Many individuals that use drugs and alcohol believe that they have to “hit rock bottom” before seeking help for their addiction. They feel that their addiction isn’t bad enough if they are not at the lowest point in their life. However, early intervention is key to finding lasting recovery. In this blog, we will discuss the myth about hitting rock bottom, the signs of addiction, and how getting treatment in the early stages of addiction prevents severe effects.
What Are the Signs of Addiction?
Admitting and accepting you need help for your addiction is often the most difficult stage. This can be particularly difficult for those who are functioning “normally.” You may still be working, have a lovely home, and are surrounded by family and friends, not at “rock bottom.” But you do have an addiction that needs to be treated.
Catching the signs of addiction early on and accepting that these signs are bad enough is the key to finding lasting recovery and preventing that rock bottom moment. Why wait until you’re at your lowest point when you can start to live a healthier and happier life now? We are here to highlight signs of addiction you may be experiencing and to give you the support you need today.
Listed below are some of the early signs of addiction:
- Needing larger amounts of the substance to achieve the same effect.
- Hiding the use of substances from family and friends.
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
- Changes in mood and behavior.
- Struggling to manage responsibilities because of substance use.
- Failed attempts to cease use.
Signs That an Addiction Is Bad Enough
Any combination of these signs is an indicator that addiction is bad enough. If you’re experiencing this, you are suffering from addiction and should get treatment.
Individuals with addiction tend to have an intense focus on a substance which can cause them to sacrifice particular areas of their life to keep using. This can destroy not just their life, but also the friends and family around them. Getting help in the early stages of addiction can be crucial in saving marriages, friendships, and family relationships.
Addiction is a progressive disorder. This means if you think that your addiction isn’t bad enough and the signs are left untreated, the outcomes will only get worse. There is simply not a “bad enough” stage; all signs of addiction are bad enough to go to rehab. If you find yourself asking, “Is my addiction bad enough?”, you may already know the answer to your question.
Those struggling with addiction may use the concept of rock bottom as an excuse to delay treatment. But delaying treatment can only cause more harmful consequences in the long run. Consequences, such as serious life-changing health problems, loss of life, relationship and marriage breakdowns, and debt, are more likely to happen the longer a person goes without treatment.
At Laguna Shores Recovery Center, we focus on providing the right treatment to the individual to prevent these consequences from occurring.
The Belief That Your Addiction Isn’t Bad Enough When, in Reality, You Need Help Now
Things do not have to get worse before they get better. Rock bottom can be motivation to get help, but waiting until you’re at an all-time low is not recommended. The misconception about those with an addiction hitting rock bottom perpetuates the idea that a person’s lowest point is the only driving force behind seeking treatment. However, it’s important to remember that addiction recovery centers are not only designed for those at their lowest point.
If you are experiencing signs of addiction, you deserve treatment to help you live a more fulfilled and aligned life. You weren’t born to live under the spell of this disorder. Know that a life of freedom, joy, and peace awaits you. At Laguna Shores Recovery Center, it is possible.
Addiction Isn’t Bad Enough: The Power of Early Intervention in Addiction
According to SAMHSA’s 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, out of the nearly 41 million people over the age of 12 that needed help for a substance use disorder, only 1.4% received treatment. This may be because not all individuals with addiction feel their addiction is bad enough to receive treatment, they don’t know where to receive treatment, or they are struggling to admit they have an addiction due to society’s stigma around addiction.
The goal of early intervention in addiction is to help you before your substance abuse gets worse. It can also shorten the process it takes to recover before you become more dependent on substances and can’t control your use. Early intervention in addiction can improve your health and ability to function more healthily. It can also prevent you from abusing other substances.
These findings show the importance of early intervention. By identifying people who are misusing substances, health providers can intervene and give them the support they need before it becomes a bigger health problem. It can also be much more difficult to treat.
The belief that addiction isn’t bad enough is not accurate. The earlier you can move through the difficult stage of accepting help and receiving the right treatment, the greater your chance of achieving a balanced, healthy life. At Laguna Shores Recovery Center, we specialize in early intervention to help clients find healing and overcome the idea that they don’t deserve treatment when they aren’t at their lowest point.
You may be subscribing to the myth that you have to “hit rock bottom” to go to rehab for your addiction. However, the key to lasting recovery is early intervention. If you or a loved one are displaying signs of alcohol or substance use, you deserve to get help to support you on your healing journey. Laguna Shores in Orange County offers support for those in the early stages of addiction. We offer modern and effective treatment to help you achieve a life of freedom. Our Orange County Rehab program helps people struggling with alcoholism and substance use disorder (SUD). The inpatient rehab program provides our patients with the opportunity to overcome their addiction. To learn more, call (866) 774-1532.
