Many people use the word addiction almost quite loosly in a way to refer to people’s liking or obsession for virtually any substance, activity or behaviour. In normal everyday life the term addiction is often used jokingly, saying that someone is addicted to x, y or z, and it’s not really that much of a problem.
When it comes to dealing with addiction in the context of alcoholism and addiction to various types of drugs and other behaviours such as gambling etc, then it is really important to understand the gravity of what these conditions and situations refer to, and what help is available and where.
Addiction is a widespread term, and in the context of rehabs and treatment centers first came into being in the context of alcoholism in the formation of Alcoholics Anonymous. Alcoholism is often treated in the same context as other types of addiction, but this is normally a mistake and should be treated with caution.
Whilst it is difficult to generalise about alcoholism, and there are many types of it, it is properly fair to say that an alcoholic will drink because they are an alcoholic, not the other way round.
In other words, an alcoholic will not become addicted to alcohol in the same way that someone will become addicted to cigarettes, through a pattern of using an addictive substance that leads to a form of addiction that they cannot break.
A rehab or treatment center will offer addiction treatment programs for alcoholism, alcohol addiction and other types of addiction as well, and should be fully licensed and accreditted
Most rehabs will treat all of these types of addiction as essentially the same problem, and will focus on the individual as being the real problem, with the solution being helping the individual to change.
A rehab is likely to stress that the individual is something referred to as an addictive personality, and that their addiction is or was essentially about a drug of choice, be that alcohol or something else.
The advantage of this type of approach is that it can help the individual to realise that their real problem is within themselves, and thus is changeable either with the help of a 12 step program or through some other means.
A basic underpinning of this approach is that addiction itself is a disease, leading to the idea of an addictive personality and a drug of choice.
Again this may be helpful or not depending on the approach taken by the rehab, and at what level the individual feels it helps them make sense of their lives.
The issue of addiction is quite a complex one, and one that has undergone and continues to undergo much medical and social research.
When considering entering a rehab, it is worth bearing in mind what weight the rehab treatment center places on current clinical research, and how up-to-date that addiction treatment programs are in the context of modern day research.
Addiction and Rehab
A rehab or treatment center also often offer treatment for other types of addiction.
These can range from what is referred to as dual diagnosis, which means people who are alcoholics, addicted to alcohol as well as being addicted to various types of drugs both prescription and non-prescription, through to food, gambling, sexual addiction and addiction to the internet and video games.
It is worth being slightly cautious with any rehab that offers too broad a range of addiction specialities and addiction treatment programs.
There is a belief that some rehabs use the term addiction or addictive personality much too broadly, and use it essentially as a catchall phrase that allows them to treat virtually anyone for virtually any problem that they can classify as an addiction.
Remember that the problem and solution in the context of a rehab or treatment center tends to be seen as that of an addictive personality with a drug of choice. This allows some rehabs to take an approach that has some questionable ethical and moral issues.
At the end of the day a rehab is a business, normally a very profitable business, and the more they can broaden their client base or their customer base the more profitable they will be, even rehabs that describe themselves as Christian rehabs
Addiction to alcohol, alcoholism and addiction to drugs and gambling and other types of serious problems are a major issue, and for many people a rehab or a treatment center is the first port of call that they will enter to seek help.
A rehab and especially the rehab staff is likely to help the individual understand some of the underlying emotional drives and issues that have fuelled thir addiction, and help give them a structure or program that will allow them to rebuild their life and offer them the chance to live a life that is essentially free from their addiction and their addictive behaviours.