How can you diagnose addiction?

Continued from, “What could be the causes of addiction?”

Many times, to diagnose addiction, the addict will rarely come forward on their own. In most cases, a family member or a close friend will be the one to confront the addict. This is because the addict tends not to see what they do as a problem and almost always believe they can stop whenever they want. Here are some important steps one can take to diagnose addiction and finally treat the addiction.

1. See A Doctor

Once the said addict has been confronted, it is usually best to see a doctor to diagnose addiction as they can check the addicted persons vitals.

The doctor will ask many questions like how often they use a substance, if they feel ill, or if they think their addiction is a problem. This is an important step because if the person suffering addiction has exhausted their body from perhaps a substance, then the doctor/ physician will see to it that the addicted won’t get worse. Blood tests maybe necessary to check if any substance is still in their system.

Most addicts will tend to suffer from kidney failure, liver problems, malnutrition, or dehydration. If the doctor believes that there is a case for addiction, then they will suggest accordingly. Nicotine addiction can usually be diagnosed by a general practicing doctor, but more sever drugs will be diagnosed by a psychiatrist.

2. See a drug and alcohol abuse counselor

Once the addiction has been diagnosed, you will want to see the best drug and alcohol abuse counselor that you can. We suggest that you choose wisely as some drug and alcohol abuse counseling methods are put together as a “one size fits all” approach. This means that this type of addiction treatment will not take your inborn nature, mind, thoughts, beliefs, character, or life experiences into consideration. A more holistic approach that we use would be recommended over any other counseling that you’d find that use some sort of manual or book for you to go along with or free drug classes.

In some cases when the addiction is heavy or for a very long period of time, the addicted may have to see a psychiatrist. This is because an addicts mind or chemical balance may be so altered that quitting a substance cold turkey may be more dangerous. The diagnosis may be to put them on certain prescriptions to wean them off of the substance.

Please click if you would like to know more about Criteria for Substance Abuse for Dependency.

3. Join a group

Finding a drug and alcohol abuse counselor is necessary and some will find the added bonus of sharing and hearing stories very informative. That in itself has some healing benefits as the addicted will see that they truly aren’t alone with their addictions and will feel even feel refreshed after some sessions.

For those suffering from addiction to alcohol (alcoholism), please visit Alcoholics Anonymous to find local chapters near you to attend.

For those suffering from addiction to narcotics, please visit Narcotics Anonymous to find local chapters near you to attend.

For those affected by someone else’s addiction, lease visit Nar-Anon Family Groups to find local chapters near you to attend.

4. Join a Church

Many will scoff at this, but the true issue isn’t a substance problem; that is just the cause of a deep soul problem. An unhealthy soul will effect your mind and show in the body. Find a local church or contact us so we may help direct you.

If you feel like you or someone you know might be suffering from an addiction, contact us now so we can talk about our addiction counseling in Anaheim Hills. Your first visit will be complimentary.

The next section we’ll answer the question, “Addiction treatment”

Similar topics:

What is an addiction? | The fine line between addiction and habit | What are some signs of addiction? | Are there risks to addiction? | What could be the causes of addiction? | Can my addiction be diagnosed? | Criteria for Substance Abuse for Dependency | Can addiction be treated?