Breaking Addiction

Getting off drugs is more than just a single action—it's a process. While it involves stopping the physical use of the drug, it also requires getting to the root of why your drug problem began in the first place. Chapter 4 discussed some of the reasons why people abuse drugs. It's often because of other issues in their lives.

Part of drug treatment is figuring out what those issues are and then learning to deal with them constructively. This takes time. It's important to be realistic about just how much time it will take to figure out those problems. Setting unreasonable expectations for yourself can make you depressed when you find that you're unable to meet them. And that can bring you back to the kind of situation that led to your drug use originally. Give yourself enough time to really recover from your addiction so you can move forward with confidence.

It can be tough to return to a social life after rehabilitation. Others may seem to be using drugs without any problems. Don't be fooled. Remember that a combination of determination and support from family friends, and other sources can help you stick to your recovery.

The recovery process is a long one. But it helps to remember that recovery is helping you regain control of your life.