Drug Addiction

For individuals and families seeking help for drug addiction recovery at Cirque Lodge, the first question they ask is sometimes: "How do I know if my son (daughter, husband, wife, etc.) is addicted to alcohol or drugs and is in need of alcohol or drug rehab treatment? Addiction to alcohol or a specific drug is fairly obvious to spot if one knows what to look for. For immediate substance abuse help call Cirque Lodge now for more information about our drug addiction program .

Definition of Drug Addiction

For a general definition we can say that drug addiction is the compulsive use of certain drugs to the point that the user has lost the ability to cease using the drug and is in need of drug addiction treatment. The relative addiction of each drug is different in terms of its chemical compound and also varies from person to person. For example, a drug such as codeine requires more exposure to form an addiction than does cocaine or heroin. Alcohol is also classified as a drug, and similar to codeine requires more frequent use to become addictive. One person may also be more psychologically or genetically predisposed to addiction than another, and this may not be known until after the person is addicted and in need of a drug rehab program.

Addiction to a drug (including alcohol) usually has two separate components: a psychological and a physical dependency. From a psychological standpoint, an addict uses drugs to kill or mask pain, to feel pleasure, or to relieve stress. From a physical perspective, a drug addict uses to feel "normal" because the body has been so used to the presence of the drug that without it the person will begin to have withdrawal symptoms.

What Causes Addiction to a Drug or Alcohol?

It is generally accepted that drug addiction is biological in nature. Addiction to a drug is believed to be created by a changing of the brain's reward functions. The part of the brain that is affected is responsible for behaviors such as eating, exercise and social interaction. When the drug hits this portion of the brain, known as the mesolimbic dopamine system, excessive levels of dopamine are released causing a general feeling of euphoria, or otherwise called a "high". Over an extended period of time, these short-term "highs" can create long-term effects. As the brain experiences these periods of greater than normal dopamine release, the resultant brain reactions become more severe. Continued use of the drug causes the drug user to use more and more of the drug to have the same level of pleasure, until the use of the drug dominates the normal day-to-day life experiences. Finally, the drug completely takes over the persons rational thought processes, and life cannot continue without the use of the drug. Within a drug addiction recovery program, cognitive and behavioral therepies are used in addressing these changes to the brain's chemical structure.

Different Drugs, Different Reactions

Each drug has a unique effect on the body. Some drugs are classified as depressants. Examples of this drug class include alcohol, benzodiazepines, morphine, and methadone. These work by mimicking endorphins that are produced naturally by the body. This drug class relaxes the body and relieves pain. Another general drug class includes stimulants. Examples of this drug class include amphetamines and methamphetamines ("meth"), cocaine, nicotine and caffeine. At Cirque, we strive to provide the most effective individualized drug addiction treatment program for those in need.

Each drug addict becomes addicted for the aforementioned physical or psychological reasons. When a person seeks drug treatment at the Cirque Lodge Drug Addiction Facility for an addiction of a drug or alcohol, we first assess the person's history of drug abuse, and their physical and psychological condition. Based on the information we obtain, we then develop a specific and individualized treatment program. This private drug addiction treatment meets the needs of the resident and their particular substance abuse issue. We believe that our specialized program of both clinical and experiential treatment provides the best opportunity for the resident to have success in recovery.