Overcoming Drug Addiction

DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT, RECOVERY, AND HELP

Admitting that you have a drug problem isn’t easy. It takes courage and strength to face up to addiction. When you’re bogged down in drug abuse and drug addiction, sobriety may seem like an impossible goal. But recovery is not out of reach.

You can choose a better life, however hopeless your current situation seems. Change is possible with the right drug treatment and support. Don’t give up, even if you’ve tried and failed before. There are many different roads to recovery, but almost all involve bumps, pitfalls, and setbacks. Overcoming drug addiction is difficult; you may not be able to do it on your first try. Most people find that it takes multiple attempts to achieve lasting recovery. But by examining the problem and thinking about change, you’re already on your way.

Drug addiction treatment and recovery step 1: Decide to make a change

For many people struggling with addiction, the biggest and toughest step toward recovery is the very first one: deciding to make a change. It’s normal to feel conflicted about giving up your drug of choice, even when you realize it’s causing problems in your life. Change is never easy—and 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

You may wonder if you’re really ready for all that change or if you have what it takes to quit. It’s okay if you’re torn. Recovering from addiction is a long process, one that requires time, commitment, motivation, and support. As you contemplate your situation, the following tips can help you make the decision.

Thinking about change

• Keep track of your drug use, including when and how much you use. This will give you a better sense of the role the addiction is playing in your life.
• List the pros and cons of quitting, as well as the costs and benefits of continuing your drug abuse.
• Consider the things that are important to you, such as your partner, your kids, your career, or your health. How does your drug use affect those things?
• Talk it over with someone you trust. Ask the person how he or she feels about your drug use.
• Ask yourself if there’s anything preventing you from changing? What are some things that could help you make the change?

Preparing for change: 5 key steps to addiction recovery

1. Remind yourself of the reasons you want to change.
2. Think about your past attempts at quitting, if any. What worked? What didn’t?
3. Set specific, measurable goals, such as a quit date or limits on your drug use.
4. Remove reminders of your addiction from your home and workplace.
5. Tell friends and family that you’re quitting and ask for their support.

Drug addiction treatment and recovery step 2: Explore your treatment options

Once you’ve made the decision to challenge your drug addiction, it’s time to explore your treatment choices. As you consider the options, keep the following in mind:

• There’s no magic bullet or single treatment that works for everyone. When considering a program, remember that everyone’s needs are different. Drug addiction treatment should be customized to your unique problems and situation. It’s important that you find a program that feels right.
• Treatment should address more than just your drug abuse. Addiction affects your whole life, including your relationships, career, health, and psychological well-being. Treatment success depends on examining the way drug abuse has impacted you and developing a new way of living.
• Commitment and follow-through are key. Drug addiction treatment is not a quick and easy process. In general, the longer and more intense the drug use, the longer and more intense the treatment you’ll need. But regardless of the treatment program’s length in weeks or months, long-term follow-up care is crucial to recovery.
• There are many places to turn for help. Not everybody requires medically supervised detox or an extended stint in rehab. The level of care you need depends on your age, drug use history, and other medical or psychiatric conditions. In addition to doctors and psychologists, many clergy members, social workers, and counselors offer addiction treatment services.

Finding an addiction treatment program or provider

To find drug addiction treatment programs and addiction specialists in your area:

Substance abuse treatment referrals

Search a directory of alcohol and drug treatment programs across the country, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

• Talk to your doctor.
• Call 1-800-662-HELP to reach a free referral helpline from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
• Contact your health insurance company.
• Find out if your job offers an Employee Assistance Program with addiction counseling.

Click here for a PDF guide to choosing a drug treatment program.

As you seek help for drug addiction, it’s also important to get treatment for any other medical or psychological issues you’re experiencing. Your best chance of recovery is throughintegrated treatment for both the substance abuse problem and the mental health problem. This means getting combined mental health and addiction treatment from the same treatment provider or team.

Drug addiction and mental health

Drug addiction frequently goes hand in hand with other mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, attention deficit disorder, and bipolar disorder. In many cases, the drug use is an attempt to self-medicate. When these problems co-occur, recovery depends on treating them both.

See Substance Abuse and Mental Health: Overcoming Alcohol and Drug Addiction While Coping with Depression or Anxiety

Drug addiction treatment and recovery step 3: Reach out for support

Don’t try to go it alone. Whatever treatment approach you choose, having a solid support system is essential. The more positive influences you have in your life, the better your chances for recovery. Recovering from drug addiction isn’t easy, but with people you can turn to for encouragement, guidance, and a listening ear, it’s a little less tough.

• Lean on close friends and family – Having the support of friends and family members is an invaluable asset in recovery. If you’re reluctant to turn to your loved ones because you’ve let them down before, consider going to couples counseling or family therapy.
• Build a sober social network – If your previous social life revolved around drugs, you may need to make some new connections. It’s important to have sober friends who will support your recovery. Try taking a class, joining a church or a civic group, volunteering, or attending events in your community.
• Consider moving in to a sober living home – Sober living homes provide a safe, supportive place to live while you’re recovering from drug addiction. They are a good option if you don’t have a stable home or a drug-free living environment to go to.
• Make meetings a priority – Join a recovery support group and attend meetings regularly. Spending time with people who understand exactly what you’re going through can be very healing. You can also benefit from the shared experiences of the group members and learn what others have done to stay sober.

Narcotics Anonymous

Narcotics Anonymous, also known as NA, is a 12-step recovery support group. Unlike Alcoholics Anonymous, which is limited to alcohol problems, Narcotics Anonymous is open to substance abuse problems of all kinds. The twelve recovery steps include admitting powerlessness over the addiction and surrendering to a “higher power,” which you can interpret according to your own beliefs. A key part of a 12-step program is choosing a sponsor. A sponsor is a former addict who has time and experience remaining sober and can provide support when you’re dealing with the urge to use.

Drug addiction treatment and recovery step 4: Learn healthy ways to cope with stress

Did you use drugs in the past to numb painful emotions, calm yourself down after an argument, unwind after a bad day, or forget about your problems? After you become sober, the negative feelings that you used to dampen with drugs will resurface. Stress, loneliness, frustration, anger, shame, anxiety, and hopelessness—all can trigger the urge to use. So it’s important to learn healthier, drug-free ways of coping.

You may feel like doing drugs is the only way to handle unpleasant feelings, but it’s not. You can learn to get through difficulties without falling back on your addiction. The key is knowing how to calm yourself down when you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed. When you’re confident in your ability to quickly de-stress, facing strong feelings isn’t as frightening or intimidating.

Managing Strong Emotions: An Exercise

Click on the links below for a step-by-step guide to boosting your emotional awareness and learning to handle intense emotions.

• Learn the exercise
• Watch the video

Strategies for quickly relieving stress:

• Run in place or walk around the block
• Sit outside and savor the warm sun and fresh air
• Wrap yourself in a warm blanket
• Put on some calming music
• Enjoy a beautiful view or landscape
• Breathe in the scent of fresh flowers or herbs

• Soak in a hot bath or shower
• Close your eyes and picture a peaceful place
• Make yourself a steaming cup of tea
• Look at favorite family photos
• Give yourself a neck or shoulder massage
• Light a scented candle

For more tips, see How to Manage Stress: Tips to Quickly Relieve Stress in the Moment.

Drug addiction treatment and recovery step 5: Keep triggers and cravings in check

While getting sober from drugs is an important first step, it’s only the beginning of the recovery process. Once sober, the brain needs time to recover and rebuild connections that have changed while addicted. During this time, drug cravings can be intense. You can support your continued sobriety by making a conscious effort to avoid people, places, and situations that trigger the urge to use:

• Make a break from old drug buddies. Don’t make the mistake of hanging out with old friends who are still doing drugs. Surround yourself with people who support your sobriety, not those who tempt you to slip back into old, destructive habits.
• Avoid bars and clubs, even if you don’t have a problem with alcohol. Drinking lowers inhibitions and impairs judgment, which can easily lead to relapse. Drugs are often readily available and the temptation to use can be overpowering. Also avoid any other environments and situations that you associate with drug use.
• Be up front about your history of drug use when seeking medical treatment. If you need a medical or dental procedure done, be up front about your history and find a provider who will work with you in either prescribing alternatives or the absolute minimum medication necessary. You should never feel shamed or humiliated about previous drug use or denied medication for pain; if that happens, find another provider.
• Use caution with prescription drugs. Stay away from prescription drugs with the potential for abuse or use only when necessary and with extreme caution. Drugs with a high abuse potential include painkillers, sleeping pills, and anti-anxiety medication.

Coping with drug cravings

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

• Get involved in some distracting activity.Reading, a hobby, going to a movie, exercising (jogging, biking) are good examples of distracting activities. Once you get interested in something else, you’ll find the urges go away. Another effective response to craving is eating.
• Talk it through. Talk to friends or family members about craving when it occurs. Talking about cravings and urges 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.
• Urge surf. Many people try to cope with their urges by gritting their teeth and toughing it out. But some are just too strong to ignore. When this happens, it can be useful to stay with the urge until it passes. This technique is called urge surfing. Imagine yourself as a surfer who will ride the wave of your drug craving, staying on top of it until it crests, breaks, and turns into less powerful, foamy surf.
• 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 won’t feel better if you use and that you stand to lose a lot. Sometimes it is helpful to have these benefits and consequences listed on a small card that you keep with you.

Adapted from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Drug addiction treatment and recovery step 6: Build a meaningful drug-free life

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

• Pick up a new hobby. Do things that challenge your creativity and spark your imagination—something you’ve always wanted to try.
• 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.
• 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 look forward to is a powerful antidote to drug addiction. It doesn’t matter what the goals are—whether they involve your career, your personal life, or your health—just that they are important to you.
• Look after your health. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits help you keep your energy levels up and your stress levels down. When you feel good, drugs are much less of a temptation. The more you can do to stay healthy, the easier it will be to stay sober.

Drug addiction treatment and recovery step 7: Don’t let relapse keep you down

Relapse is a common part of the recovery process from drug addiction. While relapse is understandably frustrating and discouraging, it can also be an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and correct your treatment course.

What causes relapse?

Various “triggers” can put people at risk of relapsing into old patterns of substance use. Causes of relapse can differ for each person. Some common ones include:

• negative emotional states (such as anger, sadness, trauma or stress)
• physical discomfort (such as withdrawal symptoms or physical pain)
• positive emotional states (wanting to feel even better)
• testing personal control (“I can have just one drink”)
• strong temptations or urges (cravings to use)
• conflict with others (such as an argument with a spouse or partner)
• social pressures to use (situations where it seems as though everyone else is drinking or using other drugs)
• good times with others (such as having fun with friends or family)

Source: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

The important thing to remember is that relapse doesn’t mean treatment failure. Rather than giving up, get back on the wagon as quickly as you can. Call your sponsor, talk to your therapist, go to a meeting, or schedule an appointment with your doctor. When you’re sober again and out of danger, look at what triggered the relapse, what went wrong, and what you could have done differently. You can choose to get back on the path to recovery and use the experience to strengthen your commitment.

resource: http://helpguide.org