Treatment - Three Elements of Addiction

[Synesthesiac]

Someone else posted this on another forum, and I was rather impressed with its short but straight to the point observations. I think that the Third element is the one that people often overlook, and is lacking from clinical addiction recovery treatments. Hope this helps some people and they can relate.

Physical: Physical is the intense euphoria from drug use. It's the neuron's firing to depletion and alterations in brain patterns. Physical is the cocaine blues or the intense agony of opiate abuse. When the highs aren't really that high and you're mostly running in fear of the lows, it might be time to consider stopping.

Mental: Mental is the obsession of drug use. It is also the social and the rituals involved. The oral fixation of a cigarette, the social revelry of a bar. Sometimes the mental is harder to give up than the physical. When you find your mind thinking about drugs for the majority of the day, how to acquire them, how you will use them, time and place. When you go to your mailbox for the 4th time today desperately wanting that package, it might be time to stop.

Spiritual: You can call this what you will, you don't need to believe in god. The spiritual elements are things like honesty, compassion, courage, and trust. When you get deep into drug use, these often falter. Drug abuse is often a very selfish act and demonstrates a lack of compassion towards others. If you've called in sick to work and lied to your family or friends about why you can't spend time with them, then there might be a problem. Many people use to run from their fears, as they say alcohol is liquid courage. For those who are tired of running, it may be time to end it.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Different ideas, but interesting. Could be used as a guide.
	Interesting perspective & so true
	Very accurate perspective

[LiquidHandcuffs]

Very insightful post OP!

Swim has to confess that, for him, the "mental element" of addiction is the hardest to overcome, and that the "Spiritual Element," is the key to his own recovery.