Addiction to drugs and alcohol can negatively impact every facet of your life, from your physical health to your relationships, your finances, and your job. If you’ve reached a point where you’re ready to break free of addiction, you may not know where to start. Some people swear by quitting cold turkey – Unfortunately, this isn’t good advice and can lead to a host of problems. Read on to find out why it’s better to get help for substance abuse disorders rather than trying to go it alone.
Is Cold Turkey the Best Way to Quit?
People who push the idea of quitting cold turkey operate under the assumption that addiction is a choice. Their thinking seems to be that you decided to start drinking or use drugs, so you can simply stop if you have enough willpower.
What this philosophy is missing is that addiction is a disease that affects the body, mind, and spirit. Long-term substance abuse leads to changes in the way that both the body and brain work. If you simply quit using drugs or drinking without professional assistance, you’re unlikely to be able to maintain long term abstinence. This is why so many people end up in an addiction relapse cycle.
Risks of Quitting Drugs and Alcohol Cold Turkey
There are several potential risks associated with quitting drugs and alcohol cold turkey, including the following:
Withdrawal Symptoms
As previously mentioned, drugs and alcohol change how your body works. To adapt to the effects of intoxicating substances, your brain may begin to make more or less of certain brain chemicals. When you suddenly stop using a substance, your body must then adapt. In the meantime, you can experience withdrawal symptoms. How severe the symptoms are depends on how long you’ve been using a particular substance, what the substance is, how much of it you use, and additional factors, such as your overall health. In some cases, withdrawal symptoms can include seizures, coma, and even death. Even mild symptoms can greatly interfere with your daily life, and you may experience a quick addiction relapse as a result.
High Likelihood of Relapse
Without treatment, quitting alcohol and drugs is much more difficult. Withdrawal symptoms may cause you to quickly resume drinking or using drugs. If you do manage to get past the withdrawal period, triggers in your daily life may cause you to seek drugs or alcohol once again. This is especially true if you don’t make any changes to your lifestyle when quitting cold turkey.
Worsening of Mental Health Symptoms
Many people begin drinking or using drugs as a way to self-medicate due to an underlying mental health condition such as anxiety or depression. Substances don’t address these underlying problems, but they can cover up or lessen symptoms of them.
When quitting cold turkey, you may find that the symptoms you were trying to numb, return with increased severity, and without treatment, you may lack the coping strategies needed to deal with this issue.
The Benefits of Rehab
Seeking inpatient or outpatient treatment at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center rather than trying to quit on your own, offers numerous benefits. Here are some of the biggest reasons why treatment from a substance abuse treatment facility is a better approach:
You’ll Get Help for Withdrawal Symptoms
At a detox center, you can stop drinking or using drugs in a safe environment. Medical professionals will be onsite to monitor your vital signs and can administer treatments to ease withdrawal symptoms.
Through detox, you can get past the physical effects of addiction safely and can then begin to focus on the mental and spiritual aspects of addiction.
You’ll Receive Holistic Care
The best rehabilitation options for substance abuse include a holistic approach to treatment. This allows you to explore the issues that led you to drinking or drug use and to better understand yourself.
Treatment can also involve uncovering mental health conditions and traumas that contribute to your addiction, so you can address them as well.
There Is an Emphasis on Relapse Prevention
Because of the cycle of addiction and relapse, treatment programs include an after-care plan. You’ll learn coping strategies to help you stay sober and identify triggers to which you can reduce your exposure.
You’ll Build a Strong Support System
Addiction treatment providers include medical and mental health professionals, and you’ll have a whole team working collectively to help ensure your success. Even after treatment ends, you can still count on this type of support when needed.
Start Your Sobriety Journey
If you’re ready to break free of addiction, The Dunes East Hampton can help you gain access to substance abuse treatment. Contact us today to learn about treatment options.
Reference:
https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain
