You are starting to come to the realization that you have a problem with drugs or alcohol. You may have tried to stop drinking and drugging on your own, only to go right back to substance abuse, maybe with increasingly concerning consequences. You know you’re hurting your loved ones and yourself, but you can’t seem to stop doing what you’re doing. You may be wondering if it’s time to consider drug rehab. Your life may be starting to fall apart. You may have lost your job or been given ultimatums from your family. You may be starting to have legal problems such as arrests for DUI, drug possession or disorderly conduct. You may have developed major health problems that aren’t going to go away if you don’t get sober. Sometimes you don’t even remember what you’ve done the previous night but you’re pretty sure it wasn’t good. Should you go to drug rehab? There are some good reasons why you should consider getting help from a professional treatment facility.
Quitting Alcohol or Drugs on Your Own Can Be Dangerous
One of the biggest reasons to consider going to rehab is that quitting drugs or alcohol on your own can be extremely dangerous. People who are uneducated about addiction may think all you have to do is decide to quit. But if you have been abusing drugs or alcohol for any length of time, it’s not that simple. Once you are physically addicted, withdrawal from alcohol and certain drugs is extremely unpleasant and may even cause a medical emergency. People who are dependent on substances and accustomed to numbing their feelings may experience shaking, sweating and extreme panic when they try to stop using. Other dangerous symptoms can occur, including racing heart rate, hallucinations, seizures and even death. In most cases, detoxification should be supervised by a medical professional.
Addiction Is a Progressive Illness
Many alcoholics and addicts continually deny they have a problem and are convinced that they could quit any time they want to. They believe they just don’t want to. But addiction is a progressive illness. Over time it almost always gets worse. Long-term consequences of continuing to use can be devastating. Many addicts eventually watch their family, job and health slip away. Drinking and drugging can lead to irreversible health problems. Addiction is often the underlying cause of vehicle accidents that could be devastating or fatal to you, your loved ones or total strangers. Addiction also causes people to do a lot of things they wouldn’t do sober, and they often end up with long prison terms or homeless. In recovery, the acronym YET stands for “You’re Eligible Too.” It means that the consequences that drugs or alcohol haven’t caused yet in your life may still happen to you. Sure, you haven’t lost your job yet and you haven’t developed chronic illnesses yet, but that doesn’t mean you won’t. A smart decision would be to choose to go to rehab before you reach a point of no return.
Drug Rehab Can Get You on the Right Track
Getting through detoxification under medical supervision is the first step toward recovery, but there is more to recovery than getting through the initial physical withdrawal symptoms. Most people who have relied on drugs or alcohol to get through the stressors of life have no coping skills. When you go to treatment, you start to learn other methods of facing your feelings and coping with stress. You will learn what might trigger cravings and what steps you should take when you experience the urge to pick up a drink or a drug. You will learn about meetings and how they work, and you will begin to build a support system that may ultimately save your life. You will learn how to ask for help and get in touch with your feelings. Going to rehab is an important step to getting on the right track toward making better choices in your life. You will start to realize that life has a lot more to offer than you were ever aware of when you were drinking and drugging. You can make new friends and discover new reasons for being. It can truly give you your life back.
