At Impact Outpatient Program, we hear all the time about the ‘weakness’ associated with drug addiction. The idea that something is morally wrong with a person when they’re addicted to alcohol or substances is a pervasive idea that’s been around for hundreds of years, and we’re only just starting to understand the complexities behind forming an addiction.
Drug addictions need understanding, and using the word ‘weakness’ to describe the symptoms, behaviors, and background of someone struggling to cope is far from helpful. This is why it’s best to work with trained professionals who know what they’re talking about, and who have a greater chance of helping you or a loved one recover from the hold addiction that has taken over life.
Why Addiction isn’t a Weakness
The attitude towards addiction has often been negative. Long have drugs and alcohol been associated with the weakness of someone’s mind or spirit, and this Victorian attitude has prevailed over the years. As such, many people who turn to substances to cope with the stresses of daily life can be turned away from community support, and often have to struggle with their addiction alone.
However, over the years we’ve come to understand a lot more about the way addiction works. First of all, it has nothing to do with weakness. In fact, it’s currently classed as a disease in modern medicine, and there are even genetic factors associated with how likely someone is to form an addiction. At our own Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient rehab center, we take these facts into account and make sure any support given out to patients is judgment-free.
Finding Support for Addiction
If you need support for addiction, check out our admissions page first of all. As a rehab center, we know it’s a must to make applying for both inpatient and outpatient services as easy as possible. It’s just one small way to enable upfront support for people struggling with addiction in the modern world. Indeed, the digital age has made attitudes toward addiction come on in leaps and bounds.
For example, treating addiction still has many barriers, but support programs have become more accessible than ever thanks to treatment forms such as Telemed. Patients no longer have to go in person to a counseling session, and therapy can be brought straight to you no matter where you are. As long as you have an internet connection, telemedicine is effective.
It’s a form of Multiple Pathways Treatment that modern rehab centers tend to champion, as it can help a patient to overcome barriers in a variety of ways. You’ll have access to a counselor at all times, alongside also having support from physical medications and even group sessions, if they form part of your personalized care plan.
Weakness isn’t a symptom or cause of drug addiction. It’s important that this kind of attitude towards addictions and dependency continues to change, and the first step is to provide easily accessible rehab services to any and all patients.