An addiction doesn't form spontaneously during the night. Instead, it is the result of a long process of repeated substance abuse that gradually changes the way a person views a drug and the way their body reacts to it. This process is linear and has the same progression for each person, although the duration of each step in that progression can differ greatly depending on the person, the dose, and the type of drug being abused. Because this process follows a pattern, it is possible to divide it into the stages of an addiction, starting with a person's first use and leading to the addiction itself.
While there is some debate about how many stages there are for addiction, seven is one of the most popular numbers to chart the process. Understanding each stage and the behaviors associated with each of them is a valuable way to identify when someone is at risk of suffering from an addiction or has already developed it. As each stage progresses, so do the dangers associated with drug use, as the ability to stop using it becomes much more difficult. If circumstances align and the person continues to take the drug, they may soon find themselves in the second stage of addiction.
In the experimentation stage, the user has stopped testing the drug on their own and is now taking the drug in different contexts to see how it affects their life. In general, at this stage, the drug is related to social actions, such as experiencing pleasure or relaxing after a long day. For teens, it's used to improve the party atmosphere or manage the stress of schoolwork. Adults enter into experimentation mainly for pleasure or to combat stress.
During Stage 2, there is little or no desire to use the drug and the person will continue to make a conscious decision whether to use or not. They can use it impulsively or in a controlled way, and the frequency of both options depends mainly on the nature of the person and the reason they consume it. There is no dependency at this time, and the individual can still easily stop the medication if they so choose. As a person continues to experiment with a substance, its use normalizes and moves from periodic to regular use.
This doesn't mean that they use it every day, but rather that there is some kind of pattern associated with it. The pattern varies by person, but some cases may be that they take it every weekend or during periods of emotional distress such as loneliness, boredom, or stress. At this point, social users can begin taking their chosen medication on their own, in turn eliminating the social element of their decision. Drug use can also become problematic at this time and have a negative impact on the person's life.
For example, the person might start showing up for work hungover or high after a night of drinking alcohol or marijuana. There is still no addiction at this time, but the individual is likely to think about the chosen substance more often and may have begun to develop a mental dependence on it. When this happens, quitting smoking becomes more difficult, but it's still a manageable goal without outside help. With stage 4, the person's regular use has continued to increase and now often has a negative impact on their life.
While a periodic hangover at work or an event is acceptable for Stage 3, in Stage 4, instances like that become a regular occurrence and their effects become apparent. Many drinkers are arrested for driving while intoxicated at this time, and it is likely that all users will see their work or school performance being significantly affected. Frequent use can also lead to financial difficulties where they didn't exist before. The hallmark of entering Stage 5 is that a person's drug use is no longer recreational or medical, but rather because they become dependent on the substance of choice.
This is sometimes seen as a broad stage that includes forming a tolerance and dependence, but by now, the individual should have developed a tolerance by now. As a result, this stage should only be marked by a dependence, which can be physical, psychological, or both. For physical dependence, the individual has abused the chosen drug long enough for their body to adapt to its presence and learn to trust it. If use is stopped abruptly, the body will react by going into retreat.
This is characterized by a negative rebound full of uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous symptoms, which must be handled by medical professionals. In most cases, people choose to continue using it, rather than seeking help, because it's the easiest and quickest way to avoid withdrawal. With some medications, especially prescription medications, the individual can enter this stage through psychological dependence before a physical one is formed. When this happens, the individual believes that they need the medication in order to function as a normal person.
Here, the drug commonly becomes a coping mechanism for difficult times, and then extended to cases where it really shouldn't be needed. For example, a patient taking pain relievers may begin to over-medicate, as they perceive moderate pain as severe pain. In either case, the individual takes the medication because they have come to an understanding that they need it in some way to continue throughout life. Once this mentality takes hold, addiction is almost certain.
Dependence and addiction are words that are sometimes used interchangeably, and although the words are similar and are often connected in drug use, they are different. One of the biggest differences is that when a person develops an addiction, their drug use is no longer a conscious choice. Until that time, it remains at least a shadow of one. People at this stage feel that they can no longer cope with life without having access to their chosen medication and, as a result, lose total control of their choices and actions.
Behavioral changes that began during Stage 4 will grow to extremes, and the user is likely to give up old hobbies and actively avoid friends and family. They may compulsively lie about their drug use when asked and quickly become agitated if their lifestyle is threatened in any way. Users, at this point, may also be so disconnected from their old life that they don't recognize how their behaviors are harmful and the effects it has had on their relationships. Another term for addiction is substance use disorder, which is an accurate description because it is a chronic illness that will present life-long risks.
Even after a person stops using a medication and has undergone treatment, there will always be a danger of relapse. This means that one must commit to a complete lifestyle change, to maintain one's recovery life. The final stage of addiction is the breaking point in a person's life. Once here, the individual's addiction has gone out of control and now represents a serious danger to their well-being.
It is sometimes referred to as the crisis stage, because at this point the addict is at greatest risk of suffering a fatal overdose or other dramatic life event. Of course, while the crisis is the worst case scenario for this stage, there is also a positive alternative that fits here. Whether on their own or as a result of a crisis, many people seek help for the first time in a rehabilitation center to begin treatment. As a result, this stage can mark the end of your addiction, as well as the beginning of a new life without drugs or alcohol, which is full of hope for the future.
Have you been able to identify with any of the seven stages discussed today? If so, it may be time to seek professional help from an addiction treatment center. At Brookdale Addiction Recovery, we can provide you with the individualized care you deserve, through our patient-centered treatment approach. As each patient enters our program, they undergo a thorough evaluation by our medical and clinical team to develop comprehensive treatment plans tailored to their needs. The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines addiction as “a chronic, recurrent brain disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite the harmful consequences.
Addiction includes dependence on alcohol, opioids and nicotine, among many other substances. As addiction takes hold, people exhibit certain behaviors, says National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. As people become regular users, they begin to show a pattern. Sometimes they may consume only on weekends or only at night while spending time with friends, but often these people begin to show signs of addiction as the substance becomes more important in their lives.
Each of these stages will show symptoms of addiction development, but will only be noticed if you are interested in what to look for. The most important symptoms to watch out for include overexperimentation, constant use in daily life, changes in behavior, physical side effects that represent increasing dependence and, of course, an inability of a loved one to stop using. The first time you use it may be the only time you take to become addicted. There can be several ways in which a substance is presented to you.
These forms can be anything from family history of substance abuse, peer pressure and more. People can also start using it to escape their daily lives or to cure physical pain without a doctor. No matter what the reason and how the person becomes addicted to what they are addicted to, there are risk factors. These risk factors can vary from person to person and determine the likelihood that the person will have an addiction.
These factors can include social problems, depression, family problems, abuse, and others. This stage is almost the end. This is when the addict has gone through the cycle of addiction and knows they have a problem. At this point, the person's health, finances, and social life are affected by their addiction.
As “PsychCentral” said in its article, “Symptoms of Substance Use Disorder,” there are 11 symptoms. If a person has at least 2 or more of these symptoms in a 12-month period, they will be diagnosed with a disorder. The five stages of addiction recovery are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance. Read on to learn more about the different stages.
There is a popular misconception that there is a fine line between “casual substance use” and “addiction to alcohol” or drugs. However, the truth is that there are stages of addiction, and progressing through them is the way addiction develops. The good news is that if you can identify that you are in an early stage of substance abuse, you can break the cycle before total addiction occurs. Much of this depends on the person's age and what they are taking.
For example, while drinking alcohol at age 16 has been shown to be dangerous, having a drink or two at a friend's house is a relatively normal experience that, on its own, may not lead to a substance abuse problem. However, a 12-year-old child experimenting with opioids would be at much greater risk of developing drug dependence. Contact our admissions staff at (22) 300-8470 to discuss our treatment programs or reach out online. Understanding the five stages of addiction recovery can be helpful for addicted people and their family members.
Therefore, it is important that you become aware of the different stages of addiction so that you can recognize if a drug or alcohol addiction is developing. There are rehabilitation centers in Louisiana that work with people to help them regain control of their lives, regardless of what stage of addiction they are in. At this stage, the addict becomes very dependent on the substance or activity to which they are addicted. People who are in the first stage of addiction recovery are not yet ready for any addiction treatment program.
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