Drug Addiction Facts

The National Institute on Drug Abuse has done research that shows the value of prevention programs. Education is the key. People, young and old, need to understand that there is risk, danger involved with taking illegal drugs, drinking, or abusing prescription medications. If someone believes a drug is harmful, they are not as likely to take it. People need to understand the risk.
In 2006, there were an estimated 731,000 current users of methamphetamine aged 12 or older. Among youths aged 12 to 17, current illicit drug use rates remained stable from 2005 to 2006. However, youth rates declined significantly between 2002 and 2006 for illicit drugs in general and for several specific drugs, including marijuana, hallucinogens, LSD, Ecstasy, prescription-type drugs used non-medically, pain relievers, tranquilizers, and the use of illicit drugs other than marijuana.
Addiction recovery also involves understanding what caused an individual to begin using drugs or alcohol as well as finding solutions to prevent further abuse. During this step of addiction recovery, individuals should also learn communication skills, personal ethics, social and anti-social personality traits, how to repair past damage they may have caused others, in addition to planning a strategy for their futures.
In 2003, there were nearly 1.7 million admissions to publicly funded drug rehabs. Most admissions (23.2 percent) were for alcohol treatment. Marijuana accounted for the largest percentage of illicit drug rehab admissions (15.4 percent), followed by heroin (14.4 percent).
Principle of Drug Addiction Treatment: Counseling (individual and/or group) and other behavioral therapies are critical components of effective treatment for addiction. In therapy, patients address issues of motivation, build skills to resist drug use, replace drug-using activities with constructive and rewarding non-drug using activities, and improve problem-solving abilities. Behavioral therapy also facilitates interpersonal relationships and the individual's ability to function in the family and community.
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Alabama Drug Addiction and Drug Addiction Treatment

Drug addiction in Alabama is a pattern of repeated drug taking that usually results in tolerance (the need for greater amounts of the drug to achieve the same effect), withdrawal (physical and cognitive effects when drug use declines or stops), and compulsive drug taking behavior (drug taking that persists despite efforts to reduce intake and despite problems with family, friends, and work). Addiction encompasses a diverse range of drugs (such as alcohol, cannabis, amphetamines, and cocaine) and is caused by many different factors.

When it comes to the causes of addiction in Alabama, it is not likely that anyone begins using a drug with the intention of becoming addicted. Experimentation and curiosity are the first factors that draw many to even try drugs. They want to feel that "high", the sense of euphoria that comes with drug use. Additionally, drug addiction often results in painful withdrawal symptoms when drug use is stopped suddenly. This frequently provides drug users with another reason to continue their destructive drug behavior. The medical causes of addiction in Alabama are not fully understood. Researchers can only state with assurance that the repeated use of addictive drugs can bring about dramatic changes in both the structure and the function of the brain in destructive ways that can result in compulsive drug use.

Another one of the causes of drug addiction is the effect of drugs on the user. By stimulating the internal reward system in the user's brain, drugs and alcohol make the addict crave the drug to again stimulate this reward center. These cravings lead the addict to stop focusing on those things that used to be important, and begin focusing on another dose of their drug or alcohol.

Lastly, easy accessibility to drugs in Alabama and new, lower prices are other causes of addiction. Drugs can be found anywhere if a person simply asks. Street corners and alleyways are no longer the only place to find drugs. Schools, workplaces, and even the family next door might be new places to find drugs. With more drugs being produced, the price has also been driven down.

In Alabama, drug addiction is a problem which affects people of all income levels, ages, and stations in life. Quite often the last person to see that there is a problem is the addict. Families try to help their loved ones to no avail. Companies have a difficult choice when faced with an once valuable employee or executive who has, due to some turn in life, developed a drug abuse problem - to help them or to fire them.

When this is the case it is important to talk to the individual about their drug use and see if they are ready to quit using drugs. For those who are not, the family, friends, or colleagues can perform what is known as an intervention. This may help the addict to see how much their drug use has hurt their friends and family. There are a number of Alcohol Treatment and Drug Rehab Facilities for drug addiction in Alabama. Different experts advocate different Drug Treatment and Alcohol Rehab Facilities. Some advocate drug-assisted therapies, while others advocate drug-free therapies. Which Alcohol Treatment and Drug Rehab Center is right for a particular person is a subjective determination. Before choosing an Alcohol Rehabilitation and Drug Rehab Center in Alabama, you should always investigate the methods used by the Drug Treatment and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center and the philosophies behind those methods.

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