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Drug Addiction PsychologyDrug addiction psychology is a powerful force drawing the addict struggling to remain sober into a relapse. Prolonged drug abuse chemically alters the addict's brain, instilling a compulsion to return to drugs that is difficult to break.There are dangerous elements that will lead to a relapse. Some of these elements include the following: IsolationAttending twelve-step meetings and staying in touch with one's sponsor is crucial to recovery from a drug addiction. But it becomes easy to lose touch. The sponsor may say something that annoys you, or you get tired of attending the twelve-step meetings. "They remind me what a loser I am," Nic Sheff writes about the meetings in the book Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines , the harrowing tale of his battle with drugs.Once the addict stops attending the meetings, the easier it becomes to succumb to the temptation to return to drug use. The classic part of a drug addiction psychology is the notion that you can kick an addiction on your own. That's simply not true. ForgetfulnessAfter a few months of sober living, an addict can actually forget the horrors of life as an addict. Instead, only the “fun” of it comes to mind: old friends and the old way of living seem appealing. They miss the high.This is a dangerous aspect of drug addiction psychology, and without a strong support network, a relapse is possible. The Stress of Daily LivingThe lifestyle of an addict is getting high, then finding more money to buy more drugs and then getting high again. The drugs provide an escapism of sorts from life’s problems. But once the addict starts living sober again, he or she must struggle with the daily hassles and stresses of life.Returning to the nine to five routine can be a difficult adjustment, and it may take awhile - even a year or two - before the addict is able to find meaning in areas other than drugs. Overpowering CompulsionThe need to take drugs is so strong, and the impulse to abuse can hit so abruptly, the addict may actually find himself using against his own will. |
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We'll let you know about the latest happenings in treatments for drug addiction, effects of different drugs and where you can go to get help. In the future we'll also have real life drug addiction stories and how others are getting off drugs. This ezine is your source for what's going on with surviving drug addiction.