Beating Addiction On Your Own

Long Term Treatment And Other Options

Inpatient long term treatment is the most effective way for heroin addicts to beat their addiction: 73% of addicts complete treatment and 21% remain sober after five years. It provides the best chance for relapse prevention. A detox program is another option provided that outpatient services are utilized afterwards. Detox programs help the addict get through their initial withdrawal symptoms, but they are not part of the actual recovery from the heroin addiction.

You can beat heroin addiction on your own, but it is extremely difficult. As we said before, getting clean is just the first step. Staying clean is another. Also Heroin makes for a pretty rough detox period. At Amethyst Recovery, you will be in good hands. All you must do is make the decision to beat your heroin addiction.

Does Will Power Work

You may that you are strong enough to beat your heroin addiction. After all, youve got will power, right? If only it were that easy! Recovery is about more than being clean. It is about building value into being clean and appreciating being lucid. Will power is a great thing, but you need more than that. If you think you are stronger than the substance, you might be right. But quitting naturally and solely relying on the power of your will to stay sober might not be the best solution. In fact, you must surrender your will.

Sally Satel is a former staff psychiatrist at the Oasis Clinic in Washington, D.C., where she worked with substance abuse patients. Regarding curing oneself of addiction:

Of course its possible. Most people recover and most people do it on their own. Thats in no way saying that everyone should be expected to quit on their own and in no way denies that quitting is a hard thing to do. This is just an empirical fact. It is even possible that those who quit on their own could have quit earlier if they sought professional help. The implicit message isnt that treatment isnt important for manyin fact it should probably be made more accessible.

Best Way To Stop Addiction

While we would always advocate that professional treatment is the most successful form of overcoming addiction, some people do find recovery through other means.

12 step fellowships such as Alcoholic Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Gamblers Anonymous have proven to be a very effective tool in many individuals recovery toolbox . Others find that a combination of both professional treatment and mutual aid groups work for them. The key element for both pathways of recovery is that the individual is no longer trying to beat addiction on their own.

Local drug and alcohol action teams can also prove to be a valuable source of free professional treatment on the NHS, as can your GP. We would recommend looking at what you have tried so far. For some, usually, those who suffer from physical dependence on drugs or alcohol, a more intensive and comprehensive form of rehabilitation is the only option left.

Recommended Reading: Why Is Heroin So Addictive

Anticipate Changes In Relationships

Your relationships and friendships are likely to change as you overcome your addiction. It may take time to appreciate a new normal. However, it can also take time and effort for trust to be re-established if you have hurt friends or family while you were actively involved in your addiction. Strengthening positive relationships with the supportive people in your life can play an important part in your recovery and continued abstinence.

Which Drugs Are Hardest To Quit

Some substances are notoriously addictive and, some drugs may be harder to quit than others. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that some of the most commonly used addictive substances include marijuana, synthetic marijuana , prescription opioids, prescription stimulants , sedatives, tranquilizers, and hypnotics.6

Overcoming addiction is possible but it often requires a combination of approaches to achieve the best outcome. Treatment may include:10,11

Remember that, if you are suffering from a drug overdose, be sure to call 911 immediately or make your way to the nearest physician.

Read Also: How Long Does It Take To Get Addicted To Weed

Alcohol Addiction Treatment Options

Some people are able to stop drinking on their own or with the help of a 12-step program or other support group . Others need medical supervision in order to withdraw from alcohol safely and comfortably. Which option is best for you depends on how much youve been drinking, how long youve had a problem, the stability of your living situation, and other health issues you may have.

The first step is often to consult your primary care doctor or GP. Your doctor can evaluate your drinking patterns, diagnose any co-occurring disorders, assess your overall health, and offer treatment referrals. They may even be able to prescribe medication to help you quit.

Stay Away From Temptations That Help Feed Your Addiction Or Bad Habits

Staying away from temptations is a lot easier than you think. You contribute to your addiction or bad habits when you put yourself in familiar places where your triggers are present. The world is full of fun activities you dont have to be limited to a bar or a pill to have a good time. If your friends try forcing you to come out and drink or do drugs with them while you are attempting to get sober, then be honest and upfront with them. Good friends will help you achieve your goal, not set you backwards.

How bad do you want to be successful at breaking a bad habit and forming a positive one? Use that strength to remove temptations from your life. Certain people also trigger giving into our habits. Avoiding these people and their influence is the best solution to getting away from any triggers they may cause. Out of sight, out of mind.

Recommended Reading: Motivational Quotes For Overcoming Addiction

Take Our Do I Have A Substance Use Disorder Self

Take our free, 5-minute Do I Have a Substance Misuse Disorder? self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with a substance use disorder . The evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are intended to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of an SUD. The test is free, confidential, and no personal information is needed to receive the result.

Benefits Of Professional Therapy

Despite professional therapy not being the right option for everyone, it helps many people recover and maintain sobriety. Treatment programs that address the whole person and consider not only detoxification and initial recovery, but also long-term abstinence are most successful.

Treatment offers companionship and understanding. People with similar challenges surround the person in treatment and professionals with extensive experience dealing with addiction are also there for support.

Treatment programs also offer an opportunity to communicate about addiction. Many people with addiction problems arent sure how to discuss the thoughts and feelings that play a role in their addiction.

These programs offer opportunities and access to communication skills someone might not learn otherwise.

The treatment approaches listed above also provide insight into a persons addiction. Counseling helps the person explore addiction triggers and prepares him or her to react in healthy ways when an addiction trigger arises.

Finally, treatment creates a system of personal accountability. The person with the addiction is encouraged to take responsibility for his or her choices.

Recovering alone means only being accountable to yourself. For many people, this is not enough and they need additional support.

Read Also: What Is The Recovery Rate For Drug Addicts

The First Step To Overcoming Drug Abuse And Addiction

Developing an addiction to drugs isnt a character flaw or a sign of weakness, and it takes more than willpower to overcome the problem. Abusing illegal or certain prescription drugs can create changes in the brain, causing powerful cravings and a compulsion to use that makes sobriety seem like an impossible goal. But recovery is never out of reach, no matter how hopeless your situation seems or how many times youve tried and failed before. With the right treatment and support, change is always possible.

For many people struggling with addiction, the toughest step toward recovery is the very first one: recognizing that you have a problem and deciding to make a change. Its normal to feel uncertain about whether youre ready to start recovery, or if you have what it takes to quit. If youre addicted to a prescription drug, you may be concerned about how youre going to find an alternate way to treat a medical condition. Its okay to feel torn. Committing to sobriety involves changing many things, including:

• the way you deal with stress
• who you allow in your life
• what you do in your free time
• how you think about yourself
• the prescription and over-the-counter medications you take

Its also normal to feel conflicted about giving up your drug of choice, even when you know its causing problems in your life. Recovery requires time, motivation, and support, but by making a commitment to change, you can overcome your addiction and regain control of your life.

So I Cant Ever Eat Cheese Again

In life in general, its a good idea to stay away from all or nothing thinking. Earlier, I said I love donuts and anything yummy. Once I was able to name the foods that cause me to binge eat, I was able to take back control of my body and my eating habits. I eat donuts now and have even been seen eating ice cream though I do not make a habit out of it AND I definitely do not keep these items in my house. So yes, you can eat cheese again one day once you have met your weight loss goals, if your leave your house to get it, and when you have become aware of your food addiction so as to prevent full-blown relapses.

You May Like: How To Fight Addiction Cravings

You May Like: What Do You Call Someone Addicted To Drugs

Create A List Of Reasons Why You Want To Overcome Your Addiction To Food

You should be able to easily remind yourself why you want to overcome food addiction. If youre in the moment and youre finding that youre triggered to relapse, you can refer to these reasons to help you stay strong and avoid triggers.

While weight loss can be a good reason, there are probably others to include on your list as well. For example, maybe you want to live longer to be with your children.

Put your list of reasons to overcome food addiction in a place where you can easily reference it when needed.

Visit A Support Group

A 2016 study shows that peer-delivered support groups, including 12-step programs, could be helpful when in recovery from addiction.

These groups are designed to help you stay sober through mutual support provided by people who are also in recovery.

Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are two well-known peer-delivered groups for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder.

Though helpful, 12-step programs arent for everyone. If they arent the right fit for you, consider searching for recovery support groups near you.

Also Check: Why Do Addicts Relapse When Things Are Good

Mental Consequences Of Methamphetamine Addiction

Heavy methamphetamine use causes cognitive deficits . While using methamphetamine youll likelyexperience a diminished ability to:

• Learn new skills and information
• Recall information
• Recognize and recall words
• Recognize and recall pictures and images

By about 12 weeks of abstinence you will have recovered mostof your thinking abilities. However, the ability to recognize and recall wordsand images actually gets worse after abstinence and then only graduallyimproves, over a long period of time.2

So heres the situation:

Not an ideal combination for success, unfortunately!

Fortunately, you dont have to re-invent the wheel here.There are effective strategies available to help you overcome your cognitivedeficits and you can learn simple tips and tricks to keep you out of risky situationsand away from negative thinking patterns that increase your odds of relapse.

If youre thinking about trying to quit methamphetamine,you need to realize that:

Ways To Beat A Food Addiction

by guest blogger Pam Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP, best-selling author and expert on health, fitness, and nutrition

Its an all-too-common scenario: You wake up in the morning swearing todays the day when youll eat clean, nourish yourself with a healthy breakfast at home, and pass up the glistening bakery goodies that tempt you every day. You make it to work without incident and then stress hitsany kind of stress, from a new project deadline to a caustic remark from your boss. A little while later, you find yourself with pastries in hand, wolfing down sugary anesthetics and wanting more. When you finally pop out of your food trance, and the reality of what youve done begins to settle in, the ensuing feelings of shame and guilt stoke your stress levels more and youre already plotting your next food fix. You wonder: Why do I keep caving to these cravings?Wheres my discipline and willpower?

This is your brain addicted to food.

Thats right. Addicted. You might tell yourself, Im not addicted to food. I just love a good sweet now and then. Well, Im here to tell you that food addiction is real it affects more people than you know, and manufacturers actually design food products so that they are as addicting as possible. Yes, that perfect combination of salty, sweet, and savory was created to make sure you keep reaching for more. Thats why I wrote The Hunger Fix, because I want to change the game that is rigged against you.

Here are 6 ways to beat food addiction:

Don’t Miss: How To Help Teenager With Drug Addiction

Remove Temptations And Avoid Places That Could Trigger You

If you want to recover from a substance or behavioural addiction, its important that you start by removing temptations from your life. For example, make sure there isnt any alcohol in the house and delete any gaming, gambling or shopping apps that youve become addicted to.

Its also important that you avoid going to places and engaging in activities that you know will trigger you. If you want to stop drinking, then its a good idea to avoid going to places where you can buy and/or consume alcohol.

Start Breaking A Bad Habit And Forming A New One

Shaping our everyday activities and even how we feel about ourselves, habits can either make you or break you. New Years resolutions are similar to trying to break a habit. We have a goal in mind, we prepare tools to help us succeed, and we make an effort to keep up the goal. So why do most New Years resolutions and attempts at breaking a bad habit fail?

Willpower and strength to stay away from temptations decreases. As a result, motivation generally decreases, leaving us caving into our past and forgetting all about our goals.

Dreams of reaching the finish line are also given up so easily. Say you want to start eating healthier. You start to eat fruits and vegetable every day for two days. On the third day, someone brings donuts into the office. Can you have one? You have been doing so good so one donut wont hurt, right? All it takes is being okay with that one donut for you to be okay with ice-cream later on and then pizza for a midnight snack. Considering you are eating vegetables, you are okay with having the donut because you are still eating healthy at other times.

Achieving goals and forming new habits dont work this way.

Caving in is all too easy when you are comfortable where you are. You give up trying to reach a goal because it seems unreachable or you are satisfied with something in-between where you are at the moment and the goal you are trying to reach.

Get Help During COVID-19

You May Like: How To Overcome Food Addiction

You May Like: How Long Does It Take To Become Addicted To Xanax

Drug Withdrawal Can Be Fatal

Sometimes the symptoms that occur because of substance withdrawal are very serious. They can even lead to death. Some of the more serious symptoms that can be experienced include seizures, tremors, convulsions, respiratory failure, strokes and heart attacks. Its also possible for the withdrawal process tobe fatal. Can heroin withdrawal kill you? While many people think heroin would have some of the worst withdrawal symptoms, quitting this substance is not likely to be fatal. Quitting opioids like heroin can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as muscle aches and other pain, cravings, fever, tremors and digestive troubles. Is alcohol withdrawal fatal? It may surprise people to know that even though alcohol is legal and not always seen as a big deal, withdrawal from it can indeed be fatal. Stopping alcohol, especially too suddenly, can lead to serious symptoms that include stroke, seizures and heart attack. Withdrawal from benzodiazepines, a class of prescription medications, can be equally fatal, if not approached while under medical supervision. While withdrawal from other substances can be extremely uncomfortable and at times, debilitating, they dont tend to put recovering addicts at a high risk for death.