There is a stigma that is still associated with addiction. Many families, cultures, and social circles still treat the topic as taboo. It’s within this unspoken enigma where rumors, myths, and misconceptions around addiction could originate from.

 

It’s time to destigmatize addiction and take a look into some of the strangest myths and misconceptions about drug and alcohol addiction that are not true!

Alcohol Addiction Myths

Alcohol may be a familiar foe, yet alcoholism is plagued with distorted misconceptions. It is possible to help addicts get the help they need by dispelling myths about alcoholism and keeping them from falling into delusion.

 

Some of the most common and strangest alcohol addiction myths include:

 

1 – Drinking milk or yogurt before drinking will line up your stomach and keep you from getting drunk and throwing up:

 

False! – and weird? –  Alcohol will reach your bloodstream either way. Eating may slow down the body’s absorption time but the alcohol will eventually make its way there.

 

2 – All an alcoholic needs to stop is willpower:

 

No, no, and triple no! Alcoholism is a disease that creates physical and psychological dependence. 

 

Alcoholics, particularly those who are advanced in their condition, will need detox and professional support. Yes! Will power matters, but that’s not all there is to it.

 

3 – Alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are the same things:

 

They are in fact, two different things. 

 

A drinker needs to develop a physical dependence to be considered an alcoholic. 

 

A problematic drinker may experience many of the negative effects of an alcoholic such as missing out on responsibilities and getting into trouble without being physically dependent on alcohol.

 

A person with alcoholism and physical dependence will have different symptoms such as withdrawals.

Myths About Drug Addiction

Unlike alcohol, drugs are not as familiar to most people. Its illicit status makes them more elusive and hence more prone to misconceptions.

 

These are some of the most common and strangest drug addiction myths:

 

1 – Doing drugs only once will turn you into an addict

 

Probably one of the most dangerous drug addiction myths out there – why? 

 

Well, let’s suppose you believe this and try drugs, or see a friend that tried them. Then, you realize you or your friend didn’t become addicted to them on the first try.

 

What’s your next thought? Ha! They lied, drugs are not addictive — I can do as many as I want. 

 

See how that can quickly turn into a serious problem?

 

While some people will be more likely to pick up addiction quicker than others, it’s highly unlikely that physical dependence will come from using only once. 

 

2 – Prescription drugs are safe

 

Nope! Prescription drugs are as addictive and harmful as illicit drugs. Take them only as prescribed and under medical supervision.

 

3 – Rehab is only for the wealthy

 

While rehab and detox may come at a cost — like other medical treatments — most of these costs can be covered with medical insurance. 

 

Financial solutions are also available for those who need them. Rehabs have financial departments that assist in such matters, it’s also free to speak with them for an admissions consultation. 

General Addiction Myths

 

1 –  Relapsing brings you back to square one

 

Relapsing is but a momentary setback, even though relapsing may reset an addict’s day count, it doesn’t mean they are back to square one. All of the knowledge and advancement the addict gathers up to that point will fast-track him or her back into recovery.

 

4 – You need to hit rock bottom to sober up

 

Gratefully, this is not true. Rock bottom may serve as a push for some addicts to humble down and seek help; however, it’s wise to avoid testing the depths of the well. 

 

Addicts don’t need to destroy their lives to get better, help is available and effective every step of the way.

3 – Addicts are immoral

 

Addiction is non-discriminatory, addicts come from all walks of life, moral or immoral, rich or poor, educated or otherwise. Having an addiction problem does not make one immoral, criminal, or less than others. 

 

Yes, it’s true that addiction may drive some to commit crimes or make irresponsible decisions. But in essence, addiction is a mental health disorder that the sick person can’t fully control, this doesn’t make them inherently immoral.

Demystifying Addiction and Getting Help

Did we demystify any drug or alcohol addiction myths for you?

 

Demystifying addiction and normalizing help is a stepping stone to building an educated society that is better prepared to combat drug addiction and alcoholism.

 

Veritas Detox offers addiction treatment to help you or your loved ones get sober and stay that way.

 

Help is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week at no cost or obligation. Speak to one of Veritas recovery experts, to seek the help you and your loved ones need. 

Contact Veritas Detox today!

An addict who has been abusing substances for a long time may not have any sober friends or connections. This can prompt the addict to reach back to old acquaintances and fall back into addictive habits. 

 

But avoiding these situations is not always easy, as the addict may face challenges in gaining new friends in sobriety.

 

An alumni aftercare addiction treatment program can help addicts stay sober by connecting them to a wider network of practitioners, participants, and community-based activities — sober friends doing sober things.

How Does an Alumni Recovery Program Work

Alumni programs are usually offered by the rehab or detox center as a means for recovering addicts who have gone through the same program to stay connected and spend time together. 

 

They are a great way for new and former graduates to build a sense of community, gain sober friends, and participate in sober activities together. 

 

Attending an alumni aftercare addiction treatment program can empower recovering addicts to maintain their sobriety by surrounding themselves with a healthy recovery environment.

 

Alumni programs are not mandatory and non-intrusive. In fact, once recovering addicts decide to join the program, they can choose how to stay connected.

 

The programs create sober events that bring people together. The idea is to build relationships with other recovering addicts to maintain sobriety. 

 

As part of their offering, the program director usually follows up with members and makes sure everyone is doing well, as well as providing them with support or helping them overcome any hurdles.

Benefits of an Alumni Program

Alumni programs offer a wide array of benefits for addicts in recovery that go beyond just follow-up and connection. Well-structured alumni programs may help addicts with life integration and provide access to valuable resources.

 

An alumni aftercare addiction treatment program can also help addicts struggling with sobriety connect with sponsors, and mentors, or even find a safe living situation such as a sober house or community living.

 

Alumni programs also teach clients how to cope with real-life situations using healthy, positive coping mechanisms. 

 

Benefits of an alumni program include:

Community and Fellowship

One of the best benefits an alumni aftercare addiction treatment program can offer its members is the ability to connect with a sober community that offers both support and sober social events.

 

It can be extremely difficult for addicts to escape their previous habits, particularly if their circle of friends is still abusing drugs or alcohol. If addicts spend time around the wrong crowd, their chances of relapse increase exponentially.

 

By joining an alumni aftercare addiction treatment program, a recovering addict doesn’t have to feel alone in recovery.

Employment Support

Joining the workforce after recovery, particularly if the addict had a tumultuous past, is no easy task. Large gaps in the resume and potentially a history of poor performance could set back an addict. Even worse, taking the wrong job could trigger recovering addicts if they find themselves in the wrong environment.

 

Alumni programs will often help members find work and also guide them in how to re-incorporate themselves into an old job after a medical leave.

Connecting Addicts to a 12-Step Program

Finding the right 12-step program can help addicts maintain daily reprieve from their life-long disease.

 

By joining an alumni aftercare addiction treatment program, recovering addicts can be given assistance in joining and maintaining a 12-step program of recovery.

 

Help is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week at no cost or obligation. Speak to one of Veritas recovery experts, to seek the help you and your loved ones need. 

Contact Veritas Detox today!

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has become one of the leading therapeutic approaches for addiction treatment.  

 

There is abundant research available demonstrating its efficacy in treating a variety of mental health problems, including addiction, anxiety, and depression.

 

But what is CBT? And how does it work?

 

Let’s look into why this form of therapy is gaining popularity in treatment centers across the world and why treatment centers are so eager to incorporate it as a key pillar of their rehabilitation program.

What is CBT and How Does It Work

CBT is a highly effective psychological treatment that works on the patient’s thought patterns and the relationship they have with feelings and behaviors.

 

The therapy is grounded on the principle that the way we think, feel, and act are all closely related and influence our well-being. 

 

Talk therapists will focus on digging into which behaviors are affecting your life negatively and how to “un-learn” them or change them. 

 

CBI therapists may employ a variety of methods to unlearn negative behavior. One example of this is using breathing exercises. By teaching a patient how to control their breathing, therapists may change the way a patient feels, thus changing their behavior.

CBT For Treating Addiction

Substance abuse is also a mental health disorder, the mindset and attitude that addicts have toward addiction have a lot to do with their destructive habits. 

While drugs and alcohol do develop physical dependence, the most challenging obstacle in overcoming addiction is psychological.

One does not need to seek too far for proof — take for example an addict who relapses after detox, or who quickly falls into addiction after many years of being sober. In both instances, the addict may have gotten over a physical dependence but not a psychological one, as the addiction remains strong within them.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in addiction seeks to resolve the psychological challenges that addicts face by changing their core attitudes and beliefs about substance abuse.

CBT focuses on finding the connections between the addict’s thoughts, feelings, actions, and substance abuse problems. By bringing these connections to the addict’s attention the therapists help them build awareness and control their impulses.

 

Some ways in which CBT can help addicts with their substance abuse problem include:

 

• Improving self-control
• Replacing habits that trigger substance abuse
• Recognizing situations where they may be most likely to take drugs or drink alcohol
• Developing coping strategies 
• Learning to cope with other behaviors that lead to substance abuse like stress

CBT Techniques for Addictions Treatment & Habit Change

CBT teaches people how to cope with cravings by teaching them how to avoid high-risk situations and manage stress levels.

For example, someone may find themselves drinking each time they feel bored or lonely. In this case, the talk therapist may ask the patient to recognize these behaviors and work on replacing the behavior with something positive instead, like playing a sport or going out with sober friends to places where alcohol is not readily available.

 

Other CBT techniques that patients may employ in their treatment for addiction include:

 

• Keeping a diary for self-awareness
• Swapping negative thoughts for positive ones
• Replacing one triggering activity with another
• Breathing exercises
• Scheduling times to relax and enjoy and consciously adding these activities into one’s life

CBT Therapy in Recovery

Alcohol and substance abuse disorders can be treated effectively with cognitive behavioral therapy. A person’s long-term recovery can be supported by the use of this approach on its own or in combination with other approaches. 

Now that you have a better understanding of what CBT is, you may want to find a recovery center that offers this form of therapy.

Veritas Detox offers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as part of its personalized addiction treatment program.

At Veritas we strive to help our patients get sober and stay that way.

Help is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week at no cost or obligation. Speak to one of Veritas recovery experts, to seek the help you and your loved ones need. 

 

Contact Veritas Detox today!

 

Frustrated with their own addictions, Bill Wilson and Robert Smith came up with a solution in 1935 that ended up helping millions of people around the world with their substance abuse problems.

Alcoholics Anonymous was born out of the encounter between these two men and became the basis for what we know today as a 12 step program for addiction.

What is a 12 Step Program for Addiction?

12 step programs consist of a group of non-professional peers who have experienced addiction. They support each other by following a program of 12 steps and 12 traditions that helps them achieve and maintain sobriety. 

In this non-professional program, attendance is free, although a small donation is usually given if the addict can afford to do so. The donation usually goes to support the facilities and pay rent.

There are as many types of 12 step programs for addiction as there are addictions. Everything from gambling to heroin.

The underlying principles of all 12 step programs are essentially the same; however, the language used in each program may vary depending on the obsession they seek to relieve.

The first step of the program is considered to be the most pivotal. It requires addicts to get honest with themselves and accept their addiction as a real condition.

The rest of the steps are a series of transformative actions. The last three steps (10,11,12) are considered to be steps of maintenance. Adherence to these steps and principles may provide the addict with a daily reprieve long after detoxing. 

What Are Different Kinds of 12-Step Groups for Addiction?

There are numerous ways in which addiction can manifest itself. In addition to substance abuse, an obsession can also be embodied in other forms of dopamine reward, such as gambling, sex, and other forms of self-indulgent behavior. 

It’s out of this that different forms of 12 step programs and other support groups have spurred.

Some of the best-known 12 step programs for addiction include – 

• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Sex Addicts Anonymous
• Narcotics Anonymous
• Gambling Anonymous
• Eating Disorders Anonymous

Why Choose a 12 Step Program for Addiction

Support groups for addiction recovery offers many benefits to addicts seeking recovery, including

• A proven roadmap to getting sober and stay sober
• Sponsorship
• Continuous peer support
• Counseling
• Learning from the experience of others
• Realization that the addict is not alone and his or her condition is not unique
• Constant reminders of what it used to be like and what it’s like now
• Helping others
• Positive reinforcement
• Sober friends
• Resolving inner conflicts and getting rid of character defects
• A safe trusting place
• Relapse prevention
• Spirituality

How to Find and Join a 12 Step Program for Addiction

There are a number of ways in which addicts can find 12 step meetings after they’ve identified which group is right for their condition

Organization websites

The official website of every recovery program should provide information about nearby meetings. It should be easy for you or a loved one to locate the correct website by simply searching online. Most official websites end with .org, indicating that they are non-profit organizations.

Local websites

In most cases, organization websites will redirect you to the organization’s official local website. 

For example, AA Miami-Dade is a website specific to the Miami area where addicts in recovery can find meetings local to Miami-Dade county. Another great example is AA EU – where alcoholics in recovery can find meetings in the Eurozone.

Online Meetings

As the world progresses into a digital era, so does recovery. The popularity of online meetings accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic. The need to still meet during lockdowns created a new trend for 12-step programs that has remained strong even as the world eases out of the pandemic.

Online meetings are offered at the local level and publicly listed in many of the 12-step program sites.

Online meetings can provide many benefits such as connecting with addicts from all over the world.

12-Meetings in Rehab

12-Step programs have long been a fundamental part of recovery. This has also been recognized and embraced by the private sector.

Any recovery center that does not offer some form of recovery group should raise a red flag to patients.

Veritas Detox understands the value of 12-step programs and provides patients with meetings and guidance.

Veritas checks all the boxes and excels at delivering exceptional detox treatments with 12-step programs. 

Their ultra-well-equipped rehab facility is accredited by JCAHO and employs top-notch licensed professionals. Their in-house gym, yoga classes, and gourmet meals.

Now that you know all there is to know about 12-step programs, it’s time to take action.

Come detox with us. Contact Veritas Detox today for a free consultation.