Drug Abuse

Looking into the circumstances which surround drug addiction it becomes easy to recognize certain patterns. These patterns can then lead us to further our understanding of what is happening to and with the addict. One of the most pronounced and first attributes we find in the drug addicted person is a break-down in their communication. They begin to ignore and avoid communication from various sources.

Mainly:

1. Family and friends

2. People in their environment

3. Themselves.

Let’s take a look at these phenomena.

The first area in which communication breaks down is with family and friends. There are several major reasons for this. First and foremost, it is painful to keep disappointing the people they love the most.

All the time they are growing up in the family, they talk of the future and how great it is going to be…”I am going to be a fireman when I am a man!” For girls it is not much different…”I will be a pilot”, or, “When I am a grown-up I will buy you a great big house!”

Parents and friends might be the toughest people in the world to disappoint. Gaining approval from them is one of the first goals a kid might have. ‘Drug addict’ was never on the list of things to be, and it is impossible to hide from the addict the pain the parents or friends feel at seeing what they have become. So the communication breaks down.

People in the environment are also cut off by the drug addict. The addict’s actions are reprehensible and they know this whether they admit it or not. So they become sullen and strangers are avoided as well as casual acquaintances. Because they are attempting to hide their activities, everyone becomes a potential threat. So they just retreat into themselves.

In the end, they even cut off communication from themselves. Ever lie to yourself? They are also disappointing themselves, so there are excuses, reasons, excuses and justifications for failures and broken promises they made alone, just to themselves. Soon, the reasons are reinforced and they even start to believe it themselves. This is a painful situation. Just getting out of bed in the morning is tough because the lies start as soon as they look into the mirror.

Well, drugs can kill this pain. Before long, getting drunk or stoned earlier and earlier in the day becomes a necessity. This person is surrounding him or herself with either strangers or drugged-up friends who accept them completely because they themselves are in the same situation.

A drug detox rehab program must address this issue of communication completely if there is to be any real hope of recovery. Bringing the ex-addict back into touch with those around him or her must be part of any successful drug addiction treatment facility.

Not every drug program deals with this communication factor and so a vital part of the addict’s recovery is never addressed.

To bring a person truly out of the hole of drug addiction, it is absolutely essential that they learn to communicate and live life in a way that does not require constant hiding and cover-ups.

For more information, visit Website: http//www.theroadout.org

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