When people think of drug rehab in Missouri, they think that it’s all skinny teens and ageing stoners. However, drug abuse can be more than heroin and cocaine. Prescription painkillers and drugs like Vicodin and oxycodone are creating addictions in people you wouldn’t expect to have them. To illustrate, a Daily Beast article by Charlotte Lytton discusses America’s prescription drug addiction, and presents some troubling statistics:
For example: the US, which holds 5 percent of the world’s population, is responsible for 75 percent of global prescription drug use; 52 million people over the age of 12 have used this medication for purposes outside of what they are intended for; enough painkillers were prescribed in 2010 to medicate every American adult every four hours for a month; over half of these pills are obtained for free from a friend or family member; there are 5.1 million abusers of painkillers, 2.2 million who illegitimately take tranquilizers, and 1.1 million needlessly popping stimulants.
People who have become addicted to prescription drugs need to undergo the same treatment that other substance abusers─ like alcoholics─ go through for them to return to their normal lives. Concerned relatives or even those who have become aware of their addiction can check themselves into drug rehab facilities to start their treatment.
However, kicking a drug habit is more than just getting detoxified of the drugs and told to do better. Drug addiction stems from internal needs that had only been met by abusing the drugs, usually as a way to deal with stress. The true way to defeat a drug habit is to change yourself and the best way to do that is to undergo therapy. This is why many drug rehab facilities offer counseling sessions as part of their treatment plan.
Individual and group therapies are offered. Though individual counseling sessions provide privacy and can help accurately diagnose someone, group sessions are encouraged because a group of peers can challenge and support someone to overcome a drug habit. An additional option is to undergo cognitive behavioral therapy at St. Louis facilities like Midwest Institute for Addiction; this particular type of therapy helps a person recognize the situations, the feelings, and the thoughts that trigger their drug cravings. With this information, a person can avoid these triggers and convert the negative feelings that fuel them into positive and healthy ones.
Drug addiction is a difficult opponent to beat. However, with the right tools and a little help, a person can conquer it and lead a healthier life.
(Source: Prescription Drugs More Deadly Than Car Accidents, Guns, and Suicide, The Daily Beast, May, 5, 2014)
