After two and a half million years on the planet, human beings have learned very little about our most important organ—the brain. We know its basic geography and that it provides coherent control over almost all of our actions, but we don't know why it reacts differently to certain substances. Researchers have been struggling to understand drug addiction for many years, but they haven't made much headway.
They know, for instance, that drug addiction is a disease that affects the brain and thusly affects our actions and behavior. But they cannot say with any degree of certainty why some people become addicts and other remain casual users. Their search has taken on added importance as drug addiction has become an epidemic in America. Nearly one in ten citizens over the age of 12 has some kind of substance abuse problem or dependence addiction. The economic costs of these diseases are estimated at over a half a trillion dollars per annum. This includes expenditures for health care, education, and crime.
Understanding the addict
Anyone can become addicted to anything. Gambling, shopping, and sex are all behavior or activities that people can become addicted to. But they are not nearly as pernicious as drugs. Whether legal or illegal, drugs can cause chemical and physical dependence. This means that our brains actually begin to crave these substances, and the more they have, the more they want. Even inveterate drug users often have overdoses because they build up a tolerance and require more of a substance to get the same feelings.
Alcohol is the most abused drug in the United States. It is also arguably the most dangerous. Liquor is involved in nearly one-third of fatal car crashes. Overall, alcohol abuse is linked to around 75,000 deaths each year, according to study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That makes it the third leading cause of mortality in the U.S.!
Symptoms
The most dangerous thing about alcohol is that it is widely available. Most homes have liquor cabinets and most towns have liquor stores. Imbibing spirits is also socially acceptable, as long as it is done responsibly. But contrary to popular belief, it can be difficult to identify an addict, or alcoholic. Most do a fairly good job of hiding their problem and avoiding Dallas rehabs.
An alcoholic may be betrayed, however, by the physical symptoms he will experience if he does not imbibe. When he does not drink, he will exhibit symptoms of alcohol withdraw, which may include shaking or tremor of the hands, sweating, and nausea or lack of appetite. For these addicts, alcohol is really the only thing the body craves on a regular basis.
What can you do to help?
Being the friend, family member, or spouse of an alcoholic that need Dallas alcohol rehab can be a frightening experience. There is no plan or set of instructions that one can follow that will make things alright. Furthermore, you may have conflicting emotions—often an admixture of sympathy and blame—that may make it difficult to take action.
Dallas alcohol rehab
The first step on the road to recovery for any addict is to get them to admit that they have a problem. An intervention specialist may be able heap them realize the terrible impact alcohol has had on their lives and on the lives of their friends and loved ones. Once they accept this simple fact, they may be willing to enter a Dallas alcohol rehab program.
They know, for instance, that drug addiction is a disease that affects the brain and thusly affects our actions and behavior. But they cannot say with any degree of certainty why some people become addicts and other remain casual users. Their search has taken on added importance as drug addiction has become an epidemic in America. Nearly one in ten citizens over the age of 12 has some kind of substance abuse problem or dependence addiction. The economic costs of these diseases are estimated at over a half a trillion dollars per annum. This includes expenditures for health care, education, and crime.
Understanding the addict
Anyone can become addicted to anything. Gambling, shopping, and sex are all behavior or activities that people can become addicted to. But they are not nearly as pernicious as drugs. Whether legal or illegal, drugs can cause chemical and physical dependence. This means that our brains actually begin to crave these substances, and the more they have, the more they want. Even inveterate drug users often have overdoses because they build up a tolerance and require more of a substance to get the same feelings.
Alcohol is the most abused drug in the United States. It is also arguably the most dangerous. Liquor is involved in nearly one-third of fatal car crashes. Overall, alcohol abuse is linked to around 75,000 deaths each year, according to study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That makes it the third leading cause of mortality in the U.S.!
Symptoms
The most dangerous thing about alcohol is that it is widely available. Most homes have liquor cabinets and most towns have liquor stores. Imbibing spirits is also socially acceptable, as long as it is done responsibly. But contrary to popular belief, it can be difficult to identify an addict, or alcoholic. Most do a fairly good job of hiding their problem and avoiding Dallas rehabs.
An alcoholic may be betrayed, however, by the physical symptoms he will experience if he does not imbibe. When he does not drink, he will exhibit symptoms of alcohol withdraw, which may include shaking or tremor of the hands, sweating, and nausea or lack of appetite. For these addicts, alcohol is really the only thing the body craves on a regular basis.
What can you do to help?
Being the friend, family member, or spouse of an alcoholic that need Dallas alcohol rehab can be a frightening experience. There is no plan or set of instructions that one can follow that will make things alright. Furthermore, you may have conflicting emotions—often an admixture of sympathy and blame—that may make it difficult to take action.
Dallas alcohol rehab
The first step on the road to recovery for any addict is to get them to admit that they have a problem. An intervention specialist may be able heap them realize the terrible impact alcohol has had on their lives and on the lives of their friends and loved ones. Once they accept this simple fact, they may be willing to enter a Dallas alcohol rehab program.
