Although many people experience the symptoms of addiction for years without noticing problems, sooner or later, most will ask themselves, “Am I addicted?” For some, engaging in potentially addictive behaviors can be unproblematic, or even healthy. For others, it may use occasional or frequent problems, which range from trivial to life-threatening. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease affecting the brain’s reward, motivation, and related systems. People struggling with addiction are unable to control their actions or make rational decisions about their behavior, even in the face of negative consequences. Therefore, it is important to seek addiction treatment with the help of professionals to achieve sobriety.

– Alcohol Addiction

When casual drinking begins to transform into a daily ritual, it may be time to seek help. A report by the National Center for Biotechnology estimates that one in six Americans has an alcohol addiction. Be it mild or severely crippling, any form of alcohol addiction is detrimental and can lead to a chemical dependency that cannot be broken without the aid of an alcohol addiction treatment center. These alcohol addiction treatment centers are vital for any recovery as they provide both the medical and the emotional support necessary to make progress and break the cycle.

Choosing an Alcohol Addiction Treatment Center

Of the centers that aid in alcohol addiction recovery, help for alcohol abuse comes in two fundamental levels of care. The first, outpatient, is often recommended for individuals that have a drinking problem but have not yet developed a full addiction. Examples of this include social drinkers that have difficulty knowing when to stop or those that have a strong emotional attachment to the substance.

Inpatient, on the other hand, is usually for the more severe cases. The users cannot go short periods of time sober without negative body reactions like the shakes and headaches, making it hard to function properly in day to day life. Because the detox from alcohol at this stage is physically harmful, it is necessary to do it under the constant supervision of medical professionals.

Apart from choosing the correct level of care, individuals need to figure out what they want out of their addiction treatment center. If they want to stay close to home, this will limit which alcohol addiction treatment centers they can go to. Other times, it’s important to escape the routine environment and travel far away to a center that has no triggers or enabling relationships. There are also alcohol addiction treatment centers that have gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, professional and other specializations based on personal preference.

– Drug Addiction

Addiction to drugs can lead to loss of financial resources, loss of support networks, damage to the brain and other organs, and even death. Depending on the drug, addicts can build up a tolerance to their substance of choice, increasing their risk of an overdose. [Tweet “A drug addiction can also push addicts into engaging in risky behaviors such as committing crimes in order to obtain money, sexual behavior or using unsanitary delivery devices such as dirty needles”]