Addiction affects millions of us in the US. Millions or us are either addicted to something that is destroying us, or we are related to, or we love someone who is addicted to something that is destroying them. All of us are victims in one way or another. According to our Richmond addiction counselors, the scourge of drug addiction and alcohol addiction has never been worse than it is today. Other addictions, to things rather than substances, are also on the rise. Gambling, pornography, shopping… these are also causing damage in homes and relationships across the country.
Many addicts deny they are addicts, and that denial might well be a sign in itself. Addicts lie about their condition, to themselves as much as to anyone else. But there are some other signs out there too.
- Addicts stop caring about anything except what they are addicted to
- Addicts find that their tolerance level keeps rising and they need more and more of what they’re addicted to in order to reach the same high or buzz
- Addicts tend to withdraw from the people that they love the most.
Of course, none of these traits on their own prove addiction, but a couple of them put together are real warning signs that help is needed before the addict loses everything, including maybe, their life.
Addiction Counseling and Therapy
The best route to recovery for an addict is to go into therapy. Our Richmond addiction counseling services can provide a therapy solution for every kind of addiction out there. Therapy comes in all shapes and sizes, but the three kinds that work best for an addict are:
- Group therapy
- Individual therapy
- Family or couple’s therapy.
Generally a combination of the three different counseling methods above works best for addicts in recovery, as well as some other programs that can be discussed.
If you or your loved one are suffering from the pain and despair of addiction, please remember that help is out there and you’re not alone. You can work with a counselor, therapist, or psychologist today. Many have recovered from addiction, and so can you or the one you love.
