How To Help Addicts Stay Clean

Supporting A Loved Ones Addiction Recovery

5 Tips to Stay Sober | Toothbrush Therapy for Addiction Recovery

Theres no one-size-fits-all solution to overcoming an addiction to drugs, and its rarely a process thats quick or straightforward. While you can support your loved one and encourage treatment, you cant force them to change or control their decision-making. Letting your loved one assume responsibility for their behavior and choices is an important step on their road to sobriety.

Adjust your expectations. Everyone is different. Recovery for one person may mean total abstinence from drugs. For another, it could mean cutting back or staying mostly drug-free. Being too rigid in your expectations can lead to disappointment and a sense of failure, even if your loved one finds stability in their life again.

Encourage your loved one to seek help. While some people are able to quit drugs on their own, the more help and support a person has, the better their chances of success. Offer to sit with your loved one while they call a helpline or accompany them to a doctors appointment, counseling session, or peer support group meeting.

Help plan for triggers and cravings. Your loved one will need to find ways to cope with drug cravings and triggers. You can help distract them with other activities or encourage them to learn how to ride out the urge, but ultimately, they have to be responsible for their own sobriety.

Treatment options

What To Expect In The First 30 Days Of Recovery

The most challenging phase of drug addiction recovery is often the first 30 days. Depression is common in the early stages, as the brain tries to heal and regain its equilibrium in the wake of repeated substance misuse. Many people in drug addiction recovery also experience insomnia or sleep disturbances, such as waking up with drug cravings or night sweats, or having vivid nightmares that feel so real that they wake up in a panic. Having a counselor to talk to, and a doctor to prescribe medication for you, if necessary, can be crucial to safely get through this time. Some people stay at an inpatient facility throughout their entire first 30 days of treatment, so that they can get through the most difficult recovery phase with as much support as possible.

Transitioning from inpatient detox or residential treatment to outpatient treatment means having to face your old environment, as well as schedule your own time after being protected and guided within a safe, structured program. People in recovery need to understand that this transition isnt easy, which means they need to prepare for the challenge and not get discouraged.

What If We Are Both Addicts

In some cases, you and your loved one may both struggle with codependency, but also have your own issues with substance use. You may be aware of the need for getting your own treatment for a substance use disorder. There are some couples who go to treatment together, and it is possible to find rehab centers that will admit both of you at the same time to get addiction help.

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How To Help A Child With Drug Addiction

The CapeRecovery Model of Addiction Recovery, Help for Addicts ...

How to help a drug-addicted son or daughter starts with determining whether any mood changes or behavioral changes are a normal part of adolescence or indicative of a substance abuse issue.

According to NIDA , common red flags for adolescent drug abuse include:

Extreme fatigue
Withdrawing socially

You should also look out for changes to your teens social circle, eating habits, and sleeping habits.

If you suspect substance abuse, early intervention is key.

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Always Remember That Recovery Equals Resilience

Your recovery journey will not always be smooth and easy, and setbacks should not be seen as failures. The key is to react well to setbacks, doing your best to overcome and continue growing in your recovery. Persevering in this way requires resiliencethe ability to cope with and recover from challenges, and to change yourself or your circumstances when necessary. Resilience is a skill that can be learned throughout drug addiction recovery, getting sharper each day you abstain from using drugs. During dark times, resilience allows you to stay hopeful, and optimistic about the future, knowing that you have the strength to withstand anything.

For more addiction recovery advice, or for help finding a treatment program, call today!

Odds Of Drug Addicts Staying Clean

Family members of addicts look for reassurances that their loved ones will be able to remain clean once they complete detox and rehab. What are the odds of drug addicts staying clean? Its important to remember, that like any disease, addiction needs ongoing treatment. Group therapy and counseling offer tremendous support to the recovering addict. Many times a dual diagnosis was determined at the time the individual first entered treatment. In this case both the addiction and the emotional issue must be treated as one can feed the other. An extensive eight-year study of 1200 addicts followed their journey in recovery to determine if they were able to maintain their clean life. The following determinations were made:

Approximately one-third of people who are abstinent less than a year will remain abstinent.
Of those who achieve a year of sobriety, less than half will relapse.
Less than fifteen-percent of those remaining clean for five years will relapse.

When individuals check into an addiction treatment center, they do more than get clean. Rehab provides them with the emotional tools and knowledge they need to stay clean.

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What Is Problematic Opioid Use

Problematic substance use happens when someone uses drugs or alcohol in a way that has harmful effects on their health and life.

Problematic opioid use is using opioids that are not prescribed to you or not following the instructions from your doctor and pharmacist. It also includes using illegal opioids.

Help Your Loved One Recover

HOW TO STAY SOBER IN EARLY SOBRIETY | Addiction recovery #Sobriety

Addiction is a terrible condition, and it is especially terrible for the loved ones that live with an addict or alcoholic. Luckily, recovery is possible. Every year, millions of Americans find the help that they need to get started living a better, sober life. You know what its like to live with an active addict, now its time to find out what its like to live with a recovering alcoholic. Contact a treatment provider today to discuss available rehab options.

Jeffrey Juergens earned his Bachelors and Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. Jeffreys desire to help others led him to focus on economic and social development and policy making. After graduation, he decided to pursue his passion of writing and editing. Jeffreys mission is to educate and inform the public on addiction issues and help those in need of treatment find the best option for them.

Clinically Reviewed:

David Hampton

All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.

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Success Rates And Measures In Heroin Treatment

This is because addiction, like any chronic disease, is defined by the potential to relapse to substance abuse rates of addiction relapse are similar to those associated with asthma, hypertension, and diabetes. Because of this, treatment for addiction to heroin should be considered similar to treatment for other chronic illnesses like asthma or diabetes: the condition is something that is treated and managed throughout the individuals life, but it cant be cured.

Wondering What Percentage Of Addicts Stay Clean The Answers May Surprise You

You often hear about people attending alcohol or drug rehab in Florida or other parts of the country repeatedly. It understandably can cause you to wonder what percent of drug addicts stay clean.

Before looking at the statistics, it is essential to know that recovering from alcohol or substance use disorder , often referred to as addiction, typically involves a relapse in the future. Some patients will experience multiple relapses.

Instead of seeing addiction as something that can be solved in one shot at rehab, the National Institute on Drug Abuse shares that AUD and SUD should be treated just like a chronic illness that distresses the entire body.

How To Motivate An Addict To Stay Clean

August 20, 2021Rhonda Kelloway, LCSW, SEP

Guest post by Stephanie Novak, LCSW, CRSS

When you think of an addict, a stereotypical image most likely pops into your head of someone slumped over on the street looking gaunt, dirty, and unwell. Despite that stereotype, addiction does not discriminate. It affects every socioeconomic status, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Social learning has taught us to view a person struggling with a substance use disorder as less than and lacking the willpower and strength to stop. This stigmatizing viewpoint can lead those with addiction problems to continue on this damaging path. So if your family member or friend is affected by addiction, you might be questioning how to motivate an addict to stay clean despite a stigmatizing environment.

Most Common Reasons For Addiction Relapse

Unfortunately relapse rates for individuals who enter recovery from a drug or alcohol addiction are quite high. Studies reflect that about 40-60% of individuals relapse within 30 days of leaving an inpatient drug and alcohol treatment center, and up to 85% relapse within the first year. It is important for individuals who struggle with an alcohol dependence or other substance dependence to acknowledge the high risk for relapse, have an awareness of what their own personal triggers are, and learn to cope with their triggers and emotions in a healthy way. Through an understanding of common risks for addiction relapse, individuals can be better equipped and better able to maintain their recovery. Here are a list of 10 common triggers that contribute to addiction relapse.

1. Withdrawal

2. Mental Health

3. People

4. Places

5. Things

6. Poor Self-Care

7. Relationships and Intimacy

8. Pride and Overconfidence

9. Boredom and Isolation

10. Uncomfortable Emotions

For more information on addiction treatment, therapy and mental health, sober coaching, sober companions, or to inquire about our private concierge therapy services and/or our teletherapy services in New York City please contact our undisclosed therapy office location in the Upper East Side of NYC today at 220-2912.

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Coping With Drug Cravings

Sometimes craving cannot be avoided, and it is necessary to find a way to cope:

Get involved in a distracting activity. Read, see friends, go to a movie, immerse yourself in a hobby, hike, or exercise. Once youre interested in something else, youll find the urges go away.

Talk it through. Talk to friends or family members about craving when it occurs. Talking can be very helpful in pinpointing the source of the craving. Also, talking about craving often helps to discharge and relieve the feeling and will help restore honesty in your relationship. Craving is nothing to feel bad about.

Challenge and change your thoughts. When experiencing a craving, many people have a tendency to remember only the positive effects of the drug and forget the negative consequences. Therefore, you may find it helpful to remind yourself that you really wont feel better if you use and that you stand to lose a lot. Sometimes it is helpful to have these consequences listed on a small card that you keep with you.

The three basic steps of urge surfing:

Notice how youre experience the craving. Sit in a comfortable chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands in a relaxed position. Take a few deep breaths and focus your attention on your body. Notice where in your body you experience the craving or urge and what the sensations feel like. Verbalize what youre experiencing. For example, you could tell yourself: My craving is in my mouth and nose and in my stomach.

Find Support For Yourself

Being in a relationship with a person who has a substance use disorder is often stressful. It’s important that you accept that what you are going through is difficult and seek support. There are many resources that exist for this purpose.

Consider joining a support group, for instance, such as Al-Anon or Nar-Anon. Children and teens can get support from Alateen. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers a variety of resources designed to provide insight and support for families of addicts.

It’s also essential to develop stress management strategies. This is an important step in helping you help your loved one. These strategies will help you cope with the stressors you will likely encounter when helping a friend or family member seek and receive help with an addiction.

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Build A Meaningful Drug

You can support your drug treatment and protect yourself from relapse by having activities and interests that provide meaning to your life. Its important to be involved in things that you enjoy, that make you feel needed, and add meaning to your life. When your life is filled with rewarding activities and a sense of purpose, your addiction will lose its appeal.

Pick up an old hobby or try a new one. Do things that challenge your creativity and spark your imaginationsomething youve always wanted to try. Learn a musical instrument, a foreign language, or try a new sport.

Adopt a pet. Yes, pets are a responsibility, but caring for an animal makes you feel loved and needed. Pets can also get you out of the house for exercise.

Spend time in nature. Take a scenic hike, go fishing or camping, or enjoy regular walks in a park.

Enjoy the arts. Visit a museum, go to a concert or a play, take an art class or write a memoir.

Get involved in your community. Replace your addiction with drug-free groups and activities. Volunteer, become active in your church or faith community, or join a local club or neighborhood group.

Set meaningful goals. Having goals to work toward and something to look forward to can be powerful antidotes to drug addiction. It doesnt matter what the goals are, just that they are important to you.

When A Person Has Never Been To Treatment

Tips to Stay Sober | Addiction Recovery | Relapse Prevention

Even if there have never been any earlier episodes of treatment that failed, an addict may be reluctant to go to rehab. A major reason for this is the harm that drugs do to a persons mind and personality. They rob a person of self-worth, making the individual feel helpless or hopeless.

The guilt over neglect of his responsibilities and the knowledge that he has harmed others are additional burdens. In every case, a lot of money has been spent on drugs that could have been used for education, children, business, or other positive purposes.

A friend or family member trying to get someone to rehab may have to convince the person that the valuable, loving person he once was can come back. The relief he needs lies in an effective rehab program, and the sobriety that he wants in his heart is on the other side of this relief. No matter what any addict says, he does not want to be an addict.

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Unfortunately Not Even The Best Treatment Programs Can Prevent Addicts From Relapsing

Medically, addiction is known to be a chronic, relapsing disease according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse . What this definition means is that relapse has a high expected occurrence rate due to the nature of the disease. So, what percentage of addicts stay clean?

According to a study published in 2000, relapse rates for addiction in the first year after stopping are between 40 and 60 percent similar to other chronic diseases such as asthma, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

If you or a loved one is in need of help with addiction, call today to speak with a treatment specialist.

Getting Help For Addictions

Addiction is a treatable condition. Whatever the addiction, there are lots of ways you can seek help. You could see your GP for advice or contact an organisation that specialises in helping people with addictions.

You can use the following online directories to find addiction treatment services in your area:

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Remember That Addiction Is A Disease

Drugs and alcohol can rewire the brain, disrupting function and leading to dependency. It results in a distorted value system that shifts toward supporting ongoing substance use.

Its natural to get frustrated with your loved one when you see them doing something thats harmful to their health. For your own well-being, you may occasionally need to limit your contact if that person is actively using substances or alcohol.

But be wary of making them feel like an outcast. This can lead to feelings of shame and make them less comfortable reaching out for support. After they enter recovery, when it feels appropriate, you can slowly open up more communication with them. Try to understand how substance misuse became a routine part of their life and ask how you can best support them.