When a loved one has an addiction, many lives are affected. The person with the addiction is at risk of severe physical problems and mental health complications. A person can become addicted to more than drugs or alcohol. Many people become addicted to non-substance related things. Some people suffer from an addiction to gambling, gaming, using the Internet, social media, tobacco, caffeine, and much more. All addictions interfere with a person's ability to live in a productive, healthy way.
Substance abuse affects a person's brain. The brain is controlled by the drug or alcohol and becomes physically dependent on the substances to function. When a person reaches a tolerance level, he or she needs to use more and more of it to achieve the same euphoric feeling they did the first time. Substance abuse changes the brain and affects the organs in the body. Drug and alcohol addiction causes brain damage, heart attacks, liver failure, overdose, and early death.
When a person has an addiction to the Internet, he or she spends a lot of time withdrawing from loved ones and lives in seclusion. This affects a person's relationships, productivity at work, and mental health. All of the person's time becomes focused on the next time he or she can go online. The person develops relationships with characters in a fantasy world, rather than encounter real-life human connections. This allows the person to escape from reality, stress, and anxiety.
If an individual is addicted to gambling, he or she loses the ability to know when to stop. Gambling becomes the number one priority and is constantly on the person's mind. He or she might even gamble secretly to avoid shaming from family and friends. A person addicted to gambling will not stop spending and thinks of ways to get more money to spend on gambling. The person's responsibilities are affected by his or her gambling addiction. Relationships, finances, and the person's career are jeopardized by the gambling problem.
Addiction ruins many lives and can be harmful to a person's health. There is hope for treatment of addiction and mental health conditions. Recovery is possible and with support and encouragement from loved ones, the person can enjoy living a healthy life.
Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center offers long term residential treatment programs for addiction recovery. Our programs involve the whole family for foundation building, life cleansing change. Call us today to start living your recovery: 662-598-4214