Mia
When searching for addiction treatment centers, many people wonder “Can addiction go away on its own? What will happen if I don’t get treatment?”
For people with addictions and their loved ones, the treatment process can come with a lot of questions. The idea of addiction going away without treatment is certainly an appealing one. However, addiction is far more complex than many people realize. Addiction recovery centers can provide the help that this complex issue requires.
Treating Addiction
Several theories exist to explain why people develop addictions. These theories offer potential insights into recovery.
The prevailing and generally accepted theory is that addiction is a disease. Like depression, anxiety, and similar mental illnesses, substance addiction is a treatable disorder. And just like depression and anxiety, this disorder has both genetic and social factors. Another theory says that addiction is purely social and that life circumstances alone lead to addiction.
The truth is that effective addiction treatment should address several factors. For example, medication can address underlying disorders that contribute to addiction, and counseling can help people develop healthy coping mechanisms for stressful social factors.
Some rehab centers also offer aftercare, which can help people reduce relapse triggers, respond to those triggers effectively, and use resources to continue in their sobriety.
The Benefits of Addiction Treatment
Evidence-based addiction treatment can help people find success in recovery. These treatment options include medication, counseling, and other resources. Addiction treatment benefits patients in several ways.
Safe Detox
One of the most important factors in recovery is having a safe detox process. Detox, or detoxification, is the process of a drug exiting a person’s body. The length of this process depends on the drug, how long the drug was taken, and the metabolism of the person going through detox.
People with severe addictions often struggle to detox on their own. They may experience withdrawal symptoms, and some withdrawal symptoms are so difficult that they cause people to return to the drug to find relief.
Furthermore, some drugs create a dangerous and even life-threatening withdrawal process. Opioid withdrawal, for example, requires medical supervision.
Addiction treatment often includes medically-supervised detox. For drugs that lead to life-threatening withdrawal symptoms, a gradual tapering schedule can help people clear the drugs safely.
During medical detox, doctors can also prescribe medication to ease withdrawal symptoms.
Coping with Stressors
Even genetic disorders can be exacerbated by stress. For example, the brains of people with clinical depression may not use certain brain chemicals effectively, but those brain chemicals can also be affected by chronic stress and other life circumstances.
Stress can also contribute to addiction, and the right treatment can help people address those stressors. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), for instance, can reveal unhelpful thought patterns and offer strategies for dealing with them.
Addressing Co-Occurring Conditions
Many people with addictions also have other mental health conditions. Effective addiction treatment will address any co-occurring conditions and help people cope with them in healthy ways.
Addiction and co-occurring conditions often reinforce one another. For instance, if a person with bipolar disorder doesn’t have effective treatment, they may use drugs and alcohol when symptoms become overwhelming. Drugs and alcohol, meanwhile, can make mental illness symptoms worse over time.
If treatment addresses both the addiction and the co-occurring condition, it can help the person break the cycle.
What to Do if You Have an Addiction
Addictive disorders may not go away on their own, but like other mental health conditions, they can be treated. If you have an addiction to alcohol or drugs, ask a doctor about your addiction treatment options. You can also look for addiction treatment centers in your area to get started.
