All people, regardless of whether they are addicts or not, tend to be set off by a variety of triggers. From the irritating sound of fingernails on a chalkboard to the incessant chewing of gum, everyone has their quirks, but the situation takes a much different turn for people who suffer from drug addiction or alcoholism. Imagine, for a moment, how difficult a situation can be when a former alcoholic goes to a party and catches a whiff of a piña colada. On the flipside, maybe a drug addict recalls a time when they shot up heroin after listening to someone striking a match against a matchbox. Let’s take a closer look at what the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) had to say about the impact of cues on addiction recovery.
Too Many Triggers
According to the latest report from NIDA, over 85% of people who suffer from a form of addiction will start reusing these drugs within a single year. Why is this the case? Simply put, medical professionals have explained that addicts going through recovery programs, detox, and therapy are still mentally vulnerable to certain cues associated with their painful experiences. In part, this phenomenon has been tagged the “incubation of craving.”
Discriminative Stimuli
So why do recovering addicts suffer from this experience? Simply put, these men and women are being triggered by discriminative stimuli, signals that indicate whether drugs are available. For example, the presence of drug dealers indicates, in the biological sense, a positive discriminative stimulus, while the lack of drugs would serve as a negative stimulus. In the intramural labs in Baltimore, Maryland, NIDA scientists have determined that descriptive stimuli can determine the incubation and formation of cravings for drugs.
Seeking Treatment for Drug Addiction or Alcoholism
Alcoholism or drug addiction are dangerous sicknesses that should never be taken lightly. All it takes to fall off the wagon and become sick is to take that first sniff, snort, injection, or shot before you are rolling downhill into insanity. Still, you can always push the train back up, but it will be a difficult hike. However, with the right mixture of perseverance and determination, you can easily get back on track and be happy once more.
Are you suffering from a severe case of alcoholism or drug addiction? Do you have a friend or a loved one who is coping with the same illness? In both cases, get in touch us at with Asana Recovery today. Our professional team of counselors and healthcare experts will help you endure the painful process of drug withdrawal and detox and guide you along the rocky road of rehabilitation. Soon enough, you will experience a faster and much more efficient recovery.
If you are seeking more information about our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs or enroll in one of these programs today, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your leisure and your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how you can overcome your mental illness and take an extra step toward becoming a healthier person.
