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.