When a loved one or family member is suffering from an addiction to drugs, it can be hard to understand what they are going through. What is important to understand is that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution to a substance abuse problem. After all, even very closely related drugs can have different effects. Just look at how methadone can be used therapeutically during treatment for heroin abuse, despite the fact that they are both opioids. Then you must also consider the fact that many drugs will be sold with other substances mixed through them, all of which can have their own individual effects. However, the chemical differences between different drugs are only part of the story. All drugs go through processes in the human body that change how they affect the body. At different times, the drug or the withdrawal from that drug will cause different physical and emotional effects. There are also the individual circumstances of the person who is taking the drug to consider. As human beings, we are all individuals. We all have our own physical, emotional and spiritual differences which will all interact with a drug in a unique way. Even social drinkers will notice that the effect of alcohol can be very different depending on their mood when they drink. Similarly, the mood and state of mind of an individual can have a significant impact on how they act when using drugs. Many people find themselves walking on eggshells around a friend or family member who has a substance abuse problem – they are often incredibly unpredictable. Considering these facts, it makes sense that drug treatment requires more than a cookie cutter approach. As every drug is different and every drug user is an individual, how could anything but an individual approach be effective? Photo: The Ranch PA
