CanAm Interventions has 25 years of experience working with addiction interventions, crisis interventions, detox interventions, treatment interventions and family interventions.
CanAm Interventions’ definition and beliefs of addiction is a complex illness that relates to behavioral and attachment issues. Can Am Interventions research and findings over the last 25 years show clearly that persons with obsessive and compulsive behaviors will ignore the negative consequences, despite self-harm to themselves or others.
- The intensity and insanity of addiction involves an uncontrollable craving and the inability to stop using drugs/alcohol or practicing destructive behaviors, once addiction is activated. When the untreated person’s addiction is activated, this triggers the use of a substance or self-harming behavior, such as ingestion of the first drink, first pill, or first substance, even in the face of devastating consequences.
- Untreated persons become another person, checking out emotionally, mentally, physically and their thinking stops in terms of the reality of their life.
- Most people begin experimenting with drugs or alcohol and/or self-harming behaviors for many reasons. Some of these reasons include: trauma in that person’s life, the desire to fit in or be a part-of a peer group, the presence of peer pressure, or curiosity or the need to have fun.
Untreated addiction persons that use self-harming behaviors, alcohol or drugs do not simply walk up to their drug dealer and/or a person selling liquor and say, “Can I be a drug addict or alcoholic or can I harm myself?” An addicted person does not plan to become addicted or plan to lose everything in their lives.
- Some people become addicted from the first time they use drug or take that first drink, and/or act out on self-harming behaviors.
- Untreated addicted people who practice self-harming behaviors (such as disordered eating, gambling addictions, video gaming addictions and other addictions) may not become hooked immediately.
- Other persons, from the beginning of practicing such behaviors show signs of chronic addictive patterns and behaviors immediately, regardless of age, race, identity and/or living environment.
- Another type of addicted person may become chronic over time with a slower process, working their way into addictive or self-harming behaviors such as lying, manipulating, denial of the problem, using negative behaviors to justify, minimize and rationalize their addictions and/or lifestyle.