How do people change when they are addicted ?

Many people want to know “How do people change when they are addicted”.

They may need an answer to this question because they suspect one of their friends or family members are beginning to show differences in behaviors that they can’t reconcile as being anything other than drug related.

A family dealing with an addicted loved one often watches in horror as tragic changes happen in that person’s life. What is worse is that the addict frequently changes in fundamental ways. The addicts themselves cannot answer the question: “How do people change when they are addicted?” because they are typically unaware of their own behaviors when they are on drugs.

• A person who was once trustworthy becomes a liar—a constant liar.
• Someone who used to take care of himself now neglects his health, completely.
• A good father or responsible mother can become abusive.
• An honest, moral person may resort to forgery, prescription fraud, robbery or prostitution to get the money for more drugs.

These changes are unthinkable. But they happen.

It’s as though a person is being attacked on multiple fronts. The cravings for the drug or drink overwhelm his rationality. He can only think of getting more of the drug or a bottle. Anything that tries to stop it looks like an enemy. Each time he buys more drugs, helps someone else get drugs, steals to support the habit, tells lies or acts immorally in some other fashion—these acts erode his character and integrity. Once he takes another step down, he’s not going back up until he begins to shed the addiction.

His body is also under attack. The steady diet of drugs sets up a condition where the body itself cries out for more drugs. It has adjusted to the presence of drugs and will become very ill if the drugs are withdrawn. The person is constantly toxic, often exhausted or depleted of any reserves.

He is also overwhelmed with guilt. All the harm and neglect of others eats at him. The constant supply of drugs or drink keeps the guilt from being felt.

All these unbearable pressures cause the changes you are seeing. The one you love is buried under the drug itself and all the losses and pain.

A Good Drug Rehab can Help this Person Dig Himself Out Again

An effective drug rehabilitation program helps a person dismantle the personality that took over during addiction and regain his true self.

He must build up his own skills in dealing with day-to-day communication because even that was lost while he was addicted.

He must recover his own personal integrity and self-respect.

Even his perceptions of the brightness of life have become buried and he needs to be able to perceive the world around him again. It is certain that an addict’s world has been gray and dim for a long time.

It may be hard to see how all these points of recovery can happen. It might be understandable that some rehab programs that aren’t able to bring about these changes feel that the only solution is providing substitute drugs to alleviate part of the harm that is being done. It’s true that some harm and decline is reduced, but with the right rehab program, an addicted person can get his life back.

To find out more information about the Narconon drug and alcohol program, contact us today: 45 70 60 60 03