California Addiction Help

What is Addiction?

Addiction is a disease, not a choice. Humans (and other animals) learn to survive through a reward system. When we do something like exercising or eating, it aids our survival, so our brain’s limbic system rewards us by releasing dopamine, a chemical that makes us feel good.

The reward center in our brain is affected by different substances, and drugs and alcohol release extremely high levels of dopamine, making the user feel high.

The brain’s release of high levels of dopamine impact its reward center, so a user learns that abusing substances will give them a rush. Since the amount of dopamine release is irregular, the brain has a difficult time regaining its natural chemical balance.

When the brain is off balance, a user can experience withdrawal, or a hangover. The addict needs to use drugs or alcohol again to make his brain feel normal, which creates a terrible cycle.

Prolonged substance abuse can cause the brain to stop producing a natural amount of dopamine, creating a physical dependency.

In the disease model of addiction, the brain becomes reorganized. Priorities are switched around, so drugs or alcohol become its top priority. The drug has hijacked the brain, so his ability to control his own behavior is disrupted, despite potentially devastating consequences.

Drugs and alcohol will eventually lose its ability to reward the brain, but the brain will still tell the addict to chase after it. The memories of the highs become more powerful than the drug.

Why seek substance abuse treatment?

Health Reasons - There are a number of health reasons to seek addiction treatment. Substance abuse can:

Weaken the immune system, increasing chances of infections
Cause vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain
Cause birth defects in unborn children
Cause liver damage
Cause brain damage
Cause heart attacks, seizures, and strokes
Result in premature death

Behavioral Issues - Drugs and alcohol can cause behavioral issues such as:

Loss of self-control
Hallucinations
Aggressiveness
Impulsiveness
Paranoia
Impaired judgment

Family And Relationship Troubles - Substance abuse can cause family and relationship issues like :

Pushing people we love away from us
Hurting those we love the most by lying, cheating, stealing, etc.
Isolating and putting up walls to keep people we care about out
Embarrassing ourselves or people we love

Benefits of Seeking Substance Abuse Treatment:

Stop the hurt and pain you feel. Many times our drinking and using cause pain and hurt not only to us, but also to those we love the most. If we take a close look at our using history, we can see that most of the pain goes hand in hand with our using. We can stop this cycle by getting help.
Gain self-respect and self-esteem. Don’t feel worthless or useless. Don’t be unreliable. Gain the trust of others. People will start seeing you change and you will be trusted. This will lead to self-esteem.
Becoming a good parent or family member. Kids get left behind when we are in the midst of our addiction. Parents, brothers, sisters, etc also get left in the dust. We stop caring about them and only focus on ourselves when we use. This causes enormous pain and suffering.
Stop the constant humiliation. When we drink, we act differently than we normally would. We can be obnoxious, inappropriate, or rude. We may drunk dial people, say things we regret, and act like a fool. We cannot predict how we will behave under the influence of drugs or alcohol. We can cry, or laugh uncontrollably, or dance on top of tables, etc. The possibilities for humiliation are endless.
Be respected. It’s a wonderful thing to have people look up to you. When you become a reliable person, people trust you. You live by your word, and gain respect for yourself.

If you are ready to stop the cycle and get addiction help, Pacific Shores Recovery is here for you. We are a certified California substance abuse treatment center with a caring staff. We will welcome you without judgment; our goal is to help you live a new, healthy life.

Please feel free to call our staff today at 949-574-2510 and tour our facilities.