The Myth of Addiction as a Choice
A person that has never struggled with addiction may find themselves asking the questions, what is drug addiction, and is drug addiction a disease or a choice?
Often, it’s difficult for a person who’s never had to deal with addiction fully because all they’ve seen is the pain and chaos that shows on the outside of addiction. It’s important to remember that no one who’s mentally and emotionally healthy would choose to cause unnecessary pain and suffering to their loved ones knowingly. But the disease of addiction significantly impacts how a person thinks and reacts and unfortunately, does indeed cause a great deal of strife for addicts and everyone around them.
Addiction as a Disease
Once you can answer yes to the question is drug addiction a disease, you can then take steps toward understanding the frustrating aspects of the condition. Many researchers have come to realize that addiction changes the chemistry of your brain overtime over the years.
As a result, you are no longer in control over your actions or reactions when it comes to your cravings for your drug or drink of choice. When you consume that substance, your brain continues to change to a point where you feel that you are no longer able to live your life unless you have that drug.
Treating Addiction as a Brain Disease
Although the prospect of combating addiction can be scary for many people, it’s never impossible to overcome addiction. Here are the different steps that you can take when it comes to treating addiction as a brain disease:
Consider going through a detox program first
Before you begin a treatment program, it’s essential that you first remove any influence of your drug of choice from your body. If you try to participate in treatment and you are still under the influence of that drug, it’s impossible that you will be able to truly absorb the critical lessons that you will learn during the course of your treatment.
Workout your treatment plan
When you come to Muse Treatment in Los Angeles, we will work with you personally to determine the best treatment plan for you. We give our clients the option to work through an inpatient or outpatient treatment program. Additionally, if you also suffer from a mental illness, we can adjust your treatment plan to include care and treatment for your addiction and mental illness.
Sober living options
Once you are done with treatment, it’s critical that you continue to place yourself in an environment conducive to your new and sober lifestyle. Understandably, you may not have the support at home during this transitional time in your recovery, so we also allow our clients to take advantage of sober living. Remember that there are certain rules that you will need to follow while in sober living, including attending 12-step meetings, attending house meetings as well as being home at curfew.
The Muse team in Los Angeles is well-versed in the different aspects of addiction. When you come to our facility for treatment, you never have to worry about being met with any kind of criticism or judgment. We fully understand that addiction is a disease, and we do everything that we can to provide you with the tools and the resources you need to understand that fact better as you work your way through your own recovery. Are you ready to take your first steps toward overcoming your addiction? Give us a call today at (800) 426-1818 to start the process.
