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Drug Treatment or Cold Turkey

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When a person with drug addiction decides they may need to slow down or even quit their drug use, they might strongly consider going cold turkey. Just drop it all at once and gut out the symptoms. They don’t need a shrink telling them what to feel or what to do, and they certainly don’t need to share their feelings with bunch of strangers. This might be the mindset of someone who decides to go cold turkey from drugs or alcohol – a lone wolf who’s confident and gutsy. But is this really the best way to handle a tough drug addiction?

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Pros and Cons To Cold Turkey Approach

Let’s go over a few pros to the cold turkey approach. First, the addict may feel a strong sense of control over their situation. They may also feel some pride in believing they are self sufficient enough to manage something so “bad”. Deciding to tough it out may boost their ego. They can demonstrate they are capable of handling it. It could also show that their drug use really wasn’t as bad as everyone has said.

Unfortunately, a lot of the benefit of going cold turkey is on the front end of the process. The idea of it may sound good, but following through the entire withdrawal process without any professional help often ends with relapse or other trouble. Symptoms can be miserable and even somewhat dangerous if a person has other health conditions. Relapse risk is very high simply because the quickest way to end the misery is to use again. And that usually ends the cold turkey process dead in its tracks. Perhaps a good theory, but for the true drug addict or alcoholic, very difficult to carry out in practice with healthy lasting results.

Pros and Cons To Drug Treatment

First, the cons to drug treatment. It will take time and patience to complete a full drug treatment program. This could also mean a halfway house or sober living arrangement for a while until sobriety is better established. This could be tough for a person with a job or a family to look after. However, the alternatives are to either continue with the drug use or go cold turkey. Neither of those prospects will result in good things for a job or a family.

Drug treatment can also cost some money. These days, everyone has to watch their wallet closely. Drug addicts and alcoholics may not want to spend another dime if they are in dire straights with their finances. On the other hand, what would happen if the addiction wore on? Would they eventually lose their job or continue to spend foolishly? Yes, most likely. And thankfully, there are many financial options with insurance, government supported programs, and payment plans. Drug treatment can actually save your finances.

Drug Treatment Or Cold Turkey

So what do you think? Drug treatment or cold turkey? Which approach will truly help you get and stay sober? When you are ready to consider drug treatment, it only takes a phone call to get started.

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