According to a 2012 survey on addiction and health in the United States, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, as little as 10 percent of individuals who admit that they are struggling with substance dependence or abuse of some kind have actually received any kind of treatment. This is a terrifying and saddening statistic and is made all the more worrisome when one stops and thinks about the various types of substances people are addicted to.

Lack of Treatment Sought for Addictions

Many people choose to forego any kind of treatment for their addiction disorder because they believe things are not really all that bad and they don’t need any help or treatment yet. They have yet to hit rock bottom or they do not believe that their problem is bad enough to warrant any sort of treatment or intervention. The truth of the matter is: if you’re questioning whether or not you need help getting sober, you likely do. Whether your addiction is related to drugs such as heroin or methamphetamine, prescription medications like Oxycontin or phenylalanines,  or other substances like caffeine or alcohol, it is important that you get treatment for your addiction sooner rather than later!

Understanding Your Addiction and Its Severity

If you are beginning to have problems with your personal life, social interactions, relationships, work or school life, and any other areas of your life because of your substance use, then you probably have an addiction. Addiction is diagnosed on a spectrum and there is a range of various criteria that will be used to determine how bad your addiction is- mild, moderate, or severe. Medical and mental health professionals use eleven criteria to determine if someone is addicted to or abusing a substance:

  • Lack of control over when and where and how much the substance is consumed or used
  • The individual has a desire to quit but has been unable to do so under their own power
  • The individual is spending a lot of time, effort, money, and energy to get the substance
  • Cravings for the substance that begin to interfere with normal activities when not satisfied
  • Lack of responsibility in terms of how much the substance is used or while it’s being used
  • Problems with relationships in personal, romantic, social, work, or school environment
  • No interest in doing things that the individual normally enjoyed for the sake of the substance
  • Dangerous use of the substance repeatedly occurring and concerns and warnings not heeded
  • Worsening situations and a visible decline in health, hygiene, mental sharpness, etc
  • Tolerance develops which requires more of the substance to be consumed for desired effects
  • Withdrawal symptoms and cravings get severe when the substance is withheld

Your Addiction Can Get Worse

Because addiction severity is measured on a spectrum, a diagnosis of a mild addiction may be better than a severe addiction, but it is not a reason to be flippant about getting addiction treatment and help. It’s easy to take an it-could-be-worse approach but it is important to remember that addiction is a progressive disease. If it is not taken seriously and if you not get help sooner rather than later, it will get worse and it will get worse quickly in almost all cases. If you’re only a mild case right now, this is the time to act and seek help before the addiction grows and takes an even stronger hold. Think of it like you would a problem with your car- it might be minor now and not be affecting how the car runs or operates; however if left un-fixed the problem could eventually lead to a serious breakdown of the key part of the car and cause a major accident or render the car useless. Addictions can do the same to your mind and body when left untreated!

Get The Help You Need For Recovery

Addiction is not simply a lifestyle choice or a mistake. While most addictions originate from a poor choice or a bad decision that was made at one point and time, the underlying addiction itself is a chronic disease, and truly is no different than other disease people have to deal with their entire lives like asthma, hypertension, diabetes, cancer and so forth. Someone diagnosed with Stage 1 or 2 cancer would seek help to treat and control their disease.  Someone with diabetes and a blood sugar of 200 would work to take steps to control their disease. Someone with asthma would use their inhaler at the signs of a mild asthma attack rather than waiting for it to get worse. You don’t have to hit rock bottom and be out of all other options before you get help for your addiction. Get help before things get worse and take back your life. Call Newport Beach Recovery of Costa Mesa, CA. Learn more about rehab and how treatments can help you beat your addiction once and for all with the finest recovery program in the area!