Cravings - First Barrier to Addiction Recovery

Recovery? What is it really? How is it maintained? What are the main barriers to staying clean and sober? Is there such a thing as mental cravings as well as physical cravings? I have found a lot of opinions and thoughts on this over the last couple of weeks during my readings and internet adventures. I located a really good article on the subject of cravings that I would like to pass along and get others opinions and feedback from. The subject of drug addiction can be a complicated one, to say nothing of drug rehab treatment. Hopefully this article when lend so light into an all to often murky area.

The First Barrier to Addiction Recovery

Cravings

The first challenge for any addict wishing to kick his addiction is overcoming the mental and physical cravings for drugs or alcohol. Cravings are strong, uncontrollable urges to use drugs or alcohol that drive the addict to once again use addictive substances.

To get an idea of what drug cravings are like, think of a time when you went for a long time without eating a meal and you were really hungry. Hunger is a mental and physical sensation that is triggered when the body needs food for nutrients and energy.

The craving for food, driven at a physical level, stimulates memories of eating food, which is followed by a strong desire or compulsion to consume food. Usually when a person is very hungry, they will think about their favorite foods; if they get hungry enough, they can sometimes even smell and taste certain foods.

If a person goes long enough without food, compelling thoughts of eating plus a growling stomach and shakiness due to not having eaten will become so great, making the person so uncomfortable, that they will drop whatever it is they are doing and arrange to get food and eat it. As soon as the food is consumed, the hunger pangs stop and the person feels good about satisfying their hunger.

Read the entire article...

Addiction Treatment - What is Narconon

When I got clean and sober in March of 2001 I was pretty hopeless and sort of figured I was going to be an addict and alcoholic for the rest of my life. Walking through the door of Narconon absolutely changed my life! First there was the drug free withdrawal that ease me off the drugs and alcohol. They worked on nutritional, physiological, and emotional issues right from the start in withdrawal and this continued all the way through the entire treatment program. The New Life Detoxification Program enabled me to actually flush all the drugs and toxins out of the body. The overall sense of well being I got from this is indescribable - both emotionally and physically. The fog had lifted and the lights came on so to speak. In the life skills sections I had a chance to confront and handle the barriers to remaining clean and sober. These of course are very individual for each person. I can remember like it was yesterday when I was standing out front of the facility and realized for the first time that my drug and alcohol addiction was at an end. It wasn't that I hoped it was at an end - I knew! I can honestly say I haven't had a single urge or desire for drugs or alcohol since. All I can tell you is it worked for me, and continues to do so daily.

What were your rehab experiences like, I'd like to know

Drug Education as Addiction Treatment

There are many modalities and theories when it comes to the subject of addiction treatment. Some traditional, some not so traditional. Each theory of course has it's own practioners and advocates with various diologues and debates concerning each, many of which have been going on for years. There does seem to be agreement however that effective drug education which prevents drug abuse, addiction and alcoholism is a desirable modality of preventative treatment.

I recently came across an independent study concerning the Narconon Drug Education methods and found it quite educational and informative my self. I have supplied a link below to the actual study itself, rather than trying to paraphrase a scientific paper.


Take a look, and decide for yourself, being an alumni of the Narconon program I found the paper to refinforce concepts and ideas I have been using for over 7 years to remain drug free, happy, and energetic towards life.

Love, Kayakotto



Read the Drug Education Study...