Treatment Works

Thousands of people are getting help to change every day.

People take drugs for different reasons. No one would take drugs if they didn't change feelings. That's the difficulty, because drugs make people feel good, at first.

Drugs have a powerful effect on the mind, and dependent on what kind of drug it is, will often create either strong physical or mental cravings, or both.

Drugs eventually take control and can lead to loss of good mental and physical health and reduce people's ability to control their own lives.

In the end, many people can't cope with relationships, education, jobs or finance, and instead, life revolves around drug use and how to finance drug use.

Treatment works to change that and can be beneficial to the individual, to families, and to the whole of society.

Treatment also works to help those who are at early stages of use, or at risk of becoming dependent on drugs. Why not seek help early on?

Lots of people have tackled their drug problem successfully at different stages of their lives -and some of their stories are told on this website.

When to seek medical advice

Addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder, meaning you tend to fall back into old addictive behaviors, including drug use, even after treatment. The sooner you seek help, the greater your chances for a long-term recovery.

Because denial is nearly always a characteristic of addiction, people who are addicted to or who abuse drugs often won't seek medical treatment on their own. Family members, friends or co-workers may need to persuade someone to undergo screening for drug addiction. Breaking a drug addiction may involve counseling, an outpatient treatment program or residential treatment.

Screening and diagnosis

Diagnosing a drug addiction often starts at the family doctor level, perhaps after one family member has raised concerns about another family member's behavior. Your doctor may ask questions about your frequency of drug use, whether any family member has criticized your drug use or whether you've ever felt you might have a problem.

A definitive diagnosis of drug addiction usually occurs after an evaluation by a psychiatrist, psychologist or a specialized addiction counselor. Blood tests often aren't able to result in a diagnosis of a drug addiction, but these tests can help a doctor detect the presence of a drug when its use has been denied.

Some of the help you can get when you seek treatment:

• a tailored programme to support you to stop using drugs
• someone who understands to talk to
• action plans to improve your life
• complementary therapies such as acupuncture to help withdrawal
• advice on sexual health
• advice which can help reduce risk from HIV and other blood-borne diseases
• skills and techniques to reduce cravings and make lasting changes
• advice and support on housing, education and training.

Treatment can help you to change your life for the better.

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"I have been a drug addict for 14 years and I've always been treated as dirt, the scum of society, worthy of not so much as a glance. But the doctor that I went to see treated me with compassion, a patient with a disease that could be cured. This approach worked. All I needed was a chance to feel human again."

Ali Kadir, Recovering Drug Addict

"Humility....the end of human ability and the begining of divine activity."

Chris Sekar, Substance Abuse Treatment & Prevention Counselor