Traditionally treatment for drug addiction is based mainly on counseling. Recent discoveries though have shown that people suffering from drug addiction usually have chemical imbalances that add to the difficulty of their recovery.

Many times, these imbalances can be corrected by a dietary change, an active and healthy lifestyle, and/or with prescription supplements. Rehab usually breaks treatment into 2 parts.

The first part is focused on the physical dependency. This will usually involve a detox program to help the patient cope with any withdrawal symptoms. Using a drug regularly gets the mind used to having that drug present.

That’s why people build tolerance to morphine, alcohol and nicotine. It also explains why, over time, a user will need more of the substance to get the same effects.

Abruptly stopping use of any drug may cause withdrawal symptoms. Your body can take weeks or even months to get over the withdrawals.

Second, the program will focus on the psychological dependency. The patients will be either encouraged or sometimes even required to stop associating with drug users. They will also be helped to examine habits created by their former addiction and to change or get rid of them.

It is important to understand that the process of drug rehab is an indefinitely lasting one. It may never be fully complete. For legalized drugs such alcohol, complete abstinence is usually encouraged over trying to partake moderately.

Since alcohol and tobacco is so easy to find, using them in any amount can lead to a relapse. Abstinence is controversial but widely considered the best way to correct the addiction.