Addictions

Addiction is a Complex Condition

It’s clear that reversing an addiction isn’t as easy as just saying the word. One of the primary difficulties of addiction is the inability to stop a practice or behavior even when there is considerable desire to refrain. This is because addiction can be deep, powerfully affecting brain chemistry, hormones, and even physiological processes. This can profoundly affect thinking patterns, attitudes, body functions, decision making, judgment, memory, and even learning ability- not just when under the influence, but constantly in day-to-day life. When it comes to battling addiction, help is often needed because, as many understand, it can quickly escape an individual’s control.

It is important to understand that addiction is a legitimate medical condition, a disease, that is well-understood and can be effectively treated. No matter how someone falls into addiction, there is always hope, and always a way out.

What are the Warning Signs

One of the keys to battling addiction is acknowledging that there is an addiction. Doubt and denial are natural reactions to difficult situations. If you are concerned about addictive behaviors, whether it be yourself or someone you love, approach the situation with an open mind. Signs of addiction are grouped into four general categories:

Impaired control. When addiction is strong, the ability to resist the substance or behavior is considerably or entirely diminished.
Social problems. Lapses of productivity or a decrease in desire to be social can be a sign of dependence.
Risky use. The use of substances or engagement of harmful behaviors in risky settings can indicate an issue.
Drug effects. Tolerance, meaning the need for more something to achieve baseline satisfaction, and withdrawal point clearly to addiction.

Addiction Can Be Conquered

No matter how deep or painful, addiction can be overcome. As one of Utah’s finest drug rehab centers, we are Christ-centered, knowing that healing and comfort follow diligence and effort. Our approach is effective and our team of dedicated experts is here to help you every step of the way. For more information, contact us today.

Treating Addictions

Addiction is a behavioral disease that is one of the most prominent public health issues that we face, today. Families all over the United States, Utah included, have been torn apart by addiction. This is an epidemic that is growing around the world and has hurt countless people as addiction rates have climbed over the past decade. Millions of people around the world struggle with addiction, and drug overdose deaths have climbed to over 70,000 annually in this decade.

The good news is that we are more aware than ever how destructive addiction can be, and further research has helped us develop more and more ways to help people rid addiction from their lives. Because of this, society has moved away from a moral viewpoint of addiction and has begun to recognize it as the medical dilemma that it is. This opens the door for treatment that is evidence-based and is focused on getting tangible results.

In order to fight addiction, the first key is to understand how addiction works. The first thing to understand is that different types of substance abuse affect people differently. For this reason, the particular substance that a person gets addicted to can influence the direction that their treatment and recovery needs to go to help them recover from this horrific behavioral disease.

Addictions We Treat

At Renaissance Ranch, it is important to us to treat a wide variety of different illicit substances. We recognize that a person who suffers from chronic alcoholism has different medical challenges than an individual who has a physical dependency to heroin.

Take some time to learn about how various substances affect an addict by looking at our growing list of addictive substances and the effects they have on the mind and body…

Alcohol: Alcoholism has been one of the most common forms of addiction throughout history, and today’s day and age is no different, where social drinking is a common occurrence that has the potential to grow into further abuse.Learn More.
Cocaine: While cocaine abuse isn’t as widespread as it once was, cocaine addiction still exists and is one of the most dangerous forms of stimulant abuse that there is. Learn more.
Heroin: One of the most dangerous drugs that a person can take is heroin. The relapse rate for heroin is higher than it is for any other drug. Despite this fact, there is always hope if one puts their best foot forward in recovery. Learn More.
Meth: You can find methamphetamines in a variety of forms, from prescription medication to illicit street drugs. Regardless of its form, both have the potential to be abused. Learn More.
Hallucinogens: There’s a prevailing misconception that hallucinogenic drugs are harmless. While they don’t have the same immediate harmful impact as substances like meth and heroin, hallucinogenic drugs have the potential for chronic addiction with lasting effects. Learn More.
Prescription Drugs: The rise of addiction rates in the United States can largely be attributed to prescription drugs, particularly prescription opioids and painkillers. Not only can these substances be abused, but they can also serve as a gateway to more harmful substances. Learn More.

Addictions on the Rise

In the past two decades, addiction has become number one public health issue in the United States. Addiction rates, across all demographics, have continuously climbed to levels that are dangerous and unsustainable. There are a variety of reasons for this, including the prescription drug issue that has led to an opioid epidemic.

Regardless of the reason, though, it is of the utmost importance to address this issue before it worsens. We are at a boiling point where America can no longer turn away from the challenges that addiction lays at its feet.

Addiction as a Disease

The one good thing that these spiraling addiction rates have done, though, is created a dialogue around addiction and how it works. In the past, addiction was overwhelmingly thought of as a moral issue. This is a backwards way to think about addiction. Instead, addiction is a behavioral mental disease.

For many substances, the effects of substance abuse literally alter the chemistry of our brains to create a dependency. This increased understanding has led to further research into addiction recovery methods, which leads to more advanced and successful treatment.

In order to fight addiction, the first step is acknowledging that addiction is a disease; a behavioral one, but a disease, nonetheless. Research over the past decade continues to confirm this fact. For this reason, it is important to look at addiction as a health issue, but one that can be solved by building a foundation that changes human behavior.

The Addiction Epidemic

Today, addiction is one of the most imminent health crises that needs to be solved in the United States, including Utah. Countless families are torn apart by the spread of addiction, which has been fueled by a rise in opioids that have been prescribed to the public for medical reasons. While these medical reasons are very legitimate, changes to our healthcare system and how we distribute potentially dangerous substances need to be examined.

Spiritual Foundations

Treating addiction isn’t just about treating the body and mind, but it is also about treating the soul. While each substance affects a user differently, there are universal truths about the harm of addiction and how it affects the spiritual health of an individual. Because of this, Renaissance Ranch has built a strong spiritual component into our program. You don’t need to be religious to take part in our rehab, and you don’t have to convert to our LDS faith, but we implore you to recognize the need to take a spiritual journey as part of your longer journey for recovery.

Get Treatment at Utah’s Best Drug Rehab

Don’t wait to get help if you or someone you know struggles with addiction to any of the substances that are listed on this page. At Renaissance Ranch, we take pride in having built one of Utah’s best drug rehab programs. Our staff is caring and experienced in dealing with a wide variety of addictions to different substances.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out for help today by following the link below.