Do I Need to Go To Rehab?

Do I Need to Go To Rehab?

When it comes to drug and alcohol abuse, it can be difficult to be objective and to admit that you need help. If substance abuse is causing negative effects in your life, it is time to take a closer look and come to terms with the fact that you have a problem. Once you can accept that, you’re already on the path to recovery. The next step is to decide how to get clean and sober.

One of the most common questions people ask themselves is, “is my problem bad enough that I need rehab?” Only you can answer this, but if your addiction or alcoholism is affecting your life in a negative way, yet you still continue to drink or use, the answer is most likely yes.

According to a National Study in the USA by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2012, only 10 percent of those struggling with substance dependence or alcohol abuse received treatment. There are many reasons for this. Many people decide to forego treatment because they haven’t hit rock bottom or they simply don’t think their problem is bad enough or they believe they can stop on their own. The truth of the matter is: if you are questioning whether or not you need help getting sober, you likely do. Trying to stop on your own can be dangerous and the more times you try and fail, the more likely your addiction will become worse. Addiction and alcoholism are progressive illnesses which do not go away on their own. This is especially true if you think you need treatment for addiction to heroin or other opioids.

How Severe Is Your Addiction?

If your life and relationships are being negatively affected by your drinking or substance use, you probably have an addiction. Addiction is diagnosed on a spectrum. The criteria for addiction can help you determine if your addiction is mild, moderate or severe. There is a total of eleven criteria, including:

• Lack of control
• Desire to quit but unable
• Spending a lot of time trying to get alcohol or a substance
• Cravings
• Lack of responsibility
• Problems with relationships
• Loss of interest
• Dangerous use
• Worsening situations
• Tolerance
• Withdrawal

The severity is determined by how many criteria you meet. For example, if two to three of the criteria apply to you, you would have a mild substance use disorder. But even if you have a mild diagnosis, you should still seek help to get sober before it gets worse. There is no time that is ‘too early’ to get help.

The Progressive Nature of Alcoholism and Addiction

Because addiction is measured on a spectrum, it’s true that a mild diagnosis may not be as bad as a severe one. It is therefore easy to say, “I could be worse.” It’s important to remember that addiction is a progressive disease, meaning it will get worse. If you fall into the category of a “mild case” right now, it will likely become moderate and then severe in the future.

Addiction is a chronic disease, much like asthma, hypertension, diabetes, cancer and many others. If you were diagnosed with stage 1 cancer, would you not seek some form of treatment to prevent it from getting worse? You don’t have to be at rock bottom to need treatment. Get help before it gets out of hand. If you are at rock bottom or have a severe diagnosis, it’s never too late to get the help you need.

High-Functioning Addicts and Alcoholics

If you keep up with your job, fulfil your family duties and maintain friendships while also having a drug or alcohol addiction, you are what’s known as a high-functioning addict or alcoholic. These types of addicts maintain a level of success professionally and battle their addiction behind the scenes. Essentially, you’re living a double life.

One of the biggest issues high-functioning addicts face is denial. You feel like you are in control because your life remains pretty normal by all appearances. However, your addiction is likely worse than you know. Most high-functioning people are incredibly good at hiding what is going on, often drinking and using in secret. It is an exhausting way to live! Eventually, alcohol and drug use will catch up to a high-functioning addict as their addiction or alcoholism worsens and becomes too difficult to hide.

Some people can struggle with addiction for years before the facade begins to fall apart. For others, it can take a life-changing event, like ultimatums from family members,  getting a DUI or an accidental overdose to force them to address the issue. Instead of waiting for one of these life-changing events to happen to you, it would be better to get help as soon as possible.

Rehab Is Your Best Chance of Beating Addiction or Alcoholism

Just as you would go to an optometrist for an eye problem and the dentist for a tooth issue, rehabs are specialists in helping those with addictions and alcoholism.

If you have an addiction and want to get sober, treatment at a rehab facility, or online, is your best option. Beating an addiction to drugs or alcohol requires not only eliminating the physical dependence but also addressing the behavioural issues. Simply quitting cold turkey will not change the psychological aspect of addiction and can be incredibly dangerous, even life threatening. Recovery from addiction involves changing the way you think, feel and behave. It’s difficult to address the psychological side of addiction without help from a professional.

To eliminate the physical dependence, you will need to detox to eliminate the drugs or alcohol from your system. Medically assisted detox is much safer than trying to detox on your own with no professional oversight. If you detox in a treatment or medical  environment, you will have professionals there to help with any withdrawal symptoms, which can be life-threatening in some cases. Not every rehab offers medical detox – at The Lighthouse Bali, our medically assisted detox takes place in the comfort of your own private villa with medical professional oversight and staff on hand 24/7.

Addiction is a lifelong disease. Going through the treatment process will teach you the tools you need to beat it and live a healthier and more balanced life. Getting treatment really is your best chance at a successful and happy recovery.

Get Started Online

For some addicts and alcoholics it’s possible to take our online recovery program, either in place of a residential program or in preparation for your residential program. To find out more about our online program, click here, or contact us to discuss your personal circumstances and to find out if an online recovery option is suitable for you.