What to Do When Addiction Occurs
For The Addict
- Stop taking drugs (including drinking and smoking)
The first step is to get off any kind of drugs to cleanse the brain and body of toxic chemicals, and to break the cycle of intoxication and withdrawal.
In some cases, we may need to do this under a physician's supervision. - Learn about the disease caused by our addiction.
We need to have, for example, information about characteristics and symptoms of drug addiction, kinds of abused drugs as well as the effects and the problems they bring, what to do to successfully avoid repeated drug use, what it takes to fully recover, etc. We are the only ones who have to become experts in the treatment of addiction. Who could possibly benefit more than ourselves?
