Charlie Sheen of Two and a half Men has stated in several interviews that he cured himself of drug addiction. Known for his bad-boy lifestyle and drug abuse, Charlie Sheen claims to have overcome drug addiction with the ‘power of mind’. There is no denying the fact that self-control plays a major role when it comes to helping a person overcome drug addiction. Is it really possible for a person to get rid of drug addiction on his own, especially when he has been using drugs for a long time? Undoubtedly, many people have managed to keep drugs at bay with sheer will-power. But by and large, professional drug addiction treatment is essential when it comes to overcoming drug addiction. A person can say ‘no’ to drugs a thousand times, but it only takes one ‘yes’ to start the vicious cycle of drug addiction again.
Why it is difficult to overcome drug addiction without medical intervention?
Mental and Physical Addiction- This is the single most important factor that makes it difficult for a person to overcome drug addiction on his own. Long term drug use causes several changes in the brain. In other words, drug use ‘rewires’ the brain. Changes in the brain lead to behavioral changes in a person. The person becomes addicted to the drug. Slowly, the tolerance limit of the drug also increases. Be it cocaine, heroin or other harmful drugs, overtime, a person needs more quantity of the same drug to experiences the ‘high’. If he doesn’t get the desired dose of drugs, it becomes difficult for a person to function normally. The deep mental and physical craving for drugs is the major reason why a person can’t overcome drug addiction.
As there are severe withdrawal symptoms, achieving and maintaining abstinence without medical intervention offered by drug addiction treatment centers becomes difficult for a person. It has to be stated here that it is way easier to overcome drug addiction in the initial stage compared to drug addiction in the advanced stage.
While there are a small percentage of people who’ve managed to successfully overcome drug addiction on their own, most people who try to quit on their own eventually fail. The cycle of quitting, craving and relapse continue to keep people trapped. Availing the services offered by a reliable drug addiction treatment center can go a long way when it comes to overcoming opiate or any other type of drug addiction.
