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Substance abuse can have a powerful effect on both the mind and body - they have learned that drug use is “good” because of how dopamine influences addiction. Dopamine is released in your brain to promote the repetition of activities that produce joy and fulfillment. When a person uses a drug, their dopamine level is higher than average. The brain trains itself to seek out those substances, which leads to addiction. These compulsions are hard to overcome, especially for those fresh out of detox. However, there are various ways you can deal with cravings after treatment is complete.

When you see someone you care about struggling, you may have an urge to help them by any means as it is human nature. Someone who struggles with mental health and substance abuse disorders needs a strong support system to walk through every step of the recovery process. You may be finding it difficult to tell the difference between supporting your loved one and enabling them. A sign of enablement would be allowing your loved one who is struggling to continue with unhealthy behaviors. It does not help your loved one in the long run and often leads to added stress on your life and can hinder your loved one’s path to recovery even more. To maintain a healthy, supportive relationship, it’s crucial to learn the differences between support and enablement.

Self-care may be abandoned when you are struggling with substance use. Physical fitness may be a form of self-care we neglect, as we may not be as concerned with our health as we should. However, many people recovering from substance use disorder (SUD) greatly benefit from physical fitness routines. Research shows promising signs of physical fitness as a tool for SUD and mental health recovery. Physical fitness can be as simple as walking or riding a bike. Whatever routine you pick, there are proven benefits for substance use recovery.

The term “functioning addict” is commonly used, and the idea that drug users can complete everyday tasks is popular and partially true. However, the idea that being a functioning addict is somehow better than being a non-functioning addict or even socially acceptable is a myth. The truth is, all drug use will affect life in one way or another, whether it is immediate or in the long-term. All drug use is harmful to the body, to relationships, and to society as a whole.  We know that a non-functioning addict cannot complete standard tasks every day because of their drug use. Someone who can’t make it to work because they are too intoxicated would be an example of a non-functioning addict. In no way is being a functioning addict healthy. The idea of functioning addiction is considered a myth for many clinicians. Even though a person seemingly goes about obvious tasks without error while using, it doesn’t mean that their life isn’t being affected in a less obvious way. Many people see tolerance as a factor in becoming a functioning addict. After prolonged use, the body becomes used to the drug’s effects, and some people find it easier to function than others. People who are in denial about their addiction seem to fit into the group of functioning addiction. If a person is less honest with themselves and others about their addiction, they can better convince themselves and others that it doesn’t even exist; an out of sight out of mind mentality. However, denial is only a short-term out. With time, most addictions become more apparent.

Whether the pandemic or recovery has thrown your lifestyle for a loop, finding healthy ways to cope with significant life changes is essential for success. Lifestyle changes can cause anxiety and depression, among other issues. Keeping up a schedule as much as possible while maintaining a healthy diet are two of the easiest ways to deal with changes in your life.

The impact of trauma on the human brain can be profound as some areas of the brain can suffer physical changes from the traumatic event. The effects of experiencing trauma can lead to low quality of life for some due to the physical and mental impacts it has. There have been several studies that have shown that trauma can lead to memory loss and affect a person’s ability to recall memories. It’s not that the memories do not exist; they are just buried deep within the brain where they are not consciously accessible and in fact, these memories can create subconscious behaviors.

Sometimes, toxic habits turn into addictions. Casual, social drinking may turn to drinking daily by yourself. Using substances to self-medicate can quickly turn into an addiction. Using drugs floods the brain with dopamine, causing the brain to seek ways to find that feeling again. When this occurs, someone may continuously seek out substances. The brain tells an individual it needs more dopamine, resulting in regular substance use to feel high. The habit provides a physical or emotional function, eventually resulting in addiction. There are ways to retrain our brains not to be compelled to use. However, it is not an immediate outcome. A person must take small steps to create patterns. It takes an average of 66 days of repeating the same behavior to make a habit. Therefore, it may take around 66 days to break that habit. A person must identify their triggers to avoid them. Recognizing these cues is the first step in breaking addictions. Keeping a journal of your cues and learning what triggers which cravings may help break the habit cycle.  Replace old habits with new ones. If you have a habit of using because you are stressed, practice mindfulness instead. Mindfulness is as easy as practicing breathing exercises or meditating. Meditation may be challenging to practice in the middle of a craving. However, you don’t have to close your eyes and sit still to meditate. Taking a walk through the park or around your neighborhood are effective ways to meditate. Ask yourself what you need at that moment. Do you need to destress, or do you need to use?

There are several ways to support a family member in recovery, even if they cannot commit to formal therapy sessions. Understanding why a family member may have begun to use substances can be very hard. Sometimes, parents feel like they may have done something wrong. However, this may not be true. There may be many reasons why someone chooses to use substances. A person’s environment, psychological traits, and stress levels all play significant roles in using alcohol or drugs. Learning about your family member’s addiction with a non-judgemental attitude is key to helping them reach the point of recovery. Seeking help for young adults struggling with substance use as soon as possible is critical. People who start using drugs or alcohol early in life run a higher risk of becoming addicted. Research suggests that children experiment with drugs based on their perceived risks of using. If a child grows up in a household where substance use is normalized, their risk assessment will be higher than usual. Families need to learn about different substances and their long-term negative impacts on health together. Understanding the details about family-based recovery models and their ideas of non-judgmental support is vital to the recovery process. It’s hard to positively influence family members if there is a misunderstanding of our loved ones’ process. An open communication flow is critical in any relationship, and many family-based treatment models incorporate communicative skills into their sessions. Having open communication with a family member who uses substances is also vital to their recovery. Free communication channels mean that they may come to you with issues they have tried to hide before. If a substance user feels like they will be judged or given harsh punishment, they may keep complicated matters to themselves, making open communication and a foundation of trust essential.

Neurofeedback is the use of electronic instruments to learn more about a person’s body’s physiological functions. This includes the functions of the brain, which is called neurofeedback. The concept is based on neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change and adapt through reorganization. In neurofeedback therapy, EEG tests monitor brain waves and how a person reacts to certain stimuli. Over time, the brain can become conditioned to respond differently to the same stimuli. Neurofeedback and conditioning of the brain play a significant role in relapse prevention.

It is common for those who use substances to use more than one at a time, known as polysubstance abuse. Treatment for multiple substances is more tedious than treating addiction to a single, particular drug. However, there are many techniques for treating polysubstance abuse. There are several reasons someone may engage in using multiple substances, such as genetics. Some people are exposed to multiple substance use somewhere in their childhood. A parent’s substance use can influence how their children see substance use and contribute to developing substance use disorder (SUD). There are also social factors that play into polysubstance abuse. Many teens engage in polysubstance abuse to experiment with drugs or as a result of peer pressure. However, they are not mature enough to use proper risk assessment when using multiple substances, nor do they possess adequate drug interaction knowledge.

Many people who suffer from substance use disorder (SUD) or mental health disorders experience instability. It can come in many forms; financial instability, emotional instability, or behavioral instability. When entering recovery, you may begin stabilization immediately, including doctor-patient monitoring, detox, or therapy. Stabilization helps aid people in recovery for the long term.

Some people are comfortable with predictability. They find it easier to cope if they can rely on a routine or some kind of constant in their life. When change happens, it can be hard to understand or assimilate. If there is any constant in life, it is actually that there is change. Some people are seeking out behavioral changes as a part of their recovery from substance abuse or mental health disorders. Actively seeking ways to change can be stressful and hard to manage, therefore finding the right kind of care during this critical time may be imperative.  Even after we receive treatment, we may have to deal with the changes during the early recovery process. Many treatment facilities will give its clients the tools during the aftercare planning process to help them manage and cope with life stressors. Many treatment programs will offer guidance to enter into an intensive outpatient program after residential treatment to provide the support and guidance needed to deal with the life changes that occur post-treatment. Joining an intensive outpatient program or any type of group therapy sessions after treatment is important because they provide opportunities to build strong support systems for the early recovery process.  Group therapy provides a space where you can allow yourself to feel vulnerable and process emotions caused by past and current significant life changes as well as actively interact with others who have not only experienced what you have gone through, but also experienced the changes that are happening in your early recovery journey.