For some people, committing to complete abstinence is not desirable or is too daunting a prospect before beginning treatment. Many people desire only to moderate use and bring it under control. In fact, there is growing support for what is called harm reduction, which values any moves toward reducing the destructive consequences of substance abuse. Researchers Step 1 of AA: Admitting You’re Powerless Over Alcohol find that taking incremental steps to change behavior often motivates people to eventually choose abstinence. Nevertheless, many treatment programs, including Alcoholics Anonymous, require a commitment to complete abstinence as a condition of admission. Recovery from addiction is not only possible, it is the rule, rather than the exception.

• Developing a detailed relapse prevention plan and keeping it in a convenient place for quick access when cravings hit, which helps guard against relapse in the future. A good relapse prevention plan specifies a person’s triggers for drug use, lists several coping skills to deploy, and lists people to call on for immediate support, along with their contact information. The best way to handle a relapse is to take quick action to seek help, whether it’s intensifying support from family, friends, and peers or entering a treatment https://g-markets.net/sober-living/the-best-gifts-for-celebrating-1-year-sobriety/ program. One advantage of mutual support groups is that there is likely someone to call on in such an emergency who has experienced a relapse and knows exactly how to help. In addition, immediately attending or resuming group meetings and discussing the relapse can yield much advice on how to continue recovery without succumbing to the counterproductive feeling of shame or self-pity. Mindfulness training, a common component of cognitive behavioral therapy, can help people ride out their cravings without acting on them.

Hospital Detox

Although quitting entirely is the best path to wellness, reducing or eliminating the most harmful substance use or behavior is a huge improvement and will greatly reduce the harm caused. During these early stages of the process, you might be in denial about the effects of your addiction. As you become more aware of the problems you are facing, you might then struggle with feelings of ambivalence even as you become more aware of your need to overcome your addiction.

• People who plan on going cold turkey at home often do so with the unconscious understanding that they can always back out of their recoveries when things become too hard.
• Your health care providers will then taper you off these medications.
• Usually the first step is to purge your body of drugs and manage withdrawal symptoms.
• But it may be possible to detox in a hospital without going through the ER.
• The important feature is that the interest avert boredom and provide rewards that outweigh the desire to return to substance use.
• It’s important to be involved in things that you enjoy, that make you feel needed, and add meaning to your life.

For example, a person withdrawing from alcohol can experience tremors (involuntary rhythmic shaking), dehydration, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. Follow-up care or continuing care is also recommended, which includes ongoing community- or family-based recovery support systems. Going through detox is a crucial step in recovery, and it’s these first few weeks that are arguably most critical because they are when the risk of relapse is highest. Over 20 million people aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder in 2018.

The first step to overcoming drug abuse and addiction

If you’re someone who engages in substance use and you’re concerned about the direction your engagement has taken, you have options. You can always reach out to a mental health professional, or attend a local or online support group with individuals who are navigating similar thoughts and feelings. Do you need comfort or to cope with something that happened? Often folks turn to substances to mask emotions they may need to cope with holistically. For many, access to substances to manage mental health or pain symptoms may be easier than accessing healthcare services. It may help to get an independent perspective from someone you trust and who knows you well.

A brisk walk around the block can be enough to relieve stress. Yoga and meditation are also excellent ways to bust stress and find balance. Different quick stress relief strategies work better for some people than others. Medications can sometimes be helpful in both the short term and the long term.