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    A Disease Called Addiction
    A Disease Called Addiction
    A Disease Called Addiction
    Ebook159 pages1 hour

    A Disease Called Addiction

    By Monica Fourie

    ()

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    About this ebook

    More people than ever before find themselves addicted to substances, yet are unwilling to seek treatment because of the misery and stigma associated with it.  They feel unsure, scared and overwhelmed because they don't have the knowledge or understanding of what addiction is.

     

    This book is a general introduction to addiction and includes information on how  psychological, biological, physiological and environmental/social factors play a role in addiction.  It covers the stages and symptoms of addiction along with statistics on the use of specific drugs globally and in South-Africa.

     

    It will educate you about the effects and painful cycle of addiction and also introduce you to different treatment options available to break that cycle.  

     

    Throughout the book you will read a story about one woman's struggle with alcohol and prescription drugs to illustrate how substance use can easily become an uncontrollable addiction.

     

    It will give you new insights and knowledge to understand what addiction is and what it is not.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLa Vie Counselling
    Release dateOct 16, 2020
    ISBN9781393143444
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      Book preview

      A Disease Called Addiction - Monica Fourie

      1.png

      A disease called

      ADDICTION

      Understanding addiction

      Monica Fourie

      Copyright© - La Vie Counselling 2020

      A disease called ADDICTION

      Published by La Vie Counselling

      497 Nieuwenhuyzen Street, Elarduspark, 0181

      monica@laviecounselling.co.za

      083 4122 791

      ISBN: 978-1-990954-08-5

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written permission of the copyright owner.

      Cover design by Chantelle Bruyns

      Layout by Boutique Books

      www.laviecounselling.co.za

      Contents

      1 ADDICTION

      1.1 Global statistics on the use of illegal drugs

      1.2 South African statistics on the use of illegal drugs

      2 STAGES OF ADDICTION

      2.1 Stage 1 – Initiation/first use

      2.2 Stage 2 – Experimentation

      2.3Stage 3 – Regular use

      2.4 Stage 4 – Problem/risky use

      2.5 Stage 5 – Dependence

      2.6 Stage 6 – Substance use disorder

      3 SYMPTOMS AND DIAGNOSIS OF ADDICTION

      4 CAUSES OF ADDICTION

      4.1 Psychological factors

      4.2 Physiological factors

      4.3 Environmental/social factors

      5 TYPES OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

      5.1 Alcohol

      5.2 Caffeine

      5.3 Cannabis

      5.4 Hallucinogens

      5.5 Inhalants

      5.6 Opioids

      5.7 Barbiturates, benzodiazepines and hypnotics

      5.8 Stimulants

      5.9 Tobacco

      5.10 Behavioural addiction/Compulsions

      6 LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF ADDICTION

      6.1 Psychological effects

      6.2 Physiological effects

      6.3 Environmental/social effects

      7 THE CYCLE OF ADDICTION AND RECOVERY

      7.1 Characteristics of The Cycle of Addiction

      7.2 Breaking the cycle

      8 TREATMENT OF ADDICTION

      8.1 Detoxification

      8.2 Counselling and behavioural therapies

      8.3 Rehabilitation programs

      8.4 Self-help groups

      8.5 Medications

      8.6 Statistics on addiction recovery

      9 MYTHS ABOUT ADDICTION

      A final note

      10 REFERENCES

      "When I grow up, I want to be an addict,

      I want to be a good one"

      - said no child ever -

      She wakes up and just knows that she has BECOME an addict, the same way she knows that she is good at it. Very good at it.

      Looking around slowly she recognizes the canvasses on her bedroom walls, her room. This is good. This is where she wakes up.

      Lying there her mind is spinning with questions of when exactly she chose to become an addict and how exactly did she decide to be a good one.

      It must just be her mind playing tricks on her now, telling her that she is something she is NOT.

      Surely, a person can’t choose this thing, this state of being.

      Everyone relaxes with a drink or two after work, and a lot of people drive when they have had a couple of drinks too much or forget some things they say when having a drink in their hands.

      A lot of people get loud, talk too much and make fools of themselves now and then, right?

      She is a strong, independent woman in control of her thoughts, feelings and actions.

      Besides, she can drink more than the average/acceptable quota for a day and still feel fine, she can drive home, get into bed, get up the next morning with no hang-over, go to work, spend time with friends and family. Productive and functional, that is what she is.

      She wasn’t an addict and to be specific, she wasn’t addicted to alcohol or prescription drugs.

      The pills are simply a necessity to calm her mind at night, even the box says non-habit forming. It is only there to help her sleep, sure some nights she is ok with one, some nights she needs three…but not every night.

      Yes, she was in control.

      She didn’t, couldn’t have chosen this disease, she would never make a mistake like that.

      No, she didn’t choose it, or did she?

      Still lying in bed she feels anxious, confused and a bit scared, trying to make sense of what the merry-go-round in her mind is trying to show her; trying to put the black puzzle pieces called Last night together in the correct order to form a complete picture.

      Did she dance on the table? Did she walk to her car alone?

      Doesn’t matter she felt wanted and she had fun.

      So why is she feeling so lonely, sad and depressed right now? Useless, empty, numb and dead?

      The drinks, the pills and fun times make her feel better. Nothing wrong with that.

      It also stops people from asking questions about how she is doing because she is always laughing, talking and making jokes. She doesn’t give people a chance to see anything else.

      Yes, she is good at hiding herself and doing what she must, to do it.

      Just protecting herself, that is what she is doing. Nothing wrong with that.

      Her phone rings, it is her friend. Friend is mad, yells at her, calls her names, then puts down the phone.

      What did she do?

      Yes, she has been getting blackouts, in fact she is not sure how she got home, unlocked her door or made it to her bed.

      Think, think, think…..

      Looking at her phone she sees names and numbers dialled she doesn’t recognize now.

      Think, think, think…..

      Sleep now, just sleep….

      No she can’t, it’s a workday. Get up, dress up and show up.

      Go to work, come home after work and go to bed early; have one drink before bed, just to relax. YES.

      Sorted and in control.

      She had a crappy day, a fight with her friend that she still doesn’t understand and she made a mistake at work.

      Need a drink or two.

      Just to relax. Just to hide.

      Hide the emotions, the dreams, the flashbacks of him pushing her down, the feelings of not being good or pretty enough.

      For tonight she is good. She is in control.

      Couple of drinks, couple of pills and then sleep.

      BUT just before falling asleep, she knows that she is lying to herself.

      Yes, she is.

      Just for tonight sleep and forget about everything, just sleep.

      Beautiful sleep, a place of nothingness, a place of safety.

      Tomorrow she will handle everything.

      For days, weeks, months and years she handles everything.

      Then suddenly nothing is being handled, nightmares invade sleep, flashbacks make her feel ill and she doesn’t recognize the woman in the mirror the next day.

      Yes, she is not in control.

      Not at all.

      She hides herself more, people can’t see the real her, the things she is hiding.

      What would they say or think about her when they learn the truth, they couldn’t possibly understand?

      Need a drink and pills, just to sleep.

      Not in control, but still coping. She is ok.

      For days, weeks and months she is coping. She is doing what she must do to feel better and forget.

      Still every night, just before falling asleep she knows that she is lying to herself.

      For days and weeks, she copes, hides the things that are slowly killing her.

      Need more drinks, need more pills, just one extra of each.

      Just to relax and sleep, just to hide.

      Still coping.

      For days she is coping. Until she isn’t coping anymore.

      She stops counting drinks and pills. She needs more to feel nothing and more to feel something.

      It doesn’t matter anymore, nothing

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