Ending the Cycle: How to Break Addiction

Getting sober is a difficult task, but there are ways to make the job easier.

Why is Quitting So Hard?

Many people do not understand why others become addicted to drugs. They may assume that people with alcohol or drug issues simply lack morals or willpower. However, anyone who has had a substance use disorder, or knows someone who has the disorder, knows how hard it is to break addiction. Drugs change the brain in ways that make quitting hard, even for those who want to.¹

On top of the fact that breaking any behavior is difficult, quitting addiction comes with its unique hurdle—withdrawal, in the form of unpleasant, and sometimes life-threatening, physical and psychological symptoms.

Physical Withdrawal Symptoms

Physical withdrawal symptoms from drug and alcohol addiction can include:

Fatigue
Nausea
Headaches
Muscle pain
Shakiness
Vomiting
Sweating

Psychological Symptoms

The psychological symptoms of drug and alcohol withdrawal often look like:

Irritability
Depression
Anxiety
Mood swings
Restlessness
Sleeping difficulties

More severe cases of withdrawal can result in hallucinations, seizures, and delirium. The type of drug, the dosage, and the duration that one has taken the drug can all contribute to the severity of withdrawal.² Many physical symptoms resolve in a few days to a few weeks, but psychological symptoms can linger for months after quitting an addiction.

Steps to Break Addiction

Admit the Problem

The first step one must take to stop addiction is to admit there is a problem. Many people with substance use disorders use denial as a coping strategy and cannot or will not admit they have an actual issue. Research shows that there are specific steps people must be willing to take to break addiction most effectively, and admitting the issue is the first barrier to break.

Prepare for Change

Once you can admit that you have an issue with substances and want to stop an addiction, you must prepare for change. This step means changing one’s environment in a way that will promote sobriety. The change may look like ending friendships with others who have substance use disorders and avoiding friends and family who use substances around you.

It can also be helpful to rid your home of any alcohol, bottle openers, wine glasses—anything that reminds you of alcohol if you are dealing with alcohol addiction. The same goes for drug addiction; any drug paraphernalia should be thrown out to lessen the urge to use. At this point in the journey to sobriety, it is also important to mentally prepare for the life changes that will ensue once you stop addiction.³

Take Accountability

Accountability is the next step to break addiction. Taking personal responsibility for your drug abuse or alcohol abuse can be difficult but empowering. Instead of blaming substance abuse on outside factors, admitting that drug use is ultimately your choice can help you stay empowered, and ideally encourage you to avoid the substance in the future. Taking accountability can also illuminate why you used drugs in the first place; targeting that root issue can aid you to quit the addiction.

Seeking Professional Help

Seeking professional help is another step to take to stop addiction. Treatment can come in the form of inpatient and outpatient treatment, counseling and therapy, and other medical interventions. Treatment often lasts a lifetime, and every treatment plan is different depending on the person.

Work Towards Self-Love

Lastly, investing in yourself, and learning self-love, is an invaluable tool to aid in quitting addiction.

Treatment to Quit Addiction

There are many different forms of addiction treatment. The tools commonly used to break addiction include:

Therapy, which can help the patient identify root causes behind drug abuse and help break addiction
Medication, which can treat underlying causes of addiction like depression and anxiety; it can also aid in detox
Support groups, which provide a sense of solidarity for the person with substance use disorder, and potentially introduce them to new sober friends to replace those they lost after quitting addiction

Sometimes people on their journey to break addiction must go through detoxification or detox, which is a step-in treatment that involves a methodical, medically supervised removal of the substance from the body, lessening withdrawal reactions.⁴ For people addicted to multiple substances, detox is often a necessary step towards quitting an addiction.

Positive Psychology to Break Addiction

Sometimes, the hardest part of recovery is discovering new habits to fill the time you used to spend using substances. There are positive habits to look into when trying to stop addiction, including:

Meditation: Meditating promotes a sense of calm and wellbeing, and according to one study, meditation practices can be an effective therapy for relapse prevention in alcohol dependence.⁵
Building connections: Creating a strong support system for yourself and building healthy connections with others can create a sense of fulfillment in your life, effectively aiding you to quit addiction.
Gratitude exercises: Practicing gratitude, by journaling or meditating, can promote wellbeing and appreciation for yourself, your loved ones, and your new way of life.
Engaging activities: Sometimes distraction is the best way to cope with difficult feelings. Engaging in fun activities that get you into a flow state can be a great antidote to negative feelings sometimes associated with addiction recovery.

The Importance of a Relapse Prevention Plan

A Journal of American Medical Association study shows that relapse rates for substance use disorders are 40% to 60%.⁶ As such, it is essential to create a relapse prevention plan. A relapse prevention plan works by establishing the triggers that lead to substance use, and how to avoid them. It is also a good resource to have when you feel cravings for substances. A relapse prevention plan can look something like this:⁷

Know the Signs of Relapse

You know yourself better than anyone else, and sometimes people struggling with substance abuse disorder can feel a relapse coming on weeks, or even months in advance. Maybe a death in the family will send your emotions into a place that primes you for a relapse; maybe going to a party where there will be alcohol, you will be more prone to relapse. Get to know your emotions and moods to know when relapse is most likely for you—you can prevent it more effectively if you see it coming.

Get to Know Your Triggers

Some common relapse triggers are bad relationships, stress, poor self-care, withdrawal symptoms, being around people who use, and going to the places you used to use. Ruminating over past experiences with substances can also be a trigger. It’s important to understand addiction vs. obsession; even once addiction has ceased, obsession with past substance use can trigger future use. Avoid triggers to avoid relapse.

Remember Your Reasons for Quitting

In your moments of weakness, when relapse feels like the only thing you can think about, remember why you quit in the first place. Think about how sick you were when you were using, or how you may have hurt the people you love. Focus on how much better your life will be when you are healthy, empowered, and closer to your loved ones.

Ask for Help

You do not have to recover alone and getting support can make the road to sobriety much easier. Counselors, family, friends, and support groups like AA and NA can help you.

Care for Yourself

This step means first managing withdrawal symptoms with prescribed medications and professional help. Being sure to get enough sleep, eat healthy foods, and get exercise will also help you feel better. Look for healthy ways to reward yourself and spend time doing the things you love.

Most of all, treat yourself with kindness and compassion, as quitting addiction is not an easy process. But, if you do relapse, remember that recovery is a marathon, not a race. Relapsing two, three, four times is common on the journey to sobriety. The most important thing to do is keep trying, even if you fail.