• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
 

Anaheim Lighthouse

Your Beacon of Hope!

Questions? Call Now(877) 959-5909
  • About Us
  • What We Treat
  • Treatment Options
  • Our Facility
  • Admissions
  • Learn About
  • Contact Us
  • Our Team
  • Awards & Recognitions
  • Yelp & Google Reviews
  • Client Testimonials
  • Accreditation & Licensing
  • Employment Opportunities
  • Press Releases
  • Alchohol Abuse
  • Drug Addiction
  • Dual Diagnosis
  • Trauma Victims
  • Veterans Program
  • Holistic Treatment
  • Specialties
  • Detox Alcohol & Drugs
  • Drug Rehab
  • Inpatient Rehab
  • Complete Residential Care
  • Partial Hospitalization
  • Intensive Outpatient
  • Intervention
  • Family Support
  • Verify Insurance
  • Financing Options
  • Coronavirus Safety Procedures
  • Alcoholism
  • Health and Wellness
  • Life in Recovery
  • Love and Relationships
  • Opioid Addiction
  • Parent Resources
  • Relapse and Recovery
  • Substance Abuse
  • Opioids
  • Sleeping Pills
  • Stimulants

Five Facts About Addiction People Just Don’t Get

Jun 6 2018
Categories:Articles

People who have never experienced an addiction sometimes think they've got it all figured out. Arm-chair quarterbacks sitting there passing judgments on those of us who made the wrong play. I've gotten to the point when people spout off to look at their feet and ask them, "Are those my shoes on your feet? No? I didn't think so."

Judgemental people are like weeds, though. You no sooner pull one out and another one pops up in its place. So, it's time to dispel the myths.

Here are some facts about addiction that I think everyone should know:

1. Addiction Causes Physical Changes in the Brain

Studies have shown that the pleasure center in the brain is altered by addiction. A new normal is created, which means that the brain requires a gradually increasing supply of the drug just for an addict to feel normal. It isn't even about getting high anymore. It's to avoid going through the ravaging sickness of withdrawal.

2. Compassion Works Better than Punishment

Put yourself in the addict's place. Imagine waking up every single day knowing that if you don't find a way to get enough of a certain drug for that day, that you are facing a debilitating illness in a matter of hours. I did it for eight years, and I can tell you it is a very hard life.

3. Detox Should Be Medically Supervised

Getting off drugs on their own is risky business. Serious medical complications can develop when an addict doesn't receive the medical intervention necessary to safely wean off of any given substance. Many people who try to detox on their own will get so far and then the withdrawal process gets so unbearable that they break down and start using again.

anaheimlighthouse-five-facts-about-addiction-people-just-dont-get-article-lonely-and-spiritless-asian-man-is-sitting-in-his-bedroom-looking-at-sunset-with-smartphone-on

4. Relapse Can Be Part Of Recovery

There may be a plethora of treatment programs out there, but not every program is right for everybody. It's one thing to stay sober and begin thriving in a controlled environment. It's quite another thing altogether to return to the real world full of emotional triggers you are struggling to deal with. Relapse is not necessarily a failure; it can be a powerful learning experience. An addict in early recovery is bombarded with emotional triggers that they have to learn how to deal with while staying sober. Finding the right aftercare program is critical to success. Most times, an addict has to try on several programs until they find the right fit.

5. Hitting Rock Bottom is Not a Requirement

The relapse myth leads to the rock bottom myth. When people don't understand what the role of relapse plays in sobriety, they often assume that an addict simply doesn't want to stop using until they lose everything and feel like they can't go on anymore. However, the opposite is actually much more accurate. The sooner the intervention the better, because the longer an addict continues to use, the harder it is to commit to the major change of getting sober. The longer someone is in active addiction, the harder it is on the addict and those who love them.

Remember, recovery takes time. Some people describe it as a marathon. In many ways, a person is beginning their life all over again. Those of us in recovery spend months just getting the basics down, such as developing healthy coping skills, avoiding the people, places, and things that link us to our addiction, and finding new, healthy hobbies to fill our free time.

Building a new life is a lot like building a house; you need a firm foundation to put it on.

If you or your loved one needs help, contact us today and feel free to talk to us about addiction treatment programs  at our affordable drug and alcohol rehab that fit your needs. The Anaheim Lighthouse is a modern and effective addiction treatment center in Southern California.

Confidential Contact Form

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Privacy Policy

Learn About Lighthouse

  • Affordable Drug Rehab and Detox Center
  • CARF Certified
  • Homelike setting and world-class facilities
  • State licensed and certified
  • Most PPO insurance accepted
  • Specialized Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs
  • Licensed and well-qualified professional staff
KNOW MORE

BLOG CATEGORIES

All Categories Alcoholism Drug Facts Health and Wellness Love and Relationships Opioid Addiction

Recent Posts

Snort Xanax

Can You Snort Xanax? Dangers You Should Know

March 20 2023
Alcoholism

5 Ways To Spot A Closet Drinker

March 13 2023
St. Patrick's Day In Addiction Recovery

Surviving St. Patrick's Day In Recovery

March 3 2023
Snort Hydrocodone

Can You Snort Hydrocodone? Here's Why You Shouldn't?

February 17 2023
Valentine's Day When You're Single And Sober

How To Spend Valentine's Day When You're Single And Sober

February 6 2023

WHY CHOOSE LIGHTHOUSE

  • Affordable Drug Rehab and Detox Center
  • CARF Certified
  • Homelike setting and world-class facilities
  • State licensed and certified
  • Most PPO insurance accepted
  • Specialized Alcohol and Drug Treatment Programs
  • Licensed and well-qualified professional staff

Google Reviews

Christopher Tamburello

Absolutely loved this place. Great counselors- my counselor was Johnny. Great Alumni aftercare program that helps keep you connected. I highly recommend Lighthouse for anyone struggling with alcohol or drug addiction.

Josh Mugol

When I first stepped in to fill out the paper work to get admitted to housing, I immediately felt welcomed. If you treat the staff, therapists, and doctors with respect and use common courtesy, you will get more in return. The staff is run by former addicts/alcoholics so they...

Teresa Egan

The Lighthouse saved my life. I was willing to do whatever it takes to learn how to live a new way of life. Before I came into the program I was a hollow shell just wanting to die.. The staff loved me until I could love myself, and taught me how to deal with myself. I have a...

Related Posts

Sep 12 2018

Does Hypnosis Work for Drug Addiction?

Hypnosis or hypnotherapy is the process of using relaxation techniques to induce suggestions on the mind, which then affect the conscious mind, which is thought to be effective in treating substance use disorders related to behavioral problems. While often a subject of contention in medical circl...
Aug 29 2018

7 Bad Habits That Will Affect Your Recovery

Whether you’ve recently left rehab or have been in recovery for some time, relapse is always a risk. Taking the time and care to build good habits revolving around keeping your mental and physical health in a good place, helping you to cope with cravings, and building a support network so that wh...
Aug 22 2018

Drug Use at Raves and Club

Clubs and raves are almost as well-known for their drugs as for music and dancing, with millions of people around the world participating in a culture of use and abuse while out. These drugs range from the well-known MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) to a range of less-identifiable drugs known...
Aug 15 2018

How I Forgave Myself for My Drug Addiction

When the time came in my recovery to apologize to and make amends with all of the people I hurt during my using, I expected I would finally be free of all of the guilt I carried. It didn't quite work out that way. The Value of an Apology First of all, not everyone accepted my apology or wanted t...
Aug 09 2018

Setting Healthy Boundaries with an Addict

Boundaries are an incredibly healthy part of any relationship, but when your loved one is addicted to a substance, good boundaries can mean the difference between a toxic relationship that harms you and them and one in which both of you can benefit. Addiction changes people, damaging the ego and ...
Aug 01 2018

8 Ways to Teach Yourself You Deserve Love in Recovery

After I hit my bottom and came into recovery I realized that I had super low self-esteem, and that those feelings would need to change somehow. I thought once I got sober that it would be a piece of cake. After all, my drinking was what caused all of my problems. I was clueless. GETTING TO KNOW ...

We Accept Insurance

Don’t see your provider? Contact us to confirm coverage.

3 Easy Options to Get Started or Learn More

You Call Us

We are here to answer your questions. Learn about detox, treatment, costs, or anything else. Give us a call now.
(877) 959-5909

We Call You

Complete this secure form to receive a fast response from our support team
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Verify Your Insurance

Quickly confirm your coverage using our fast & easy verification system. We accept most insurances (and financing).
Verify My Insurance
  • About Us
  • What We Treat
  • Treatment Options
  • Our Facility
  • Admissions
  • Learn About
  • Contact Us

Connect With Us

(877) 959-5909

1320 West Pearl Street, Anaheim, CA 92801

Licensed and Certified by the State Department of Health Care Services 300188AP Exp. 5/31/2024
Licensed by the State Department of Health Care Services 300188CP Exp. 5/31/2024
Certified by the State Department of Health Care Services 300188FP Exp 5/31/2023

Copyright © 2022 Anaheim Lighthouse. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Web Accessibility