6 Important Signs That It Is Time to Check into a Rehab Centre
Every year, millions of people across the world fall victim to addiction. These addictions can vary in nature and in severity, and they include all kinds of addictions, such as behavioural addiction (anorexia, bulimia, sex addiction, gambling addiction, and many more), and addiction to substances, such as alcohol, a variety of drugs, prescription medications or related substances. It is also a sad fact that less than 2% of people seek help for their addictions and often, the life of the addict is impacted severely, sometimes almost to the point of complete destruction.
Addicts lose their jobs, end up in jail or dead, lose their families, and most importantly, lose their own sense of self and pride. Addiction is a terrible thing, and getting help is crucial in order to normalise your life, and to learn new patterns of behaviour that are not destructive. If you are addicted to a behaviour or a substance, and feel that you may be in need of help, we provide you with a checklist below of when you should seek help for your addiction by checking into a rehab centre.
- You have driven a vehicle while under the influence: While this doesn???t seem very important, it actually is. By driving under the influence of any drug or alcohol, you endanger not only your life, but also those of other road users. It doesn???t matter how good a driver you are, when you drive under the influence, your ability to drive the vehicle and to prevent accidents in time is vastly reduced, and even a small mistake can end in disaster. If you cannot stop yourself from getting into a vehicle when under the influence, it is time that you seek help at a good rehab centre.
- Your family or friends have asked you to stop your behaviour: Remember that it is not just you that is affected by your addiction ??? your family and friends are too. If they have asked you to seek help or to stop your addictive behaviour, it is time that you listen to them.
- Your doctor has warned you about your health: Addictions cause all kinds of physical problems ??? including irreversible liver damage, heart ailments, and even damage to the brain. If your addiction is starting to take a toll on your body, it is definitely time to get some help, or you are likely to drive yourself into an early grave.
- You experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking the substance: Often, this is a great warning sign, and it is much more than just a hangover. Symptoms such as shaking, anxiety, nausea, cold sweats, stomach cramps and irritability may occur, and can only be stopped by continuing to take the substance. This is an important warning sign ??? it means that your body is getting into a state where it depends on the drug and struggles to cope without it. You have a choice here ??? you can continue with the destructive behaviour, or you can fight back by attending a rehab centre for a detoxification programme that will help drive the process forward. Going cold turkey can be dangerous, especially for long-term addicts, and it is vital that a safe detoxification process is done under supervision of medical health professionals. This is why it is best to do this in the safe environment of a good rehabilitation facility.
- You have harmed yourself or others: Drugs or behavioural addictions can give way to a whole set of emotional and mental ailments. If you have had suicidal thoughts, or given in to self-harm, or harmed another person, you need help. It can often feel completely hopeless, and you may believe that the feelings you experience will be there forever, but these emotional problems can be very effectively treated if you just give it a chance, and you stand a good chance of living a healthy and normal life after spending some time at a rehab centre.
- You have tried to quit, but failed: Often, we think that we are in control of our addictions, and we believe that we can stop any time we like. If you have tried to stop on a variety of occasions, but never stopped for a meaningful period of time, you have a problem with addiction, and seeking help from a good rehab centre should be your next step.
If you feel that you are in need of some help for your addiction, give our team at Beethoven Recovery Centre a call. We have a multidisciplinary approach to addiction and behavioural problems that covers all the bases, and we support you all the way through your journey. Contact us today to find out more.