How to Fill the Void Left after Drug and Alcohol Addiction & Rehab

Life after addiction can be a discovery. In this journey to discover oneself, you may come across this certain void that once was filled with addiction, for which you went to drug and alcohol rehab - but now, is empty. When there’s a massive void placed in the midst of one’s life, it can automatically garner levels of low self-esteem, and other such bad feelings. How then do you get rid of that newfound void? 

Here’s how!

1. Remember that your past doesn’t govern you - Past is a thought of distant memory that will not repeat itself. It’s already passed back in memory lane. Regardless of what convoluted the mind to start the course in alcohol and drug addiction, it is no longer the reality of the situation. Trying to fill a void in your life might have cost you in the past with this addiction, but remember that it’s no longer the current situation of your present and try to move ahead. 
2. Mourn - As trivial as this word and process may sound, it is quite important to go through this process of mourning the loss of past addiction. The addiction has been a part of the past of every addict for a while. It was one’s best resolve to handling matters that required extra courage to do. Giving up that habit took a lot of strength and will power; it also meant leaving behind certain friend groups and avoiding meeting up at certain places for hangouts. These friends and places might be a trigger for reactivating those old habits, so best to take the time to mourn the loss of things that you’ve set aside. Recognize the loss of these habits and ways and then begin the journey towards replacing these losses with other habits that can help one to get by day-by-day - addiction-free! 
3. Boredom - One of the greatest triggers of mankind when it comes to old addictive habits is - Boredom. There’s a saying that goes, an empty mind is a devil’s workshop. That saying is laden with truth. Boredom can be especially dangerous for an addict or a recovering addict. It gives one the luxury of thought, to let the mind wader and fall back into old habits. Boredom can trigger a relapse in ways. In such a condition, a recovering addict has to remember to keep themselves busy all day, every day with activities that interest them and also fill up their days with tasks to focus on rather than slip back into old ways. 

These are the few ways a recovering addict can help fill the void that drove them towards drug and alcohol addiction. Recognizing the need to fill the void and working towards doing exactly that can help loads of addicts. 

6 Principles of Effective Treatment Through a Drug Rehab Center

A lot of research has been carried out regarding addiction treatment and related programs. However, the conclusion has, more or less, been the same. It's about the versatility that rehab centers in US provide. The research always stated that no single medicine can serve everyone equally well. In the same way, no single program can be equally effective for every patient. That is why there were certain principles of effective treatment of addiction. 

This is the time you get to know what exactly comprises of the program that treats addiction so easily. Actually, it's not as easy as one might think. Let's go through the principles to follow. 

Principles for Drug Rehabs 

• No matter how complex the addiction is, it can be treated

Any patient that is a victim of drug abuse has a specific brain structure. Once you re-function it, drug addiction will cease to exist. It's not as simple as it sounds, but there certainly is a potential of treating every disease. Drug addiction is more psychological than physical, so, it has unlimited potential. 

• A treatment program needs to be readily available

As mentioned above, a treatment program for every patient is different. So, it results in some delay of implementation because devising a plan for every patient distinctively is difficult. However, with the experience of the best drug rehabs, you can still find immediate treatment. Do psychologists, doctors and other stuff can complete the procedure in one day and get done with the program to be implemented. 

• Addiction treatment doesn't happen overnight

The patient has to keep in mind that there is always a minimum period for the treatment to be completed. No program results in addiction treatment overnight. There's an average of at least four months that results in full treatment or reduction. The patient needs at least 3 months to spend in the premise to distract himself with some luxury amenities. 

• Behavioral therapy is the most effective one

Addiction treatment can take the face of a holistic approach. These are behavioral therapies, family and individual counseling. The plan motivates the patient to resist drug usage and replacing it with some more constructive activities. It involves rewarding the patient after certain milestones. It inculcates better problem-solving skills, interpersonal relationships and overall social skills in the patient. 

• Medications are not the secondary option

While many drug rehabs prefer the holistic approach, medication cannot be kept aside. Medication and behavioral therapies can go hand-in-hand for patients with severe addiction. What example, methadone can act as an alternative for heroin and opioids. You might have heard about nicotine's replacement with patches, nasal spray, gum etc. So, medication cannot act as a secondary program inclusion. 

• Any treatment plant can be assessed and modified continually according to the patient's needs 

As there are different combinations of treatment procedures, these might be changed or modified in between. It's exactly according to how the patient needs it in addition to regular counseling and medication. For example, patients who learn and grow faster might have a reduced tenure to be spent in the rehab premises. 

So, these principles are not just for the rehab to perform but also for the patients to be aware of. As a patient, you need to be on your feet while choosing a treatment plan for addiction.

Causes, Signs, and Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction

The excessive prevalence of alcohol consumption in society causes the youth to think that it's okay to have a few drinks every now and then. What we don't realize is that alcohol consumption at any age is not only dangerous but also leads to addiction. People below the age of 21 years are more prone to substance abuse.

To treat alcoholism, it's not only the cut in the initial period of alcohol consumption that we need to target, but also reasons why people get addicted to it. For us, the causes of alcohol addiction are the leading cause of worry. An alcohol rehab center takes care of the reasons, treatments, and post-treatment actions for the permanent elimination of excessive substance abuse. 

Why do people become an alcoholic?

Here we discuss the main causes of alcohol addiction. Many people don't notice these signs initially. However, these are scientifically proven contributing factors of alcohol addiction. It can be a personal, or a general issue witnessed in many alcohol addicts before. 

General issues include drinking to act against withdrawal symptoms as they can be unpleasant and dangerous. Some people consume alcohol due to co-occurring disorders that have essentially set foot in their minds. In all, general issues causing alcohol addiction can be biological, social, environmental, or psychological. 

Personal issues can only be identified while examining the addict. Some personal matters are changes in pleasurable feelings that they only find in consuming alcohol. 

Signs of Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction can be defined as a state where the person knows the adverse effects and still cannot control the consumption. Also, alcohol addiction can target a teenager more quickly than an adult. Here is a list of all the signs (other than heavy drinking) that detect alcohol addiction.

• A lack of attention towards social and family obligations
• Loss of control over consumption once they start to drink
• Increasing emotional expressions like sadness, anger, and happiness
• Behaving perilously in situations that require calmness and composure
• Posing a legal, financial or physical threat to someone else
• Blankly staring at something or someone

Symptoms of Alcohol Addiction

Some symptoms of alcohol addiction can be seen quite early and some might take time to get noticed. Here is a list of the most prominent ones. 

• Difficulty in standing or walking
• Unable to complete a sentence without thinking twice or thrice
• Repeating sentences for no reason
• Blood-red eyes
• Excessive anxiety or agitation
• Worsened reflexes
• Blacking out more often and lack of consciousness
• Red face during or after conjunction

Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms can occur when the drug and alcohol rehab center instantly cuts the entire consumption of alcohol. It has to be a gradual process where the body gets used to the lack of alcohol intake; otherwise, the following symptoms will prevail. 

• Extreme emotional anxiety and agitation
• Unusual shaking of hands and convulsions
• Vomiting or nausea
• Strange hallucinations
• Lack of performance in anything
• Seizures

Withdrawal symptoms suggest that the body must adjust to the reduced intake of alcohol for an effective rehab process. However, not every alcohol rehab center does the process carefully, and success in treating alcohol addiction is rare. Make sure to choose an alcohol rehab center very carefully only after going through all the customer reviews.