Factors of Drug Addiction

Addiction wreaks havoc on a life. A person addicted to drugs or alcohol is swept into a world very unlike his or her world before addiction took hold. He or she loses control, life spiraling out of control. The addict may try and hide this from loved ones. He usually becomes quite isolated and out of communication.

Additionally, an addict does not always step back and take a look at how he has changed and what a disaster his life has become. It can often be up to a concerned family member to take the necessary steps to save an addicted life. However, a person concerned for a friend or family member may not know what the factors of addiction truly are or what they should watch for regarding their loved one’s actions and emotions.

Here an Intake Counselor with Narconon speaks out from her experience in dealing with thousands of addicts coming to Narconon for drug rehab.

“As an Intake Counselor for Narconon I often get asked, ‘What are the factors of addiction? What are the things I should be watching for?’ There are three factors when dealing with addiction. Number one is the actual physical cravings–that’s the actual physical need for the drug itself. The second is depression–because your loved one isn’t happy with the way things have gotten. And the third is guilt over the things that have happened. Every addict is dealing with at least one of these factors, if not all three.”

An effective drug rehab program must address the whole individual. Those cravings must be reduced or eliminated, the depression must be reversed, and the guilt must be eased. With a drugless withdrawal and a thorough detoxification to eliminate drug residues that are stored in the fatty tissues of the body, the Narconon program addresses the cravings. As these reduce or disappear and the addict moves forward to build a new, sober life, much of the depression and guilt disappear as well.

To achieve that sober life, the recovering addict must learn how to restore his (or her) self-respect and personal values. He must learn the skills needed to live a drug-free life. He must learn how to take responsibility and live an honest and ethical life. He needs to learn how to communicate more effectively. The Narconon Life Skills Courses provide the knowledge and give the important tools to a recovering individual so he can go back home and have the confidence in handling all that life can throw at him.

Narconon specializes in not only specifically handling cravings, depression, and guilt, but the program thoroughly handles the physical side of addiction and the mental aspect of addiction.

Need more information on drug addiction? Visit our Drug Addiction FAQ page.