Quitting An Addictive Behavior
Quitting is a different experience for everyone. Some find the process liberating and empowering, and feel they can achieve anything. Others find it painful, difficult, and frustrating, sometimes needing many failed attempts before achieving their goal. Still others discover new sides to themselves during the quitting process .
There is no “right” way to feel while you are quitting. But if you are feeling depressed or find yourself constantly wanting to return to the addictive behavior, you should seek support and treatment.
Overcoming Addiction: Is It Possible Do You Ever Get Over An Addiction
Its well-known that addiction hijacks the brain. Even though addicts are aware of the negative consequences of continuing to use, they still do it. As the disease progresses, they will start to lie, steal, cheat, and worse anything to get their drug of choice. Eventually, they find themselves alone, with all their relationships in smoldering ruins and nowhere to turn for help. But is there hope when it comes to overcoming addiction? Can you ever get over it? If so, how?
With comprehensive treatment that lasts long enough, it is possible.
About 60% of those with lifetime substance use disorder do achieve a period of sustained abstinence eventually, according to several studies.1
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Why You Should Never Detox From Benzodiazepines At Home
Benzodiazepines very quickly lead to physical dependence that will cause a potentially fatal withdrawal syndrome when you stop taking the drug. Anyone who has been taking benzodiazepines regularlyeven if the drug is taken exactly as directed, through a doctors prescriptionmust slowly and carefully reduce their dosage under medical supervision.
There is no way to predict how severe your withdrawal symptoms will be when it comes to benzodiazepines. Do not attempt to detox at home, and never quit benzos cold turkey, as this could very easily be fatal.
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Empowering You To Break The Cycle Of Addiction
Here at Meta Addiction Treatment, our mission is to empower and equip you to take charge of your recovery. Recovery may take time, but our programs can help you overcome addiction and maintain sobriety. Contact us and let us help you get there. Were ready and willing to help you recover no matter how long it takes.
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The Process Of Getting Treatment
The various treatment programs available mirror the degrees of addiction an individual can have. Try to begin the process of your treatment with realistic expectations. In the life of your addiction, your body chemistry and the wiring in your brain has changed as you have become dependent on the substance. Therefore, the process of getting treatment and reaching long-lasting sobriety may take an extended period of time. The more patient you are with yourself and accepting of the treatment process, the more effective it will be.
There are benefits to each program type, and its important to take each one into consideration.
The Benefits of A 30-Day Program
A 30 day program is a great way to start treatment. You may not know how long youll need to stay in treatment, so this will provide you with insight into whether you should continue into a longer program or not. This program offers you time to get through any physical withdrawal symptoms you may have and will allow you to begin establishing relapse prevention techniques.
Inpatient treatment for two weeks then I did out patient treatment for 30 days coupled with local AA meetings. My advice to anyone who wants to succeed is to take one day at a time. Dont think ahead. Listen. Listen. Listen.
– Jen F., recovering addict
The Benefits of a 60-Day Program
The Benefits of a 90-Day Program
These programs have shown to have the highest success rates of the three.
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What Medications And Devices Help Treat Drug Addiction
Different types of medications may be useful at different stages of treatment to help a patient stop abusing drugs, stay in treatment, and avoid relapse.
- Treating withdrawal. When patients first stop using drugs, they can experience various physical and emotional symptoms, including restlessness or sleeplessness, as well as depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Certain treatment medications and devices reduce these symptoms, which makes it easier to stop the drug use.
- Staying in treatment. Some treatment medications and mobile applications are used to help the brain adapt gradually to the absence of the drug. These treatments act slowly to help prevent drug cravings and have a calming effect on body systems. They can help patients focus on counseling and other psychotherapies related to their drug treatment.
- Preventing relapse. Science has taught us that stress cues linked to the drug use , and contact with drugs are the most common triggers for relapse. Scientists have been developing therapies to interfere with these triggers to help patients stay in recovery.
How Long Does It Take To Quit An Addiction To Alcohol
Breaking an addiction to alcohol requires enduring detoxification and the accompanying withdrawal symptoms that usually begin 8 hours after your last drink, although they may start later.
Common alcohol withdrawal symptoms include:
- Mood swings
- Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite
- Rapid heart rate
- Tremors
These symptoms tend to peak at 24 to 72 hours after your last drink, and although they typically last between five days to two weeks, they continue for weeks in some individuals.
After acute withdrawal passes, many people suffer from protracted/post-acute withdrawal symptoms, otherwise known as PAWS. These emotionally and physically exhausting symptoms usually peak four to eight weeks after your last drink. Symptoms include continued mood swings, anxiety, depression and insomnia. PAWS can also cause a lack of emotion, problems with dizziness, balance and reflexes increased accidents, sexual dysfunction, difficulty coping with stress, memory problems, low energy and slowed metabolism.
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Relapse Prevention And Addiction Treatment
Learning how to prevent relapses is an important part of breaking an addiction. With therapy, you can learn how to avoid potential triggers that could cause you to start using drugs or alcohol in the future.
Relapse prevention is an extremely structured plan of action involving all areas of your life that can help you overcome your desire to relapse. It involves where you will live, work, and socialize. It also involves family members, friends, and letting go of negative people in your life.
If you can implement your plan, you are likely to succeed at breaking your addiction for good. Many times, this means changing many aspects of your lifestyle. Relapse prevention can take a year or more. It can even become an ongoing part of your life, updating your plan as needed.
Spiritual Support In Overcoming Addiction
There is scientifically supported evidence that faith and spirituality are protective factors against relapse.
In a 2008 study, individuals who maintained their recovery had significantly greater levels of faith and spirituality as compared to those who relapsed.12
Another study published in 2015 showed that those who reported that they felt Gods presence on a daily basis and believed in a higher power as a universal spirit also had better outcomes than those who did not.13
Several studies have shown a relationship between having faith or spirituality and sobriety length. Addicts also said that faith was an important component of their recovery efforts and helpful in maintaining changes made during treatment.14
On a general level, higher levels of religiosity and spirituality have been associated with greater physical and mental health, as shown in many studies.15
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Quitting And Handling Withdrawal
What Are The Principles Of Effective Treatment
Research shows that when treating addictions to opioids , medication should be the first line of treatment, usually combined with some form of behavioral therapy or counseling. Medications are also available to help treat addiction to alcohol and nicotine.
Additionally, medications are used to help people detoxify from drugs, although detoxification is not the same as treatment and is not sufficient to help a person recover. Detoxification alone without subsequent treatment generally leads to resumption of drug use.
For people with addictions to drugs like stimulants or cannabis, no medications are currently available to assist in treatment, so treatment consists of behavioral therapies. Treatment should be tailored to address each patient’s drug use patterns and drug-related medical, mental, and social problems.
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What Is The Transtheoretical Model
Prochaska, DiClemente and Norcross created the stages of change or transtheoretical model in 1983 to help people quit smoking. It was then updated in 1992, when it started being used in clinical settings for a variety of behaviors. By studying various mental health and substance use disorder treatment plans, Prochaska, DiClemente and Norcross noted patterns that occur as people progress through a major behavioral shift.
The stages of addiction recovery arent necessarily linear, and people dont stay in them for a set amount of time. Of course, some people sail quickly through the stages, in perfect order. Plus, there are certain principles that counselors and therapists on rehab programs can use to guide clients through the recovery process.
It can also be helpful for the addicted person themselves to gain self-understanding using this model. Insight is a powerful tool for change because it makes it easier to be mindful of decisions youre making in the moment.
Areas Of The Brain Affected By Substance Use
While alcohol and drugs affect the entire brain, some regions are more involved with SUD than others. The National Institute on Drug Abuse explains the effects of drugs on the brain in the article Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction, which focuses on the overstimulation of three key brain areas: the basal ganglia, the extended amygdala, and the pre-frontal cortex.
- The basal ganglia, associated with the brains reward system, recognizes pleasurable activities such as enjoying a good meal or having fun with friends. When overstimulated by drug use, though, it loses sensitivity to natural neurotransmitters, such as dopamine. With continued drug use, drugs become the only stimulus that activates this reward center.
- The extended amygdala is associated with negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, and irritability. These are symptoms a person experiences when a substance leaves the bloodstream. To avoid the negative symptoms of withdrawal, individuals often take more drugs, creating a feedback loop.
- The pre-frontal cortex is the area of the brain that governs decision making, logic, problem-solving, self-control, and impulse control. When this area of the brain is affected by drugs, confusion and poor decisions dominate the cognitive process.
Several drugs, including alcohol, affect the cerebellum. The cerebellum assists with muscle control and coordination, which is why people who have had too many drinks may stumble and weave when they walk.
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Understanding The Length Of Rehab
If youre facing an addiction, seeking treatment can be intimidating. You may be wondering what your friends and family will think, how much it will cost and what the length of rehab will be. There is no single formula for treatment because every form of addiction is unique.
Its important to recognize that how you recover from addiction will be different from anyone elses treatment and recovery.
However, there are several basic treatment options to choose from based on your specific need. The general length of rehab programs are:
- 30-day program
- 90-day program
- Extended programs, such as sober living facilities or halfway houses
When choosing a program, you should focus on what will bring you the highest chance of long-term success. Most addicted individuals need at least three months in treatment to get sober and initiate a plan for continued recovery. Research shows that the best outcomes occur with longer durations of treatment. Lengthier treatment programs can seem intimidating at first, but they may end up bringing you the best results.
How Long Does Detox Take
Many people starting professional addiction treatment will begin the path to recovery with a period of detoxification. Detox is a general term used to describe the bodys process of removing alcohol and other drugs from the system.
When people talk about how long it takes to detox, they are referring to the amount of time it takes for withdrawal symptoms to present themselves and subside. Withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable physical and mental health effects that arise when drugs disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. On average, medical detox treatment tends to last for four days, as this is how long most acute symptoms of withdrawal last.
However, its important to keep in mind that the length of detox can vary depending on the substances used by the individual. For example, the number of days it takes to work through acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms will be different from the days needed to detox from other drugs. With some short-acting drugs, like methamphetamine, detox begins within a few hours after last use and acute withdrawal symptoms resolve in as little as three days. However, it may take ten days to detox from alcohol.
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How To Deal With Pmo Addiction
You should try to understand the problem first: while masturbation is natural and healthy, do you do it too much?
When it becomes unhealthy: If you choose to do it over social plans, you cant stop thinking about it, you seek increasingly graphic or violent pornography, you become frustrated or depressed when you cant do it.
How do you kick the addiction?
Find another outlet for your time and energy.
Write in a journal about your progress.
According to Kate McGonigal, author of Will Power, community is very important. Go public with your willpower challenges, if you believe others are rooting for your success and keeping an eye on your behavior, youll be more motivated to do the right thing.
It could mean a forum like NoFap.
Talk to experts/seek help if a need to masturbate is affecting your relationships.
Ways To Recover From Addiction To An Energy Vampire
If you are addicted to an energy vampire or narcissist, you are likely an empath and are highly capable, hard-working, intelligent, compassionate and able to make everything else in your life work expect your relationships. The good news is, there are steps you can take to get your life and your relationships back on track and extricate the energy vampires in your life for good.
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Coping With Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms can be a difficult aspect of overcoming addiction, both for substance and behavioral addictions. With substance addictions, the physiological aspects of withdrawal can be extremely uncomfortable, feeling like a bad flu, or can even be life-threatening. For this reason, it is a good idea to talk to a doctor about the best way and the best place to quit a substance.
Fortunately, most of the acute symptoms of withdrawal pass within a week or two of quitting. However, some people who quit an addiction find that certain withdrawal symptoms seem to go on and on. This is known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome, and it can go on for weeks, months, or even years in some cases.
The risk of dying from an overdose is extremely high if you have been through withdrawal, as your tolerance of the drug will be much lower than it was before you quit. Make sure you have someone with you if you decide to use again.
In addition, addictions can sometimes mask underlying mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and even psychosis. If you are feeling blue or agitated, or you are concerned that the world or other people seem strange or upsetting since you quit, talk with your doctor. There are effective treatments for these problems that are much more effective than addictive substances and behaviors.
