Drug Addiction or Alcoholism: Which is easier to recover from?

Drug addiction and alcoholism are both diseases of the brain which create devastation in the lives of the addict and alcoholic. It has often been debated which is harder to beat. One professional at a luxury residential drug rehab facility in Malibu, CA says that drug addiction is easier. This is because alcohol is legal and more prevalent in today’s society. Therefore, it creates more opportunities for relapse. The other side of this debate is that illegal drugs are still present and prescription medication is being prescribed in ever increasing amounts. Plus, the internet has now made the purchase of narcotics easier than ever before.

Drug addiction treatment and relapse prevention is equally available. This we know for sure: the addict or alcoholic always has an excuse when they relapse. They tend to blame other people or situations for the reason behind their behavior. A person recovering from drug addiction or alcoholism should enter a drug and alcohol addiction treatment center and follow a relapse prevention plan. This might include changing their old drinking and drugging buddies for friends in recovery (changing their support system). They need to quit meeting and frequenting places where they drank or used drugs. They must abstain from participating in unhealthy behavior. Since the goals are the same, there is really no difference in the degree of difficulty recovering from drug addiction or alcoholism.