No one ever deliberately sets out to become an addict. This disease develops over time and is something that comes about because a person is trying to cope with some type of emotional pain. If someone you love is struggling with a dependency on drugs or alcohol, they need treatment.

Drug and Alcohol Use as an Emotional Band-aid

Here are some quick tips and facts about addiction in general:

• A person who is hurting who turns to drugs and/or alcohol to dull emotional pain and finds that it helps to relieve negative feelings for a time is likely to return to a technique that works.
• Some substances create a psychological dependency, where an addict feels that he or she can’t cope without continuing to use them.
• Physical dependency occurs when a person must continue to use to avoid experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
• Understanding why your loved one became addicted does not mean you should excuse or accept the negative behavior that accompanies addiction. Someone who wants to stop the hurt or avoid any more emotional pain will do whatever it takes to continue using their drug of choice.
• Your loved one isn’t happy, even if they can create a temporary feeling of euphoria or peace when they are high or drunk. Their addiction stops them from making good decisions for themselves, and they need your help to stop.

Step in to Stop the Emotional Pain of Addiction

If someone you love is struggling with addiction, they need professional help. For best results, you’ll want your loved one to seek treatment at an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment facility where he or she can focus on getting well. Both short term rehab and long term rehab programs are available. Choosing a longer stay at a treatment facility is recommended for total recovery from drugs or alcohol.

Don’t expect the person you care for to decide to seek treatment on his or her own. Once the addiction takes hold, he or she will no longer be making decisions clearly. It will likely be up to you and your family to decide that he or she has been hurting enough and deserves more from life.

Contact Mountain Village Recovery Center to talk to licensed counselor today to find out whether an inpatient treatment program is the right choice. Your loved one can get help with addiction and move on to bright, sober future.