Addictions can be defined in a number of ways, they involve compulsively seeking to use a substance or repeat certain behaviours regardless of the potentially negative social, psychological and physical consequences. Addictions can include alcoholism, illegal & prescriptive drug dependence, compulsive gambling, excessive internet use, gaming addiction, eating disorders and compulsive sex, to name just a few. Drugs, in particular, have the most powerful effects on the body and mind and they can become addictive emotionally, psychologically, even physically.
Drug use crosses the line into drug addiction when you feel you have to have the drug, and you increase the amount of the drug you take. Using drugs or repeating certain compulsive behaviours can become a way of coping with painful psychological feelings such as anxiety, depression & loneliness. Various factors, such as your personality, your genetic makeup and peer pressure, affect your likelihood of becoming addicted to a drug. In addition, some drugs, such as heroin or cocaine, produce a physical addiction much more quickly than other drugs do for many people.
Drug addiction characteristics may include;
- Having an intense craving for the drug
- Feeling that you need the drug to deal with your problems
- Making sure you maintain a steady supply of the drug
- The feeling that you need to use the drug regularly, in some cases many times a day
- Repeated and unsuccessful attempts to stop using the drug
- When you stop taking the drug you have unpleasant physical reactions.
- Doing things you would otherwise not normally do to obtain the drug e.g. stealing
- Putting yourself and others at risk of physical harm such as driving under the influence
Not everyone who uses drugs will become addicted, however many people do. The problem arises when the harms associated with using the drug begin to outweigh the benefits. If your regular drug use is beginning to take a toll on your moods, your health, relationships with others, affecting the quality of your work, putting your job at risk or placing you at odds with the law then professional treatment and support may prove necessary. Breaking a drug addiction is difficult, but not impossible and Gladstones’ team of experts can help you finally beat your drug dependence for good.
At Gladstones, we specialise in treatment for drug addictions including addictions to prescription medicines. We recognise there are usually many different issues to consider when analysing one persons addiction. Therefore, we design every one of our programmes on an individual basis, to be assured the specific needs of each client are addressed and the most effective strategies are used. Before entering one of our intensive transformation programmes, it may or may not be necessary for the client to undergo a medically supervised detox. Once the client is stabilised, our supportive staff will assess their situation to determine the best course of action to take in the mapping of their intensive recovery programme. Throughout their stay with Gladstones, the client will have full access to the wide range of treatments we have available, including medical care, intensive councelling, and complementary therapies which are all designed to get them back to health in the shortest possible time. Contact us on 0845 519 9309 to find out how a highly specific and personalised programme can be created for you.