| It is important to understand that the decision to go to | | | | few drinks to get drunk. Now you're downing entire |
| a drug and alcohol rehab is never an easy one to | | | | bottles of hard liquor before feeling even buzzed. |
| make. Drug and alcohol addiction is something that | | | | 2. You start to have physical withdrawal symptoms |
| some people struggle with for years before they | | | | when it's been a while since your last "fix". Your hands |
| decide that getting sober is not something that they | | | | might shake, you might get cold sweats or heart |
| can do on their own. It is also important to understand | | | | palpitations, you might feel nauseous, etc. |
| that having a drug addiction is not something that you | | | | 3. You cannot stop yourself from using after "just a |
| should be ashamed of. In fact, making the decision to | | | | little bit." You might intend to just hang out with friends, |
| seek out drug and alcohol rehabilitation for your drug or | | | | but you wake up the next morning not remembering |
| alcohol addiction is quite courageous. It says a lot about | | | | the night before. |
| your inner strength that you are able to say "I cannot | | | | 4. You find that you don't have time for your other |
| handle this by myself. I need help." | | | | interests because getting wasted is more important |
| Drug Treatment Centers know that you are probably | | | | and you don't have time to do both. |
| frightened of what will happen after you pick up the | | | | 5. Your level of paranoia has increased to the point |
| phone to set up your rehabilitation program. The staff | | | | where you are sure that each person you pass on the |
| of addiction and health experts at centers for drug and | | | | street can tell that you have a drug or alcohol problem |
| alcohol treatment know that, especially in the beginning, | | | | and you've become very defensive. |
| many people struggling with drug and/or alcohol | | | | 6. You are moving up the chain of drugs. While you |
| addiction are afraid of what they will encounter at drug | | | | might have just needed a couple of beers to get |
| rehab. It is because the staff is so compassionate that | | | | wasted when you first started using, now you need |
| they will do everything they can to ease the transition | | | | pills or other, harder, substances to have the same |
| from struggling with sobriety in the "outside world" to | | | | effect. |
| detoxing and regaining your sobriety in a carefully | | | | 7. You have started to take drugs to cure you from |
| controlled and supportive environment. | | | | the effect of other drugs. Amphetamines in the |
| It is all fine and good to know that you will be treated | | | | morning to cure a hangover from the night before. |
| well once you've made the decision to go to drug | | | | Valium to calm down from too much speed, etc. You |
| rehab. The problem arises when you aren't sure if | | | | cannot let the drugs leave your system naturally. |
| going to drug rehab is the right decision. Here are | | | | 8. Your family and friends keep trying to get you into a |
| some of the signs that you should look for that will tell | | | | drug or alcohol rehabilitation treatment program. |
| you whether or not you are equipped to deal with your | | | | Overcoming drug addiction and working toward |
| drug addiction yourself: | | | | sobriety is difficult, but that is not nearly as difficult as |
| 1. The amount of drugs that you need to get drunk, | | | | making the first phone call in which you admit that you |
| high or stoned has increased dramatically since you | | | | need help. Asking for help is the strong and sensible |
| first started using. For example-it used to take only a | | | | thing to do. |