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Understanding Addiction's Many Forms
It's Time To Shift Your Perspective
In the past, we used judgmental and unkind names for those fighting addiction: drunks, junkies, druggies, potheads, and burnouts. These labels are harsh and lack empathy, and they don’t reflect how people with alcohol or substance use disorders see themselves, or who they really are.
Most people struggling with addiction believe things like:
“I’m not one of them. Those names don’t apply to me – only other people.”
“I drink every day, but I’m fine. Just fine.”
“I have the pills under control – two at night after dinner to relax, and that’s it. I promise.”
“I only get drunk on weekends.”
“I just smoke weed to take the edge off.”
“I’m not as bad as that other person.”
If you’ve heard these from a loved one – or said them yourself – it might be time to consider that there’s an alcohol or substance use disorder at play. Getting help now can stop the situation from escalating into a crisis – or worse.
There are as many paths to addiction as there are people addicted. Every case is different, but there are signs and symptoms common to all cases of addiction which, when present, mean it’s time to take action.
Our Interactive Drug Guide is a way for those struggling with addiction, or their loved ones, to learn more about different types of drugs. We have compiled important information on each drug type including:
Education can be a great foundation for change. The more we learn, the more able we are to help ourselves and our loved ones in the most effective way. Visit our comprehensive Drug Categories and Classification Guide to learn more.
It bears repeating: addiction is a chronic, relapsing condition. Other chronic, relapsing diseases include cancer, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, hypertension, arthritis, COPD, multiple sclerosis, and Crohn’s disease – to name just a few.
The days of treating people struggling with an alcohol and/or substance use disorder as if their condition is the result of poor decisions, a character flaw, or a simple lack of willpower are behind us.
We don’t punish, insult, or degrade people with cancer, heart disease, or diabetes. We treat them with the latest medications and evidence-based techniques.
When they make positive progress, we share their joy. When their condition returns, we don’t blame them: we look at their treatment, lifestyle, and any other contributing factors to find out why the condition returned. Then we adjust the treatment, support them to the best of our abilities, and help them find hope for a healthy future.
The same should be true for people working to overcome addiction: we should treat them, support them, work to understand them, and do everything we can to help them.
If one treatment approach is unsuccessful, it doesn’t mean another approach will be too. If you relapse – which is common with a chronic disease – our job is to find out why. Then we do everything we can to help you return to a state of health.
At Pinnacle, our goal is treating the whole person. Your success is our success.
