opiate addiction
I think that some of the most difficult addictions to combat are addictions to recreational drugs, since I know that for some of the drugs, given the combination with the "correct" person, only a single time that a person tries a drug can result in a life-time addiction. In addition, a lot of drugs "mess" with a person's body, meaning that addiction is not only making a person suffer psychologically, but also changes the body's metabolism, breaking some of the most basic physiologic functions. As a result, the person is not able to function normally, lead a normal life, be a normal individual, and contribute normally to society. Another awful event that happens to individuals addicted to drugs is the withdrawal symptoms, which are, really, just part of addiction itself. Withdrawal symptoms is what makes the addiction be so addictive, meaning that no matter how hard an individual tries to get rid of the addiction, the symptoms of withdrawal are sometimes worse than the addiction itself. A lot of times, when doctors try to get the individuals off the drug, they just them another one. Like, for example, if health care professionals work with the patient with a goal of stopping the cocaine addiction, they just give the person methadone, witch have less side effects, but is a drug in itself; constant doses of methadone may lead to a methadone addiction itself. Then, meth treatment becomes a burden in itself. It just seems that once the person gets into the recreational drugs, it is a vicious circle from that point on, and it is really truly hard to become addiction-free. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. A lot of drug detox programs are very successful, given the desire of the individual to become fully healthy again and the constant, limitless support of his/her family and/or friends and other significant others. Some opiate rehab that combine several types of treatment and do their best to discover the causes of opiate addiction are sometimes very successful, helping individuals finally regain control of their lives. And, again, I think that in almost all cases, the desire of the individual to be cured has to be there, otherwise there is not a single drug detox program that is able to cure him/her.