Addiction is a powerful disease, but it’s possible to recover, and it starts with understanding how it works. Many people who relapse never fully understood how the disease of addiction affects the mind and body. Without the proper education, people believe they can drink or use drugs casually, but this isn’t the case. This is why when you get the help you need at an addiction treatment center; a major part is addiction education.
Addiction Education and the Brain
Addiction to alcohol and drugs has plagued people for thousands of years since they were crushing grapes to make wine in ancient civilizations. It was almost impossible to get sober and stay sober because people couldn’t understand addiction. Thankfully, we now have decades of research and various studies that show us how addiction affects the brain. In those who have an addiction, the prefrontal cortex of the brain is drastically changed, and it’s responsible for the following:
- Logical decision making
- Impulse control
- Emotional regulation
- Self-awareness
- Attunement
Once you have an addiction education about the brain, you begin to realize how these issues affect your life and substance use. One of the other major responsibilities of the prefrontal cortex is to regulate the flow of dopamine. The prefrontal cortex is like the brake pedal, and the limbic system, which supplies dopamine, is like the gas pedal. For those who have an addiction, there’s an excess flood of dopamine because the “brakes don’t work.”
Addiction Education and Therapy
Unfortunately, all of the addiction education in the world can’t help keep you sober forever, so you need addiction treatment therapy. Understanding the disease of addiction is not enough because you need to learn a new way of living. The goal of addiction counseling is working with licensed professionals and understanding what makes you turn to substances in the first place. This is the beginning of the addiction recovery process so you can learn the proper coping skills to avoid relapse.
Through these type of addiction treatment programs, you’ll be able to understand why therapy is so helpful. You can take your knowledge from addiction education, and the therapeutic methods you go through will make more sense. For example, you’ll begin to see how behavioral therapy helps with the rewiring of the brain. You will also see the benefit of group therapy sessions because it will help you feel more connected to others.
Mental Health and Recovery
It’s important to understand mental illness is a primary cause of addiction, and it can also lead to relapse when untreated. Through the process, you’ll also receive help for any symptoms of anxiety, depression or other disorder you may have. It’s important to understand how mental health affects your recovery and learn ways to deal with that as well. By getting your mental health under control, you’ll have much better chances of staying clean and sober for good.
Zelus Recovery is an addiction treatment program that’s designed to help adolescents and young adults. We offer addiction education as well as a wide range of other programs because we want to see you succeed in your recovery. Our professional, licensed staff dedicates itself to helping young people succeed and live the life that they deserve. We treat people from adolescence up to 25 years of age, so you’ll be surrounded by people you can relate to.
Some of the treatment methods we use here at Zelus include the following:
For addiction education, call Zelus Recovery today at 208.518.0797.
Addiction to alcohol and drugs has plagued people for thousands of years since they were crushing grapes to make wine in ancient civilizations. It was almost impossible to get sober and stay sober because people couldn't understand addiction. Thankfully, we now have decades of research and various studies that show us how addiction affects the brain. In those who have an addiction, the prefrontal cortex of the brain is drastically changed, and it’s responsible for the following:
