Copyright 2008
Eagle Productions, LLC
Eagle Productions, LLC
Chemical dependency and other addictions are chronic, progressive and often fatal diseases which are best viewed from a perspective of a Biopsychosocial Model. They often have powerful negative consequences on a person's mental, physical, spiritual and emotional states.
Addictions are developmental in nature and progress through stages. There are genetic and biological components involving chemical imbalances which influence addiction. There is an environmental learning component as well. All of these influences combine to create a pathological brain dysfunction or disease. Recovery from addiction issues is also developmental in nature and passes through stages from abstinence to sobriety, eventually evolving into a satisfying, productive lifestyle. Abstinence alone is NOT recovery but is certainly desirable. A lifestyle change is required in all cases to establish and maintain recovery. Abstinence from some addictions is not always a possible component of recovery. For example, food is necessary to sustain life, so a healthy change to moderation is needed rather than complete abstinence from eating. Effective treatment addresses all parts of the individual's life, family and environment. Treatment involvement is designed to respond to each person's needs.
We believe that addiction impacts all areas of a person's life. Addictions take away from life. Life gets smaller and smaller as the disease progresses. Eventually, one's choices become less and less as the individual becomes more and more "dependent" on the mood-altering effects of the alcohol/drug or addictive activity.
All addictions have one thing in common: they change one's mood. The individual develops a pathological relationship with the psychoactive drug or activity which subsequently takes away choice. The results are "negative consequences" which include: relationship/family problems; financial issues; legal issues; emotional problems (guilt, shame, fear and chronic anxiety); health problems; employment/educational issues; and eventually, disintegration in all areas of life. Often, the addicted person--and in many cases the family--is in denial about the problems and certainly the seriousness of the disease. Denial is the inability to recognize there is a problem.
Most people come to treatment through external motivation. There is some type of external leverage which forces someone into treatment. It has been said, "They must want to change before it will work." The fact is that the success of forced treatment is higher that for those who supposedly enter of their own accord.
A bad attitude soon changes to acceptance and eventually leads to a recovery process which heals the addicted person and, often, the family as well. It is unfortunate that so many never have the opportunity to attend treatment.
Many people talk about the costs of addiction to society. These costs ARE very high, but they do not compare to the personal costs experienced when it is your child or your mother/father or your husband/wife who is out of control while life is slipping away in the "drama" of addiction. Lots of people are able to see or identify that there is a "problem." Someone might say, "Oh, Bob is such a drunk. . . . Betty is a crack #@$%. . . . Tommy is such a screw-up and is always in trouble with drugs." It is easy to see there is a problem, but what do you do about it? Treatment is the beginning of the RECOVERY process. Recovery from what? Recovery from the chronic, progressive and often fatal disease of addiction.
All addictions have one thing in common: they change one's mood. The individual develops a pathological relationship with the psychoactive drug or activity which subsequently takes away choice. The results are "negative consequences" which include: relationship/family problems; financial issues; legal issues; emotional problems (guilt, shame, fear and chronic anxiety); health problems; employment/educational issues; and eventually, disintegration in all areas of life. Often, the addicted person--and in many cases the family--is in denial about the problems and certainly the seriousness of the disease. Denial is the inability to recognize there is a problem.
Most people come to treatment through external motivation. There is some type of external leverage which forces someone into treatment. It has been said, "They must want to change before it will work." The fact is that the success of forced treatment is higher that for those who supposedly enter of their own accord.
A bad attitude soon changes to acceptance and eventually leads to a recovery process which heals the addicted person and, often, the family as well. It is unfortunate that so many never have the opportunity to attend treatment.
Many people talk about the costs of addiction to society. These costs ARE very high, but they do not compare to the personal costs experienced when it is your child or your mother/father or your husband/wife who is out of control while life is slipping away in the "drama" of addiction. Lots of people are able to see or identify that there is a "problem." Someone might say, "Oh, Bob is such a drunk. . . . Betty is a crack #@$%. . . . Tommy is such a screw-up and is always in trouble with drugs." It is easy to see there is a problem, but what do you do about it? Treatment is the beginning of the RECOVERY process. Recovery from what? Recovery from the chronic, progressive and often fatal disease of addiction.
"The most intensive and comprehensive treatment available..." Wichita: 1-316-263-5000 El Dorado: 1-316-322-7057 thedoancenter@sbcglobal.net
