How Technology Helps Us Defeat Addiction

Statistics indicate that over 30 million people in the US alone abuse drugs.

The sad news is that drug addiction affects all age groups. Overcoming it is a huge hurdle facing addicts across the world.

The challenge further becomes a huge problem due to the small number of rehabilitation centers within residential areas.

Some addicts are lucky to get professional support to kick their addiction from the centres. Unfortunately, some never receive help. With technological advances, efficient methods of treatment are emerging and more addicts are willing to give rehab a try.

The Connection Between Drug Users And Technology

Research shows that teens abuse drugs more than adults. In fact, 54.1% of drug users in the US are below the age of 18 according to the figures from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The minority also use technology more compared to other age groups. This is the primary reason why technology has been so capable of helping them overcome drug addiction. Statistics indicate that 91% of teenagers use the internet daily while 71% of them are members of numerous social media platforms.

And that is not all! Almost two-thirds of teens own a smartphone and 94% of them use their devices to enter the internet every day. The teens also use laptops and tablets to work some apps or do online activities.

After reviewing the figures, it is evident that the use of technology to fight drug dependence among the youth makes lots of sense. Since a huge fraction of teenagers uses their smartphones to access the internet, there’s an evident link between drug addiction and smartphone usage. The connection is created by peer pressure as well as negative advertising influences.

If you are a parent and you realize that your kids are addicted to their smartphones, you should start looking out for the signs of drug dependence among them as the odds that some of them might be abusers are very high.

Yes, you heard me right!

Technology To Cure Addiction

Since most teens abuse drugs and use technology at the same time, adequate mitigation and prevention strategies can help them recover within a short time. Technology-based interventions for substance use can be used to wage the war against drug use among them. Discussed below are some of the tech-based approaches that are currently in use at treatment centres to cure addicts.

1. Computerized therapies

Computer-assisted therapies are one sure way out of the dark maze of drug obsession. In fact, the treatments have been proven to be extremely powerful when it comes to helping drug addicts drop their habit. Technology is used to track remedies and generate useful information that shows more about the progress of the patient.

Besides, the computerized treatments also include CBT, computer based training, that involves the use of learning modules and games to perform cognitive behavioural therapy as well as other psychotherapies to assist the brain to overcome craving.

2. Online education

If you search the internet, you will come across lots of useful information that can help you to recover from your drug addiction. With increased awareness, drug users can stop abusing drugs since they will be aware of the negative consequences of their actions. Unluckily, the media is not being used efficiently to shield teens from the dangers of drugs. However, it is possible today.

3. Smartphone applications

Various smartphone applications have been developed for recovering from drug addictions. Most drug addicts never receive any aftercare raising their chances of relapsing. Smartphone apps for drug addiction recovery will give you both the emotional and therapeutic support that you need to heal from drug abuse around the clock.

Teens can download the apps in their smartphones and get drug addiction recovery assistance without much struggle. A great example of such applications is The Twelve Steps Companion that is used by alcoholics to recover from alcoholism.

4. Online treatment

Online therapy centres are appearing everywhere like mushrooms after the rains. The centres help addicts who are ashamed of their problem and wish to seek treatment without anyone noticing. With online treatment, they will get assistance from the comfort of their homes. After getting the help they need they get the courage to come out and seek treatment in a separate facility to completely recover.

More Technology In The Future

It’s hard to tell whether the technology will still be widely used to combat drug addiction. However, without any doubt, it will still play a huge role in helping addicts overcome their problem. Physical treatment is critical for drug abusers cannot be overlooked. Detox and analysis are also still necessary to cure addicts.

Conclusion:

Technology will still be used as a stepping stone to help drug users stop abusing drugs and start seeking treatment. With its assistance, addicts can get more exposure online and set their lives on a drug-free path again for a healthier future.