The key is to set healthy boundaries and prioritize relationships that align with your recovery goals. You can still maintain connections with people who respect your journey, even if they’re not in recovery themselves. Here are the recovery myths I’ve seen most often and why they’re inaccurate. Successful relapse prevention plans involve the avoidance and/or management of risk factors.
Myth 3: You have to hit rock bottom before seeking help
There are plenty of therapies and medicines that exist to help those struggling with addiction, but they aren’t where recovery ends. That’s not to suggest medication doesn’t work as it has an important place in many rehabilitative contexts, particularly to ease withdrawal symptoms and assist in recovery. But success in recovery relies just as much on intervention in a person’s mental health, the development of healthy coping strategies, and a supportive community.
You Can Only Date or Hang Out with Sober People
If you’re interested in receiving support, you can schedule a free 15-min consultation here. I offer one-on-one virtual addiction counselling to clients in the US and Canada. Just thinking about getting help takes strength.Before you go, talk to someone who understands — no judgment, just support. At Cornerstone Healing Center, we know how hard it can be to reach out, but you don’t have to do this alone. It’s about walking alongside someone traversing their recovery path, not pushing them from behind. Because of this, it’s tough to overcome through sheer determination alone.
- By giving voice to honest, research-backed information, we can help more people realize they’re not alone and that it’s okay to ask for help.
- At Gateway Rehab, we provide comprehensive addiction treatment services to help individuals break free from the grips of addiction and achieve long-term recovery.
What is the first step to seeking help for addiction?
Addiction comes with a lot of guilt and embarrassment so many develop behaviors that allow them to effectively hide their addiction, at least for a period of time. High-functioning addicts like this are masters at covering their tracks so that their addiction goes unnoticed. This is especially dangerous because it makes it much more difficult for friends and family to intervene before it is too late. Together, we can break the stigma, take the first step, and start building a brighter future. Relapse does not mean someone has failed or myths about addiction and recovery that recovery is out of reach. Deconstructing these myths is a huge part of encouraging empathy and limiting shame.
Relapse has been unreasonably minimized by people with SUDs, their families, and providers. Indeed, data has shown that ending medication-assisted treatment subjects relapsed patients to overdose rates equivalent to those of patients with SUDs not treated. People actively involved in AA often complain that their friends ask them why they are not cured yet since they go to meetings all the time.
Get addiction treatment now
Many individuals have negative perceptions and misconceptions about addiction and recovery. Societal stigma, media portrayals, and lack of education on the topic often perpetuate these myths. However, it is important to debunk these myths to promote understanding and support https://dev-borluit-construction.pantheonsite.io/rappers-who-quit-weed-2/ for those struggling with addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), between 40% and 60% of people with substance use disorders relapse at some point during their recovery.
Treatment
Recovery takes time, effort, and support, but it’s entirely achievable. For a long time, I let the stigma around addiction and recovery keep me stuck. I was ashamed of my past—multiple DUIs, failed attempts at college, and even being kicked out of the U.S. I thought admitting I needed help would make me look weak or like I had completely failed at life. That fear and shame kept me from reaching out sooner, and it Halfway house cost me time I’ll never get back.
Although those snippets are dated from a stylistic perspective, the PSAs about peer pressure remain relevant today. Adolescents who use social media are at higher risk of being pressured to partake in order to feel like part of the group. For those struggling, knowing that loved ones understand and care can be the first step toward healing. It allows people and their support systems to tweak treatment plans and strategies. In fact, relapse is a common part of the recovery process and often provides helpful insights.
- According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), addiction relapse rates are similar to those of other chronic illnesses like diabetes or hypertension—between 40-60%.
- If you’re interested in receiving support, you can schedule a free 15-min consultation here.
- For example, addiction is more likely to be found in people who used drugs at an early age, suffered from trauma and/or psychiatric illness, and who used drugs of abuse.
- Treatment plans should be as unique as the people they’re designed to help.
- We’re here for you, just as we’re here for those struggling with alcohol or other drugs.
Additionally, alcohol withdrawal can be complicated by delirium tremens (DTs), a life-threatening condition marked by confusion, hallucinations, and seizures. Alcoholics are often dehydrated and have vitamin, nutritional, and electrolyte imbalances. Intense alcohol cravings can lead to leaving a treatment program against advice or early relapse. Medical supervision is often required during alcohol detox to manage the risks. Addiction neuroscience has done a great job of identifying brain systems involved in the processes of addiction, withdrawal, and craving.