Where to Start with Addiction Recovery

It’s often said that the first step in addiction recovery is recognizing you have a problem and deciding to get help. However, it’s a bit more complicated than that.

When seeking treatment for alcohol or substance addiction, it can be helpful to clearly understand the addiction recovery process before pursuing your treatment options in Phoenix, AZ. Read on for an overview of addiction and the process of seeking treatment.

Understanding the phases of addiction

Researchers have come to understand that addiction doesn’t begin with the initial use of drugs or alcohol—there are a number of risk factors, including family history, abuse and mental health issues, that can make an individual more likely to deal with addiction. Those who become addicted begin abusing after initial use, eventually building up a tolerance to the substance and requiring greater quantities or more frequent use to achieve a high.

What eventually happens is that the brain and body reach the point where it’s impossible to function without the substance—this is called dependence. Addiction is not just a more “extreme” version of dependence—it’s a recognized mental health disorder characterized by a range of symptoms, including:

• Overuse of a substance
• Inability to stop using
• Use of a substance in risky or dangerous situations
• Substance seeming to “take over” everyday life
• Continued use despite health, work and relationship consequences

Finally, while relapse is sometimes regarded as a failure on the part of the person in recovery, it’s actually a normal aspect of the addiction recovery process in Phoenix, AZ. In fact, it does not represent a failure of will or determination, but rather serves as an indicator that the individual’s treatment plan needs to be adjusted.

How to get help

Certainly, recognizing a need and having a desire to pursue sobriety is the critical first step on the road to recovery. But this alone is rarely sufficient—the process of starting addiction recovery in Phoenix, AZ can and should be pursued with help from friends and family, mental health professionals, medical professionals and anyone else who may be able to guide the individual to the resources they need.

Help is available through a number of avenues to those looking to recover from alcohol or drug addiction. Inpatient and outpatient treatment programs are available, as are residential programs that provide individuals with structure and a supportive environment. Which type of program is likely to be the most beneficial will depend on a number of factors, including the severity of the addiction and the person’s overall readiness for change. Mental health and medical professionals can provide helpful input, both in terms of gauging which type of treatment might work best and in terms of identifying specific programs.

Advanced Sober Living provides accommodations to men in the process of starting addiction recovery in Phoenix, AZ. Our sober living home helps individuals transition to sobriety and self-sufficiency, providing assistance with searching for employment and educational opportunities in a structured, comfortable environment. To learn more about our program, please get in touch with us today.

Categorised in: Clean and Sober Living, Recovery Program

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