Is addiction a disease? According to health associations, the definition of addiction states that the condition is, in fact, a disease. It causes compulsive and chronic urges to seek out and abuse a particular substance for its mind-altering properties. Addiction is progressive. In other words, it will continue to get worse without treatment.
The definition also states there are three types of addictions:
- Physical dependence: Occurs when the body adapts to the presence of a drug and needs it in order to function.
- Psychological dependence: This is where the brain and body has adapted and thrives on having a particular substance within them.
- Tolerance: This is where it takes more of a substance over time for the same effect as before, meaning that an addiction can worsen.
According to studies by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, around 23.5 million Americans over 12 years old live with a substance use disorder. In fact, this is roughly 10% of all people living in America today. Of those 23.5 million, only 11.8% receive treatment for their condition.
If you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol, you have a disease that requires professional treatment. Unfortunately, your problem isn’t going to improve or disappear on its own. Do you need help with your addiction? If so, call us today at 866.262.0531.
The Addiction Definition: Understanding Substance Abuse
People who have never dealt with an addiction problem cannot truly understand its power. While it’s true that most addictive behaviors are often a result of experimentation, developing a dependency isn’t intentional. It might sound naïve, but many people mistakenly believe that they can control substance abuse before it becomes a problem. Unfortunately, this isn’t true.
The reason for this is that heavy or extended substance abuse alters brain function. Over time, the brain starts to believe that it needs the substance to feel and function correctly. If a drug addict suddenly stops using or drops dosage, uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms start to appear.
Many users reach a point in which they wish to get clean. However, complicated withdrawal symptoms frequently prevent some people from ever reaching true recovery.
Withdrawal symptoms vary depending on the drug that an individual abuses. Some general symptoms of withdrawal include:
- Increased irritability
- Agitation or confusion
- Flu-like symptoms
- Interrupted sleep patterns
- Loss of appetite
- Depression
The definition of addiction makes it clear that substance abuse is a very real and dangerous problem. However, overcoming it isn’t as simple as it sounds. Since the addiction definition also points to recurring and overwhelming urges to abuse drugs, recovery requires a daily commitment.
Is the Disease Treatable?
In short, absolutely. The definition of addiction doesn’t mean that you can’t improve your current situation. If you haven’t been able to stop abusing drugs or alcohol, professional rehab can help. Believe it or not, you can get sober and learn helpful life skills for maintaining your recovery.
If you’re ready to end your addictive behavior, Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon is the perfect place to receive quality treatment. We offer individualized treatment programs that guide our guests toward a healthier future. Moreover, our rehab specialists are available to help guests through each step of the recovery process. From start to finish, we’re available to provide compassionate and supportive assistance.
In many cases, effective rehab begins with detox. We don’t perform detox at our facility but provide detox referrals to our partner facility. Our guests can undergo safe and supervised detox at an offsite location before beginning personalized treatment at our facility.
We are qualified and experienced at treating all types of substance abuse. Furthermore, our well-rounded substance abuse treatment programs and services include:
- Outpatient
- Partial hospitalization
- Intensive outpatient
- Aftercare
- Dual diagnosis therapy
- Individual and trauma therapy
Through detox, targeted treatment, and extensive therapy, our guests have the best chance at achieving lasting results. We don’t want our guests to have to go through multiple rehab attempts before finally getting clean. Therefore, we offer quality treatment so that our guests have the best chance at achieving successful sobriety, the first time around.
Addiction Treatment in Portland
The disease you struggle with is a common but serious affliction. Fortunately, treatment is available that can help reverse the effects of your habit and prepare you for lasting change.
We treat a variety of addictions, including:
- Heroin addiction
- Alcohol addiction
- Cocaine addiction
- Meth addiction
Crestview Recovery offers the quality treatment programs and services that you need to beat this disease. Therefore, take advantage of this opportunity to successfully recover by contacting our rehab specialists today at 866.262.0531.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
