Drug addiction is increasingly becoming a major problem in the developed world. Every year, millions of people become hooked on drugs. While some may think that experimenting with drugs or part of the normal development process, millions of people including teens die every year from drug abuse. These are some tips for preventing drug use and drug addiction.
Learn Coping Skills
Life is going to be hard at times. Nothing is ever easy. When a person cannot deal with the normal stressors of life they may turn to drugs.
A person needs to learn some coping skills or relaxation techniques. This will help them deal with the normal stressors of life. Most people turn to drugs because they cannot handle these stressors. Learning functional skills will help a person stay off of drugs.
Avoid Peer Pressure
Young people may be tempted to try drugs because their friends are doing it.
They may also have the image that drug use is cool and that it is a right of passage. A teen should be given the facts about drug use. Not every teen is trying it and it is fine to avoid drugs.
Become Close with Family
Research has shown that people that are close with their family members and they interact with family often will have a support system. They may avoid using drugs because they do not want to let family members down.
Engage in Healthy Habits
People that eat a balanced diet and get into a regular exercise program are less likely to use drugs. They can handle stress and the reduced stress levels will allow a person to be happy and not turn to drugs as an escape.
These are some tips that can be used to help a person especially a young person avoid drug use. These ways in addition to education can help keep a person off of drugs.
Role of counseling
The role of counseling in substance abuse to address the underlying reasons and to prevent them from causing relapse. Although detox helps the addicted person to overcome withdrawal and reduce cravings, it does not address the factors that were the cause behind the substance abuse in the first place.
Addiction counselors give support throughout the treatment process and create an individualized plan for recovery, relapse prevention, and after-care.
Research conducted during the past three decades provided advances in evidence-based behavioral therapy for alcohol and drug addiction. The therapies have proved effective in treating substance use disorders in addition to co-occurring mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Counselors are an important part of addiction therapy and their involvement in the treatment process is an important component of the recovery process.