The first step in treatment is realizing you have a disease.  This is not a personal failing or a choice, but a medical disease.

Get Education.  Understanding the genetic, behavioral and environmental causes and the physiological, and psychological effects of this disease will help you, and your family as you progress through treatment.  What is addiction is a great place to start.

Get help.  There are treatment facilities for the disease.  This can include medical treatments that can help mitigate the effects of withdraw and support you in the early stages of recovery.  Space at treatment facilities can be tight, and costly.  Don’t panic, don’t give up.  There are some that take Medicaid, there are some that offer ‘Scholarships’.  If you can’t get into treatment, get support.  That can help you until you can get treatment.

Get Support. Don’t try to overcome the disease of addiction alone.  There are people who understand the disease, understand the road you have traveled and know the road you must take.  Their love, understanding and support will carry you through recovery, each and every day.  Support can come from hotlines and professionals but the best support is found in groups.  Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Not One More, and SMART Recovery are a few examples.

Recovering from the disease of addiction is difficult, but with knowledge, desire, love and support you can overcome the cravings, the drugs, the disease.