Can Addiction Be Cured?

What is Addiction?

As previously mentioned, addiction, or substance use disorder (SUD), is a condition characterized by a person’s inability to control their use of a substance despite the harm it causes. People with addictions are intensely focused on using these substances and tend to prioritize them over all other things in their life. A person with an addiction may neglect their families, friends, and their responsibilities at school or work because they’re so focused on drugs or alcohol. Addiction is a progressive disease that gradually worsens over time. When a person begins to develop a dependence on drugs or alcohol, they may exhibit certain physical and psychological changes.

Some common warning signs of addiction and dependence include:

• Difficulties at school or decline in grades
• A decline in work performance, consistently being late to work, always appearing tired or fatigued, disinterest in work tasks
• Obvious changes in physical appearance, such as wearing inappropriate or dirty clothes or a lack of personal hygiene
• Changes in behavior towards loved ones or friends
• Sudden disinterest in things they once enjoyed
• Isolation from friends and family
• Mood swings
• Spending more money than usual or frequently asking to borrow money
• Issues with finances, like failing to pay bills on time
• Extreme changes in weight
• Bloodshot eyes
• Sallow or poor skin tone
• Always appearing tired and run down
• Defensive when confronted about their drug or alcohol use

If you or someone you know is battling addiction and you don’t know where to turn, Banyan Treatment Centers Stuart can help. Finding a cure for drug addiction or alcoholism is a long-lived dream that many researchers have yet to fulfill. Fortunately, our licensed team of addiction treatment experts provides a safe environment and community of support where people with SUD can recover. Our residential addiction treatment in Stuart is beneficial for people who are struggling with severe addictions and require in-depth assistance in their recovery.

Is There A Cure For Addiction?

No, there is no cure for addiction, but it can be treated. Although many researchers are making efforts to discover how to cure addiction, no answer has been found yet. This is a difficult condition to recover from and the recovery process never ends. People with substance use disorders may struggle with distorted thinking and behaviors, which result from effects in brain function that drugs like heroin, cocaine, and meth can cause. Other changes include intense cravings, changes in personality, abnormal motor movement, and more. Functions like judgment, decision making, memory, learning, and movement can also all be compromised by drug and alcohol abuse. Long-term addiction usually requires comprehensive and professional treatment. Our levels of care at Banyan Detox Stuart are centered on treating addiction as a disease to increase patients’ chances of long-term sobriety.

Addiction is largely misunderstood by the majority of society. Many people don’t understand addiction as a disease and instead believe it’s a choice. This has contributed to the stigma, misconception, and prejudice surrounding substance use disorders. The lack of addiction education has also discouraged many people in need of treatment from asking for help. It’s important to understand that addiction is a progressive disease and not a choice. Its definition is specifically based on a person’s inability to control their use of drugs and alcohol. An addict cannot “snap out” of their addiction. For many, quitting cold turkey is not only nearly impossible, but it’s also dangerous.