lies in their ability to provide great relief to psychological turmoil and emotional instability. [2]
When individuals begin using substances for this reason, the immediate results are as they expect. They are calmed and made to feel confident, and they are overall better equipped to handle everyday tasks that their anxiety, depression, or trauma has so far made impossible.
With time, however, this changes. Many substances, including alcohol, are known as depressants, meaning that they influence the brain in a negative way the more that they are ingested.
This means that, while they give off a very relaxing effect at first, they tend to disrupt emotional stability as they are consumed more regularly, sending the body’s hormones all over the place and therefore causing an individual’s anxiety, depression, or trauma to spike.
In order to combat this, many individuals then look to consume more of a substance to reattain its initial relaxing effect and then fall victim to the cycle of addiction on the psychological level as well.
For more information about drug and alcohol rehab in High Peak, call us today at 0800 326 5559.
Treatment – What Does Rehab Do to Help?
Substance abuse is a complex condition, and it, therefore, requires an equally layered approach when it comes to trying to treat it. When individuals go into a rehab programme and begin treatment, they find that there are two main methods that form the bulk of their experience.
1. Detoxification
Tackling physical addiction is tricky because it needs to be both effective and safe. To achieve this, rehab employs a careful detoxification process which looks to slowly reduce substance use.
Via this process, individuals are gradually weaned from their physical dependency, becoming accustomed to smaller and smaller doses, with their progress being monitored by medical professionals.
With such a measured approach, the potential for withdrawal symptoms to arise is limited, but medications can be prescribed to reduce their impact if any do.
2. Therapy
Until the psychological motivations for an individual’s substance abuse are addressed, they will continue to push towards addiction, regardless of their physical sobriety. As a result, rehab utilises a variety of therapy activities.
Through methods such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and support groups, individuals are encouraged to open up about their mental health with a therapist or their peers, work through why they feel the need to consume a substance and develop techniques for handling their stress that does not involve addiction.
How Do I Begin Looking for Help?
To start the process of beating your addiction, simply get in touch with us at OK Rehab and let us get the ball rolling.
When you contact us, we can conduct a telephone assessment and work with you to find the most appropriate treatment programme in the local area for you.
It can be daunting to start the recovery journey, but when you let us help, we can ensure that you start off on the right foot and go forward feeling confident about what to expect from your future in rehab.
For more information about drug and alcohol rehab in High Peak, call us today at 0800 326 5559.
Getting Support from OK Rehab
If you are considering drug and alcohol rehab and need support, get in touch with us at OK Rehab. We can help!
It can be frightening to think about addiction treatment, and trying to find rehab in the High Peak area can feel overwhelming. But when you contact us, we can help find the right programme for your situation and make sure that you feel confident about taking the next steps towards a healthier lifestyle.
Get in touch with us today by calling 0800 326 5559.
References
[1] https://research.birmingham.ac.uk/portal/files/25519189/DENIAL_PICKARD_M_L_FINAL_PRE_PROOF.pdf
[2] https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-misuse-addiction
