| To beat drug addiction, what are the necessary | | | | 4. A regaining of personal integrity is a very |
| lessons that must be learned? What does the | | | | important part of recovery. |
| addict need to gain in the way of skills, physical or | | | | The addict must be able to feel good about |
| moral strengths, abilities? | | | | himself or herself. They must have self-respect |
| To transform a drug addict into a productive and | | | | enough to look others right in the eye. This is |
| stably drug-free person is quite an | | | | gained through the understanding of what k |
| accomplishment. There are some necessary | | | | 5. Getting out from under the weight of past |
| changes that must be made, by the addict, | | | | misdeeds. |
| before that goal can be reached. | | | | In order to change unacceptable behavior, it must |
| Factors which MUST be addressed: | | | | be recognized. So a "coming clean" about past |
| 1. First and foremost, drug use must cease. | | | | activities has long been known to help. This is one |
| This seems so obvious that it need not be | | | | of the most powerful of all these steps, and one |
| mentioned. This might require medical help during | | | | of the most necessary to full recovery. |
| the initial withdrawal, but usually can be | | | | 6. A method of proceeding in life must be learned. |
| accomplished comfortably and without using | | | | If the person is to refrain from drugs forever |
| dangerous drugs. | | | | there should be fewer than usual surprising |
| 2. Poisonous drug and drug residues must be | | | | circumstances. The unexpected can be unsettling |
| removed from the body. | | | | and in the past, the addict turned to drugs to deal |
| This is called detox. But the word detox has | | | | with surprises. An effective treatment should |
| wrongly come to mean just staying off drugs for | | | | teach methods of not only predicting future |
| a short period. That does not did the body of all | | | | events, but controlling them to a large degree. |
| the toxins built up over years of drug abuse. | | | | 7. Finally, goals are needed to provide needed |
| Never settle for anything less that complete | | | | direction and purpose in life. |
| cleansing of the body. | | | | Setting sights on a better future does more than |
| 3. The addict needs to gain the ability to feel | | | | simply raise the mood, it designates activity, it |
| comfortable in social situations without alcohol or | | | | defines borders and keeps a person focused on |
| drugs. | | | | pro-survival endeavors. A worthwhile and |
| Communication skills and simple ways to | | | | attainable goal can provide the push, the impetus |
| communicate effectively must be learned as | | | | that carries a recovering addict right through |
| these are usually poorly known to a drug or | | | | bumpy periods. |
| alcohol addicted person. | | | | |