Have you been suffering from an addiction and looking for a facility that can support your recovery? To receive the treatment you need for your path to recovery, you may want to know what exactly addiction is, be aware of the treatment options and understand the process of addiction recovery in Caseyville, IL.
Addiction is often misunderstood. Most people see someone with an unhealthy dependence on alcohol or drugs and wrongly assume that this person must have some personal flaw or a lack of willpower. Many people do not understand why addicts can’t simply stop using the substance.
In reality, addiction is a complicated brain disease, which means quitting requires more than willpower or good intentions. Even if the addict is ready to work toward recovery, drug or alcohol use over the long term changes the chemistry of the brain and makes quitting incredibly challenging.
Because addiction affects brain chemistry, his or her behavior is also impacted. Seeking drugs or alcohol becomes a compulsive urge for an addict, despite its devastating consequences. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the risk he or she will develop an addiction to alcohol or drugs. For instance, if a teen has a parent with an addiction to drugs, and the teen is exposed to drugs early and faces pressure to use them, he or she is at a greater risk of developing an addiction.
Various factors can put an individual more at risk for addiction, such as:
Environmental factors such as socioeconomic status, friends, family and quality of life may contribute to a person’s odds of becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. A person’s risk increases when abuse, stress, peer pressure and early exposure to substances are present.
A person’s stage of brain development also plays a role in whether he or she will develop an addiction. Adolescents’ brains are still developing, which makes them prone to risky behaviors and more likely to become addicted to alcohol or drugs.
Approximately half of a person’s risk of developing a drug or alcohol addiction is due to genetics. Ethnicity, gender and mental health disorders are additional biological dangers that could increase a person’s chances of developing an addiction.
At Gateway Foundation in Caseyville, IL, we rely on compassion and scientifically-sound evidence to provide the best recovery services for our patients. When you visit us for addiction treatment, you may be given one or more of these treatment services. We will work with you to determine the best strategy of care for your symptoms, such as:
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