Drug Class Might Curb Drug Addiction
Believe me when I say this – drug addiction is increasing in the United States as you read this! This is not solely because as a recovering addict I counsel thousands of people per year, but the realistic assessment of a human being.
Judging from the number of stories involving alcoholism, drug abuse, including the logarithmic increase in the abuse of prescription medications, drug abuse is something we really need to address.
As a counselor for both in class and online drug classes I often discuss the growing number of addicts in our country. My students, ranging in age from 12 to 71, have varying opinions on the nature of addiction and whether or not the problem is growing in this country.
This article will address the addiction situation in this country using a real life example of a 16-year-old man.
The Need to Get “High”
For me, like many addicts, drug and alcohol use did not begin with the idea of becoming addicted, nor really to get high or stoned. It was a matter of peer pressure and experimentation and the thrill of risky behavior.
Many of my students, especially the males, admit that the adrenaline rush of risky behavior and the challenge of peer pressure got them started in experimentation with drugs and alcohol.
The purpose of using drugs changes very quickly from experimentation and risky behavior, to using drugs to catch a buzz and get high.
As drug use increases so too does tolerance and addiction. This is the reason alcohol and marijuana are sometimes considered “gateway” drugs. Basically you need more drugs and more powerful drugs in order to “get high.”
Following are two students whose experiences exemplify the growing problem of addiction in this country today.
Jesus’ Story
Jesus is a 16-year-old from a large suburban community in Southern California. He is the product of a large (he is the youngest of 9 children) very Christian family. Jesus was an honor roll student and soccer standout until the 8th grade. That is when he caught his older brother drinking and doing drugs in the family basement.
Jesus’ story is somewhat different in that he did not voluntarily experiment with drugs – his brother and friends forced him to. That night he drank beer, smoked marijuana and even snorted crystal meth. Trying more than one recreational drug for a first experience is extremely uncommon.
Jesus says that once he tried crystal meth at age of 12 he was hooked. He wasted the next four years of his life getting high and trying to get high. He did things to get high, including selling drugs, shoplifting and robbery.
After getting arrested twice for petty theft, Jesus knew he was in real trouble when he tried to sell cocaine to an undercover officer. He admonished the 16-year-old and warned him that he was headed to a shortened life and most if it behind bars if he didn’t straighten out.
Fortunately for Jesus he has a 22-year-old uncle (Jose) who also had suffered through serious addiction issues. Young Jesus, was following in his uncle’s footsteps.
Jesus’ parents and his uncle staged an intervention. Jesus moved in with Jose who shadowed the young addict everywhere he went. For the better part of a year, Jose gave his life to keeping Jesus sober. Jesus accompanied Jose to his job as a plumbing contractor and is now learning a trade.
Jesus says he still is contacted by his former friends and sees that their lives have basically remained unchanged. They still do drugs and are wasting their lives.
Sobering Words
His words are very wise when he says, “Man, those guys are addicted to their addiction. I don’t want to be like that anymore.”
Drug addiction is a serious problem. If you or someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol I urge you to seek help immediately. If you prefer to maintain total anonymity there are online drug classes as well.
How to Learn About Drug and Alcohol Awareness Easily
How does alcohol affect the brain in terms of the way it elicits anxiety or depression? What most people don’t realize is that alcohol is a drug. It is in a category of drugs called “depressants”. What this does to someone who is already predisposed to depression is going to make them feel worse. While many use alcohol as a way to escape, it is really just a one way ticket to bringing on a whole other range of problems, including psychological ones.
Alcohol can even affect heart rate, and can create the possibility of causing heart disease and other problems with our internal organs. Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to pancreatic cancer, liver disease and eventually death. This is mostly due to the strain and stress it puts on our internal organs to function normally.
The response to stress is different in each individual. Some people cope with stress better than others. People with poor coping skills tend to use drugs and alcohol as a way to escape or retreat from their problems without having to actually deal with them head on. Rather than processing an issue and taking personal responsibility, alcohol or drugs can temporarily “stuff” or mask problems, which gives the user the illusion that everything is fine. The reality is, everything is not fine. Until one faces their internal demons, problems don’t go away on their own.
Alcohol and drug users can benefit greatly by learning more effective stress management techniques. These skills might include relaxation exercises or learning to get proper exercise. Other stress management skills could include improving ones diet, getting more rest, taking daily breaks, or learning some simple meditation techniques.
Other skills that help improve stress are skills in communication and listening as well as empathy. Most alcohol and drug users will say they have a hard time letting other people know how they are feeling and what is wrong. Gaining skills in speaking more effectively can be a huge step.
Many of these skills can be gained in an Online Drug Class or Alcohol Awareness Class
For those under 21 considering Minor in Possession Classes might be the wise choice. These programs are educational in nature and can help the participant really understand the effect of alcohol and drugs as well as teach some useful strategies for curbing additive behaviors. Early prevention is the key to change. Get started making those changes today.
Health Benefits of Breaking Your Addiction
Often throughout life we may find ourselves at times forming habits of doing a certain thing more than one time, or perhaps becoming dependent on something that we like or use often. This can cover things such as recreational activities, or something we eat or something we have more often than occasionally. The question we need to ask ourselves sometimes could be – Is this an addiction or habit that I need to break and is it doing me harm?
If it could have drastic results for your life or well-being or can cause you to cause harm to others, then yes you may have an addiction of some sort that you need to cure or curb.
But how you ask? How do I change? How do I change what I have been doing when what I have right now makes me feel better, or appears to be doing good things for me?
Well there are different practitioners and advice and counsel services that can help with addictions, and some are harder to overcome than others. Some are more dangerous than others but there are definitely benefits to overcoming the addiction and breaking the habits you have formed.
Self-confidence.
When you are actively breaking your addiction and changing yourself for the better, you improve your own inner self-confidence and what you actually think about yourself. Your own “self-love”, if you like to call it that.
Mental toughness
You actually improve your will power and ability to make your own decisions and take control over your body. You actually break that dependence on whatever has a hold of you and you start to be your own person. It also gives you the ability to know that if you can get through this, it gives you the confidence to get through many other things as well.
Your body and mind start to repair
Whatever your addiction may have been, you will find that especially if it was drug, alcohol, or even food or drink related that as soon as you stop consuming whatever it was, your body and mind will start to improve. Cravings for what you used to consume could be a problem, but you might find that it’s about knowing the triggers that cause them, or breaking the habits that you have been in for a while, but just been unaware of. There are also many avenues of help and medical advice and programs and assistance available.
You become inspiration for others
Once you have beaten your addiction, you might find one day that by telling your story to someone who is where you have been, that you may help them. Have you ever heard a speech by someone that you know famously or just really well, that it inspired you to take action in your life and make that important change? Well you never know, your story or experience, if you get through it and share it with someone, you could help many others struggling with addictions of their own.