Drug Addiction and Rehab in New Bedford, MA

One of the biggest mistakes that a person with a drug addiction can make is assuming that they do not need drug rehab or another form of drug treatment when they are trying to overcome their addiction. Going it alone for drug addiction recovery is rarely successful according to experts at the National Institute on Drug Abuse as well as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Professional help, through New Bedford Drug Treatment Centers can be the difference between successful abstinence and a perpetual cycle of recovery attempts and relapses.

Understanding Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is a chronic disease that has physical effects on the body and the brain. Specifically, the brain suffers the most physical changes including changes in the way it functions and the actual internal structure of the brain. Addiction is also a disease that affects behavior, learning, memory, physical health throughout the body, mental health, and emotions. A drug addiction also involves an inability to abstain from substance use and abuse in spite of the negative consequences that take over a person’s life as the result of that substance abuse.

The physical side of an addiction is also referred to as drug dependence (physical/chemical dependence). Addictive drugs have a very close relationship with the brain. When the drug is in the body, it is in constant communication with the brain, sending it signals to release or block certain chemicals or to perform other actions as the drug indicates (based on its own chemical makeup).

Eventually, the brain forms what would be like a codependent relationship with the drug. It cannot function properly or normally without its presence and instructions to do so. This change in the way that the brain operates is the essence of a chemical dependence.

Treating Drug Addiction

Because a chemical dependence on drugs or alcohol is so strong, and because of the fact that the brain’s structure and function affect everything in the body from emotions to basic physical processes, that dependence needs to be addressed first in treatment. Breaking the chemical dependence to drugs or alcohol occurs in detox, when the addicted substance is denied and the remainder of the substance in the body is allowed to leave the body. This triggers the brain to have to get back to normal without the drug being present.

Medical detox is the safest and most effective way to break a chemical dependence. It allows a person to have medical supervision while going through detox, so that doctors can use prescription medications to help shorten the duration of the process and treat withdrawal symptoms as they occur. Medical detox can also prevent a person from suffering severe withdrawal symptoms or can treat them swiftly if they occur to avoid permanent damage to the mind or body.

Once the brain is no longer encumbered by its reliance on the addicted substance, a person can learn how to live without substance abuse again. This means they will have to dig deep and examine their life and relationships closely to determine where they took a wrong turn that led them to substance abuse. They need to identify triggers, situations, feelings, and thoughts that caused their desire to abuse substances and deal with them in healthier ways that are not dangerous to their health and wellbeing.

Explore your different treatment options by contacting New Bedford Drug Treatment Centers at (508) 645-6878. You can and will get the help that you need to overcome your addiction successfully so that you can rebuild your life and take control over your health and wellbeing.