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Recovering from Addiction to Prescription Medications

I never thought of myself as an addict, but I did end up addicted to anti-anxiety medication after developing Generalized Anxiety Disorder. At some point, the medicine stopped being a way to deal with the nervousness and panic attacks, and became something my body craved. I knew that I needed help fast. Fortunately, a local drug rehab program includes support for people like me. They helped me wean off the medication, use methods like massage therapy to help my nerves heal, and even provided ongoing counseling for our family. I don't know how I would have made it without their help. If you suspect that your medication has crossed the line from being helpful to hurtful, take heart. Let me tell you about my journey out of addiction and back to wholeness.

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Recovering from Addiction to Prescription Medications

3 Benefits Of 12-Step Recovery Programs

by Valerie Stevens

Seeking help from a treatment facility for a drug addiction is one of the best decisions you can make in life. Getting clean and sober may not be easy, but it will offer a life of freedom and hope for the future. If you decide to do this, you may end up at a center that uses a 12-step program to help addicts with their problems. 12-step programs are used because they are very effective for many people, and here are some of the benefits they offer.

They teach the principles you need for success

One key principle of a 12-step program is that it teaches you that you are responsible for your future. These programs help you realize that breaking the addiction is entirely up to you and your decisions. This does not mean that you have to do it alone though. Through the help of a treatment facility, you will learn the principles you need to stay clean and sober. It will be up to you, though, if you choose to follow these and put them into practice in your life.

You are encouraged to seek help from a "higher power"

Most of these programs encourage the addicts to look to a higher power as a source of help. While they do not necessarily specify who the higher power is, they encourage this because it can be helpful to many people. According to studies, believing in a religion, or higher power of some kind, actually helps people feel happier and more content in life. In addition, most people turn towards a higher power in times of need, simply because it seems natural for many people.

You may find success as you complete the steps

They call these 12-step programs because they have 12 steps, and a lot of people feel motivation and encouragement while going through these programs each time they complete a step. If you are the type of person that finds motivation from crossing things off your to-do list, this might be a huge benefit for you. After completing step one, you can cross it off your list and move on to the next step. As you do this, you will have people around you helping you achieve these goals.

While there are treatment facilities that offer 12-step recovery programs, there are also some that offer different types of approaches. If you would like to learn more, contact a facility that provides help for chemical dependencies.

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