There are a lot of people in the world who are addicted to some type of psychoactive substance. Continued consumption causes the organism to react in the long run, needing ever greater amounts of substance while generating alterations in the biology and behaviour of the subject that can end up having serious effects on his life, or even death.
In many cases people with drug dependence are not aware of the limitations and problems of their addiction, and in others they are not or are not able to combat the need to consume. How to stop drugs? In this article we will try to observe some of the procedures that are carried out in order to cease consumption.
Drug dependence and how to stop drugs
We consider drug dependence or drug addiction to the continued and excessive use of substances with psychoactive effects despite the existence of significant negative consequences and the knowledge that they are suffering from them.
The subject has been acquiring tolerance to the drug, requiring more and more substance for it to have an effect, and the cessation of consumption produces aversive symptoms (derived from the need for it acquired by the body to function normally) that they can lead to continue consuming just to avoid them.
The subject usually has little ability to control consumption, reducing and limiting its performance and participation in different areas of life and devoting much of the time and thought to consume or get that substance. The transtheoretical model of Prochaska and DiClemente applied to the treatment of addiction
When working on the treatment of substance addiction, one of the main and best-known models is the transtheoretical model of Prochaska and Diclemente, which propose the existence of various phases through which a subject pass through the process of ending the process. addiction.
In these phases, the subject would carry out different mental and behavioural processes that would gradually lead him to cease consumption. But we must bear in mind that it is not a linear process, but it is possible that there are several relapses and recoveries until final detoxification is achieved.
1. Precontemplation
The first of the phases contemplated in this model is that of precontemplation: the subject does not see his behaviour as a problem and has no real desire to change, so he will not introduce changes unless they are forced to do so. The subject consumes and feels no concern about it.
2. Contemplation
With the passage of time, the individual appears to be aware that consumption implies a loss of control, discomfort or a vital limitation and begins to consider that he has a problem. This second phase, that of contemplation, is characterized by the birth of the will to do something to end his addiction soon even though they have not yet made any attempt to do so.
3. Preparation for action
The third phase corresponds to the preparation for the action, in which the subject undertakes to change his behaviour throughout the following month, having tried to stop consuming for at least one day. The subject is highly motivated to achieve it.
4. Action
In the action phase the commitment has been carried out in practice, using different techniques to avoid consuming and achieving a certain level of success.
5. Maintenance
Finally, if the withdrawal is prolonged for at least six months, the subject would enter a complete medical maintenance phase. In it the subject focuses not on stopping consumption but on not falling into consumption. It is in this phase that the highest probability of relapse exists. This model also takes into account that relapse can occur in the patient, which would lead him to return to previous phases. It is possible that the fact of relapse implies that feelings of helplessness, decreased self-esteem and surrender to addiction arise.