Receiving Drug Treatment at ADS
Alcohol and Drug Services (ADS) has been providing alcohol & drug education and treatment services for over 40 years in the Piedmont Triad community. In addition to treatment for addictive disorders, ADS has an extensive Prevention & Early Intervention department which does outreach education in schools, churches, and community organizations of all varieties to help inform the public (and youth in particular) of the risks associated with alcohol and drug use.
It is very common for someone to put off seeking help when facing a substance abuse problem. Often times, alcohol & drug difficulties creep gradually into a person’s life without sudden or dramatic problems immediately surfacing. This slow build makes it easy to ignore early warning signs of a problem or to take them seriously when they do occur. Many individuals have realized that they were in “too deep” and that stopping one’s use of a substance was not necessarily easy.
Sometimes with addiction, it is the physical dependency to a substance that presents the primary obstacle. With physical dependency comes a withdrawal syndrome such as is found when an opioid addicted person suddenly stops using opioids. That person may become physically ill and largely unable to function as the body responds to the absence of the drug. Withdrawal from some substances, like alcohol or xanax, can actually be life threatening causing uncontrolled seizures, risk of stroke through spiking blood pressure, or severe respiratory distress.
The other component of addiction is the severe psychological dependency to a substance which can develop. This revolves around mental preoccupation with a drug and a persistent, overpowering compulsion to find the drug and use it. A person’s psychological dependency can become so strong that they think of using all throughout the day and will obsess on this thought to the point that it interferes with meeting personal responsibilities and important obligations regarding work, family, finances, health & safety.
Addiction is a powerful force. Fortunately, much has been learned about successfully treating addiction through decades of scientific research and the endeavors of many people across many different settings & situations. The bottom line is that addiction is a treatable illness! Since addiction is a primary, progressive, and chronic illness (as defined by the American Medical Association), it typically does not get better on its own. Addiction gets worse without treatment.
ADS strives to help people overcome addiction and to live a full, rewarding life. Sobriety has been embraced and achieved by many of our clients over the last 40+ years. The 12 step community, local churches, and other treatment providers have all made a huge difference in helping people find they way along the path of lasting recovery.
At ADS, we aspire to treat all clients as individuals, to cheer them on, and to provide the critical support needed to help change their lives for the better. We understand that addiction is a complex illness, at times prone to relapse, but that it can be successfully managed – even for a lifetime! Importantly, putting off treatment can have devastating consequences. The progressive nature of addiction typically leads to worse consequences and a deeper hole from which to escape. For this reason, there is no better time than today to seek help. Change is possible. Recovery happens every day … for those who choose it. Don’t be left out.
