Conclusion

There are many who suffer from drug abuse-and more counting their family members and friends who have to watch someone they love suffer through the addiction. It's not easy to watch somebody go down hill, especially when you don't know how to help. But what I have learned is that the best thing you can do for someone who has a substance abuse problem is to be supportive whenever they think about getting away from the drugs, and try to remember that the person you used to know is still there-they're just hidden away under all the drugs. Hopefully one day they will wake up and realize that having a drug problem is not the way they would like to live their life. There is one last video I would like to post. It is called "Never Too Late" by Three Days Grace. The reason that I decided to use this video is because of the lyrics and what the singer said about the song. He said that it was about being in a "very dark place, but being able to see a way out". He went on to say at another concert that is like "feeling like you don't belong here, and wanting to give up, but never giving up". Adam Gontier, the singer, was addicted to pain killers for a while, so when I thought of a good video to end the blog on, I almost immediately thought of Three Days Grace because I knew that he had some songs about what he went through. In a sense, I think ex-addicts or even people who are still addicts can relate to this song because they're in a dark place, trying to find their way out.

Rehab Centers

If an addict does decide to enter an in-patient drug rehabilitation center, there are different stages. These stages are:

• A Break from the Situation-you will find yourself in a drug-free environment. By separating yourself from your current lifestyle, you will be able to objectively see how the addiction affected you, your lifestyle, and the people around you
• Detox-the addict will then go through a medically monitored detox (because withdrawals can sometimes be severe)
• Individual and Group Therapy-an important aspect of successful recovery is getting the addict to understand that they are personally responsible and accountable for maintaining sobriety. Here they will learn coping mechanisms and develop new life skills
• Reconciliation with Family and Friends-this is important to ensure that the environment the addict will return to is supportive and not chaotic
• Community Participation-some facilities offer 'outings' in the general community for cultural enrichment or other activities

Here is one example of a person who was able to complete the 12-step program:

Information for rehab facility was found at:  What Happens at Rehab?