Accepting help is not sign of weakness.

Some people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs would usually be in denial, thinking that they can stop any time they want to when they want. But in truth, once you are addicted to these substances, you will either need to have a very high degree of discipline (which I doubt since you wouldn't be addicted in the first place) or you need help and support from family and experts to aid you in getting rid of the addiction. I believe the latter would be the answer. Accepting help to be free from addiction is not a sign of weakness. It is simply NOT EASY.

I came across an article on Ezine.com by Matt Brindisi. Here is a list of signs which he outlines in the article to see whether you are able to deal with the addiction by yourself or not.

1. The amount of drugs that you need to get drunk, high or stoned has increased dramatically since you first started using. For example-it used to take only a few drinks to get drunk. Now you're downing entire bottles of hard liquor before feeling even buzzed.

2. You start to have physical withdrawal symptoms when it's been a while since your last "fix". Your hands might shake, you might get cold sweats or heart palpitations, you might feel nauseous, etc.

3. You cannot stop yourself from using after "just a little bit." You might intend to just hang out with friends, but you wake up the next morning not remembering the night before.

4. You find that you don't have time for your other interests because getting wasted is more important and you don't have time to do both.

5. Your level of paranoia has increased to the point where you are sure that each person you pass on the street can tell that you have a drug or alcohol problem and you've become very defensive.

6. You are moving up the chain of drugs. While you might have just needed a couple of beers to get wasted when you first started using, now you need pills or other, harder, substances to have the same effect.

7. You have started to take drugs to cure you from the effect of other drugs. Amphetamines in the morning to cure a hangover from the night before. Valium to calm down from too much speed, etc. You cannot let the drugs leave your system naturally.

8. Your family and friends keep trying to get you into a drug or alcohol rehabilitation treatment program.

I must say, the last point is very obvious isn't it?

Anyhow, I suppose with all the great choices of rehabilitation centers available that provides great environment, comfortable rooms, supportive staff etc, rehabilitation is not something to be so much afraid of. Instead it should be considered as a journey to being born anew.