Dispelling Myths About Sex Addiction

It’s important to understand that this is part of the process, and with effective treatment, relapse can be prevented. The bottom line is that addicts who seek help usually do recover. Addiction is a hot topic for discussion and it’s ripe with misinformation and myths. It is a highly charged topic and many tend to have strong opinions about it, even if it has not affected them personally. These myths create stigmas about substance abuse that make it difficult for people to seek help.

They also value having role models of recovery and someone to call on when the recovering self is an unsteady newborn. Data show that the programs are helpful for some but not for everyone. Identify other factors in your life—relationships, work—that can help take the focus off addictive behaviors. At Inner Voyage Recovery Center near in Woodstock, near Atlanta, Georgia our priority is creating a kind, caring, and compassionate environment where you feel connected and safe to focus on your recovery goals. We want to develop a real relationship with you, and we want you to foster a community with those around you.

Myth: Addiction is a choice. If someone wanted to stop using drugs or alcohol, they could.

The truth is that those who have been ravaged by addiction are overtaken by impulses, altered brain chemistry, psychological cravings, and a biological need for drugs. While many of their actions may be disagreeable, the painting of addicts as incorrigible is one of the most damaging drug myths perpetuated by society, as it robs them of their humanity. As the opioid crisis in the US has continued to get worse in recent years, there has been a lot of media coverage of the causes of addiction.

Withdrawal symptoms can be incredibly uncomfortable, and in some cases, dangerous. The experience of withdrawal symptoms alone can perpetuate addiction. myths about addiction and recovery One of the most common misconceptions about substance abuse is that it is an active, conscious choice that can be stopped at any time.

Myth #5 Relapse makes you a failure.

With the proper support and treatment, you might not relapse. But if you do, it just means you may need to readjust your treatment. For example, if you were attending a group addiction meeting only once a month after detox and experienced a relapse, then you should begin more intense outpatient therapy. There are companies large and small that have recovery-friendly hiring practices.

The uniqueness of each person makes the experience with addiction also unique. No two people will share the same road to developing their addiction, and https://ecosoberhouse.com/ likewise, the path to recovery will be equally diverse. It is because addiction and recovery vary based on many factors, both external and internal.

Wait Until You’re at the Bottom to Seek Treatment

This falsehood implies that if you struggle with alcoholism or drug addiction, then you must be reckless or weak-willed. This misconception influences how addicts view themselves and how family members view addicted loved ones, which leads to shame and guilt festering, causing an addiction to worsen. Abusing substances can also result in mental health issues as well, further fueling alcohol and drug addictions. Myths about addiction are dangerous for everybody involved because they can make treatment for addiction and recovery harder.

Some people never hit rock bottom at all or if they do, it doesn’t make them stay sober. In 2017, more than 70,000 people died of drug overdoses and more than 88,000 people died of alcohol-related causes. Second, most people who enter treatment aren’t entirely sure they should be there. For most people, there’s no single turning point when they decide they want to quit drugs and alcohol for good.

Myth #4: Medication-assisted treatment replaces one addiction for another.

However, the contrary is true—a person should seek treatment early on in the addiction. Also, being at the bottom implies you are at the lowest point in your addiction, making it exceptionally difficult to move forward. For much of the past century, scientists studying drugs and drug use labored in the shadows of powerful myths and misconceptions about the nature of addiction. When scientists began to study addictive behavior in the 1930s, people with an addiction were thought to be morally flawed and lacking in willpower.

• Exercise, listening to music, getting sufficient rest—all can have a role in taking the focus off cravings.
• It may include rediscovering a work or social role, finding new recreational interests, or developing a new sense of spiritual connection.
• Let’s take a look at six of the most common misconceptions about addiction.
• But, to stand around and wait for this moment is the wrong approach.
• I answered that this was a logical and true answer, since getting drugs on the street was always more deadly than taking drugs under medical supervision.

This support can help you overcome the temptation to relapse, as well as provide you with the tools you need to continue your sobriety. In some cases, people are genetically predisposed to become addicted to something — if they begin to use alcohol or drugs, they are more likely to become addicted to them. People may also turn to alcohol or drugs to self-medicate because they are struggling with depression, anxiety or another mental health issue. A significant part of the treatment process is shedding the behaviors and situations that likely contributed to your addiction in the first place. When you give yourself time to heal in an environment that’s free from triggers, you are giving yourself a better chance of maintaining your sobriety after you return home.