Georgia is no stranger to the war on drugs. It is a major crossroads for drugs smuggled in from Texas and the Caribbean. While heroin and cocaine abuse are dropping in Georgia, meth is on the rise. Parents of high school and college age children should educate themselves on the signs and symptoms of meth abuse, because is it rapidly become the party drug of choice for thrill-seeking youngsters. Because meth is so highly addictive it can hook on the first use, help should be sought as early as possible to provide the best chance for full recovery.

Drug laws in Georgia do not mandate treatment for low-level drug offenders, so families must take the lead in seeking help, whether or not their loved one has yet run afoul of the law. Georgia has a wide network of drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, but families should evaluate them carefully to choose the right one for their particular problem. Services vary, and not every treatment center for drugs or alcohol in Georgia may offer a comprehensive program. Cross off your list any that do not take a holistic approach to treatment. This includes detoxification, counseling and behavior modification, and wellness programs to promote a healthy lifestyle.

Many detox centers focus only on the short-term problem of removing drug toxins from the addict’s body and managing the often severe symptoms of withdrawal. They may or may not offer counseling, the second crucial element in recovery. Breaking the physical dependency does not eliminate the addict’s emotional need for the drug. Nor will it address the environmental or psychological factors that drove the addiction to begin with. Until the addict faces up to why he or she chose to lean on drugs or alcohol, there can be no permanent cure.

Likewise, no program is complete without teaching the addict how to break the cycle of self-destructive behavior. Rebuilding self-esteem and reintegrating her into a normal lifestyle with work and family responsibilities is crucial as well. All of these things together may be overwhelming to an addict feeling his way back to “normal.” Choose carefully, therefore, when looking at rehab programs, to make sure you won’t have to start all over again in a few months.

A residential living center or inpatient drug rehabilitation program, in Georgia or possibly somewhere else, may be the best choice to help your addict get clean and stay clean. Temptation abounds for the outpatient, who has to pass the liquor aisle every time he shops for groceries. Stress and distraction from the recovery process can be eliminated within the walls of an alcohol recovery center or rehab facility; in there, the addict can wind down gradually with help from a whole staff of people trained in dealing with addiction. They will not enable his habit or put up with excuses; they are there to heal, to teach, and to help the patient learn to live life without resorting to chemical help.

Georgia drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers are easy to find. Why suffer alone?