People use drugs for various reasons. Essentially, though, drugs give us a desired effect producing a feeling of euphoria that makes us feel better - at least temporarily. This is where the thought process gets a little skewed. People begin to crave the feeling of euphoria that they get when they use drugs and that's when it becomes a problem. It can be a vicious cycle. You feel you can't live without the feelings that drugs give you and that you just won't be able to cope with life without those drugs. That's what breeds addiction.
Medical research shows two major causes of physical addiction. First, your cells adapt to the drug and, second, your metabolism becomes more efficient. Every time you use a drug, your blood carries it to every cell in your body. Your cells adjust. They grow to expect these doses on schedule. In the long run, however, cell walls break down. At this point, your cells not only lose their ability to keep toxins out but also become unable to retain essential nutrients. Many of them stop functioning altogether or start functioning abnormally. The metabolism system in your body not only helps get vital nutrients to all the cells, but also helps to rid the body of unwanted toxins. The more it "sees" a particular drug, the more efficiently it produces the enzymes that inactivate that drug. That's why tolerance increases, that is, why it takes greater and greater doses of a drug to get the same original effects.
Drug detox is the most important part of becoming free from addiction, and it should be handled with great care. Otherwise, it could be fatal. If you elect to enter a rehab facility, you will have the guidance and help you need to get through the detox procedure. However, if you decide outpatient rehab is more your speed, you must contact a doctor and be under his or her supervision while you are ridding your body of drugs.
It is nearly impossible to effectively journey down the path to recovery without realizing that you deserve to be drug-free. Building your self-esteem requires effort on your part, and, just like during your self-assessment, it also requires personal honesty. Building self esteem helps not only with personal acceptance, but with staying strong during your recovery as well.
Positive affirmations are very important in building your self esteem. They will become your mantra as you work on the parts of you that you want to change. They can also be helpful when you are feeling weak during the recovery process.
A positive affirmation can be anything you want it to be, but it must be positive! Look in the mirror, look into your own eyes, and recite your affirmation over and over again. Change your mindset from not believing what you say to wholeheartedly accepting that it is the truth. Do this several times a day if you have to. Eventually, you'll start believing what you say without having to quiet down those negative thoughts when they creep in.
Brian Walker is a freelance Internet writer. You can find more addiction recovery guide on http://www.recoveryhelper.org.