The price of addiction is not always addressed by a mere price. While we understand the sources of addiction, it is hard to allow for the costs of it. The problem is that addicted is not caused by mere physical issues but due to psychological problems that need to be overcome in order for the recovery to be successful. That is, part of the solution has to be some sort of therapy in order to get to the root cause. Just like a dandelion, if the cause is dealt with at the roots, then it can always pop back up. At the same time, the person needs to be supported and shown that there is a better way. Without this therapy and support, addiction can always reassert itself, albeit possibly in a different form.
Addiction needs to be seen as a multi-level problem in order to be properly solved. Not only does the person need to be separated from the source of addiction, but the person also needs to put into an area where they feel supported. The root cause of the problem also needs to be looked at and ideally removed. While there are a number of different places set up for this, such as Options Treatment Center in Colorado, as long as these basic conditions are met, then overcoming addiction is possible. While recovery is not always guaranteed, it is nonetheless hopeless without at least some of these basics present.
Addiction can be cured but it will not be easy. While some people are genetically predisposed to addiction, it needs to be approached as a psychological issue more than a disease; that is, with the proper aid and treatment it can be dealt with. The first step is to separate the person from their addiction. Ideally, this involves sending someone to a treatment center as that physically separates someone from their addiction and makes treatment easier. The person is then forced to confront why he needs his addiction without the comfort of it, making treatment that much easier. This also ensures that the patient will learn that he can cope with stress without the addiction as well.
When it comes to helping a relative suffering from addiction it helps to be able to show the relative that they have the needed support to deal with the addiction. This can mean anything from calls, to cards, to even showing up in person. Sometimes this can mean just being tough, but sometimes a person needs to hear the negative; it is nice to accentuate the positive but a person can hear too much of it. Physical contact helps immensely, especially as humans need the occasional physical touch, be it hugging, holding, or just being there. That support can make or break a treatment.
It is also necessary for their to be some form of psychological counseling, too. The best treatment centers offer a range of counseling options, each with their different advantages. One-on-one counseling should be the cornerstone of a good treatment, allowing a person to discuss problems in a private setting. Group counseling is necessary to show a person that they are not the only one going through something; sometimes it can help knowing that others have faced something similar. It can also help to have time away from counseling in order to give the person a chance to think about what is being said; meditation becomes a form of counseling unto itself.
Counseling is also necessary so that the person can learn which addiction risk factors apply to them. By knowing what to look for, a person can better avoid becoming addicted again by seeking out help when too many of those factors present themselves. Thus, when the person feels that they are coming under the sway of an addiction again, they can take steps to eliminate those risk factors until the situation becomes manageable again. Knowledge is power. Knowing you have power can be a good thing when it comes to dealing with addiction.
Ultimately, dealing with an addiction requires knowing that the person suffers from an addiction and then taking steps to deal with it. That initial knowledge leads to greater self-knowledge and then to recovering and dealing with the addiction. This can make a person feel good about themselves on their own.