Drugs – What Drives a Drug Addict

The beginning of a drug addiction starts in many different ways. Some drugs only take one time for the addiction to start, while others increase their hold of a person over time. Some people begin a drug addiction to seem cool with a certain group of friends; others are just curious and try it to see what it is like. Soon the curiosity or desire to fit in turns into a crippling addiction that grabs hold and will not let go. The addict will do anything to get the drug including stealing, and selling their body to get money. These are often characteristics you would not see in the person if the drugs were not running their lives. The biggest thing to understand about drug addiction is it is a disease.

Drug addicts often lose everything including their jobs, friends, family, and children. They lose sight of what is important, and do not care about things they once did. Drug addicts often think that there is no hope for them anymore, their self esteem has taken a huge hit and often makes them think that no one cares about them. Most of this is in their mind, but to them these delusions are just as real as if they actually are true. A drug addict does not make a conscious decision to sink into a desperate hole and destroy themselves both physically and mentally. What started as a good time has turned into a nightmare and they need the drug to function, and in most cases to not become violently ill. There are a lot of layers to a drug addict, and they are hard to get through. Sometimes there are events that have happened in an addict’s life that makes it impossible to deal with the real world. This form of self medication is destructive, but they would rather ignore their problems then deal with them.

When someone is confronted with their problem directly from another person they can become very hostile towards them. Denial is the most common coping method a drug addict has to deal with their world crumbling around them. Most of the time confrontation only works after the addict has hit rock bottom. When an addict has no one left to help feed their addiction, and is faced with living in the streets sometimes it is enough to get them into treatment. Rehabilitation often does not work for addicts who are forced into it in this manner, but it begins the process and can be successful in some cases. Rehabilitation centers have trained professionals that can deal with the physical symptoms of withdrawal, and the psychological issues that not having drugs in their life often bring back. This is the only way to fully come through the other side sober, and it is a battle for the rest of the addict’s life. When they come out of rehab there is always that temptation, but with a strong support system, and aftercare treatment the addict will prevail.