Substance abuse treatment programs

Rehab is, unfortunately, something of a taboo topic in the United States. Many of us don’t want to discuss drug rehab because we’re ashamed of things like addiction; some simply don’t understand how effective rehab is, and for that matter how important it is to the treatment process. Addiction is a disease that affects millions of Americans, and for that matter millions of people around the world. If it’s ignored, it can lead to financial and personal loss for addicts and their families — and even death. While drug rehab is one of more common types of rehab, rehab centers across the country can treat not only drug addiction, but alcohol addiction, gambling addiction, and less common but still prolific types of behavioral addictions. Below, we’ll look into some of the different types of addiction, as well as the different types of addiction treatment centers and how they can help addicts and their families recover. What’s most important to remember when dealing with addiction is that, whether you’re an addict or the loved one of an addict — this process isn’t easy, and it takes time. Be patient, and understand that you are dealing with a disease just as you would deal with a physical ailment. It isn’t going to be cured instantly — but it can be cured.

What Can Lead To Addiction?

While addiction can happen to anyone, there are some factors that can lead to addiction occurring. It’s estimated that right now, about 10 to 15% of Americans have “addictive” personalities. These people are naturally more likely to experience addiction, and are more drawn towards addictive things and behaviors than others. Having an addictive personality by no means guarantees that you’ll have an addiction — it just means that you should avoid addictive substances and behaviors and monitor yourself. Mental illnesses like anxiety and depression can also make a person more likely to fall into addiction; and with about 20 million Americans suffering from depression at any given moment, there are a lot of people who can be drawn into addiction through mental illness. Studies have also shown that the children of addicts are more likely to experience addiction. This could indicate a genetic predisposition towards addiction, or it could simply be that those raised by addicts are more likely to develop behaviors similar to those that they were raised by. But addiction again, can be owed to everything from environment to specific situations.

What Counts As An Addiction?

You can become addicted to a number of things — even something as benign as eating can develop into an addiction. Drug addiction is obviously a common and well-known type of addiction, which is why there are so many drug rehab centers available. With that being said, not all drugs that people get addicted to are illegal. Many find themselves addicted to legal prescription pills, and their addiction leads to them seeking their pills illegally. Alcohol is another legal substance, but it’s one of the leading causes of addiction in America. In fact — while many don’t even see alcohol as a drug, it remains the #1 drug problem in the U.S. One of the issues with alcohol is that an alcohol addiction is often the gateway for other types of addiction. Even gambling can be an addiction. If you abuse alcohol, you are actually 23 times more likely to become a gambling addict. No matter what type of addiction you or a loved one suffer from, you have to take it seriously if you want to defeat it.

What Happens At Rehab Centers?

Different types of addiction treatment centers work in different ways. Most drug rehab centers today use a combination of physical and mental treatments. A rehab center for gambling addiction, meanwhile, may involve less physical treatment and more counseling. It’s important to see several different rehab centers before deciding on the one that is right for you or your loved one. It may be one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make.