Understanding What Addiction Really Is
There is a common misconception heard throughout modern-day culture that when individuals are experiencing drug addiction or alcohol addiction that is their choice. With the easy solution of if you don’t want to have substance use disorders then just quit using drugs and alcohol. However, medical associations around the world have been able to prove that alcohol and related conditions are much more than just a simple choice, it is a brain disease that creates significant changes in the brain resulting in chronic diseases.
Substance use disorders can occur due to a multitude of factors including genetics and environmental influence. Individuals that have a history of addiction within their family have a 40 to 60% chance of developing substance use disorders due to a genetic predisposition. Whereas, other individuals may be exposed to drug alcohol abuse within their social circles or fall into the depths of peer pressure that can become the starting point for your drug alcohol addiction. No matter how your substance abuse began, the impacts that it has on your brain and body functioning can cause significant changes and side effects among drug users and alcohol abusers.
Contact The Detox Center of Los Angeles today at (888) 346-4350 to learn how to access our addiction treatment programs.
Is Addiction a Disease or Choice?
Substance use and addiction are classified as a disease for a variety of factors. The American Association of Addiction Medicine classifies addiction as a chronic disease that impacts the brain’s reward system, motivation levels, memory, and related circuitry. Similar to other diseases addiction has characteristics and criteria that support a classification of a disease. One criterion is that there is a higher chance of chronic relapsing where individuals will show similar symptoms and behavioral processes along with having states of remission or times your addiction quit or addiction changed. Other factors that contribute to the classification of disease are:
- Demonstrating observable signs and symptoms of the models of addiction
- Having biological origins or genetic predisposition
- Predictable progression of drug alcohol addiction
- Responsive to treatment
How To Get Help for Alcohol Addiction
If you are concerned about your substance abuse and are ready to address your disorder of choice, there is help within addiction treatment programs. An addiction treatment program will address the disease model of addiction by addressing the behavioral processes of your drug or alcohol addiction while addressing the changes in the brain through evidence-based therapy methods. You will be able to safely overcome the physical dependency that has developed to drug alcohol while healing from the root causes of your substance abuse along with treating any co-occurring psychiatric disorders. As you heal from the root causes of your substance abuse and free your brain and body from the influences of drug and alcohol abuse, you will develop the tools for relapse prevention and life skills that will support you in safely overcoming triggers in the future and maintaining a life in addiction recovery.
Alcohol Addiction Programs at TDCLA
The Detox Center of LA offers a variety of models of addiction treatment that are focused on providing each of our patients with individualized treatment plans. No one person has the same history of addiction and your substance use disorders are unique to you. That is why our team will take the time to get to know you and your individual circumstances to best create a comprehensive addiction treatment program that will support you in effectively overcoming your drug and alcohol addiction and maintaining a long-term life in addiction recovery. Contact us today to hear more about the alcohol addiction treatment program offered within our treatment facility. We are committed to providing you with a successful treatment program that empowers you to overcome your substance abuse and start your journey towards addiction recovery.
