WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE AND ADDICTION?

It is a huge milestone when a person battling addiction decides to take steps to get the help they need. Walking into a rehabilitation center for the first time can seem overwhelming. But, after hitting rock bottom, a person is willing to take this step because they want to do whatever it takes to get better.

They have seen their addiction’s devastating consequences on themselves, their family, and their community. For this reason, it can be disheartening for the struggling person to go through the rehabilitation process. A key factor is understanding the difference between physical dependence and addiction.

Why Am I Still Struggling?

You are struggling because a powerful physical and emotional aspect of addiction is fighting against your efforts to break free. Struggling with addiction treatment and recovery is more common than you think. But when it’s happening to you, it’s easy to feel resentful. It’s easy to think about your life before addiction and wonder why you can’t get back to that. You may start to doubt that addiction recovery is possible. But the reality is that all these doubts are a symptom of a much larger issue.

Recovering from addiction is a slow process that requires patience and persistence. You have to face that your addiction is probably the result of a lifetime of anxiety, mental health issues, loneliness, and other emotional factors that contributed to or contributed to your addiction. All of this stuff is not going to disappear overnight. It is a process that takes time, but it is a process that can produce successful results if you stick with it.

The Long-Term Effects of Physical Addiction

This is a massive factor in addiction recovery. Your body has become physically dependent on something. Your brain has altered how it works so that it can function with the substance you are addicted to. It’s difficult to break free from this physical dependence. Until physical dependence is conquered, your body needs the substance you are addicted to to feel normal.

Many treatment programs will offer medications, such as methadone or buprenorphine, to counteract the effects of physical addiction. Many people turn to drugs, like opiates, to help them deal with emotional pain and stress. If you’ve been using drugs to numb your emotions, it can feel like you’re getting hit with an emotional tidal wave when you stop using the substance. As you go through rehab and recovery, you are fighting your body’s physical addiction and dealing with the emotional impact of facing life’s challenges without being able to numb them via drugs or alcohol.

Dealing With the Emotional Side of Addiction

It is impossible to move forward with recovery if you do not have a strong support system. Addiction recovery can feel lonely, long, and complex. Many people who have successfully broken free from substance use feel more productive if they have the backing of a friend or family member. This can be someone who goes to meetings with them, attends activities, talks with them, listens to them, and supports them through tough times.

You might not need a ton of support at the outset. However, you will benefit by having someone who can be a listening ear and a cheerleader when you are going through good and challenging times. You might be struggling with the rehabilitation process because something in you tells you that you don’t deserve to get better. As a result of addiction, you may have made some regrettable decisions and hurt the people who cared about you the most. Until you can forgive yourself for past mistakes, it is difficult, if not impossible, to move on.

Likely, you’ve damaged some relationships because of your substance use. It may have even gotten to the point where your friends and family don’t talk to you. You need to make peace with your friends, family members, and other people who have been affected by your addiction. Doing this will give you the internal strength needed to make the best of rehabilitation. If you are struggling through the rehab process, you are not alone. We want to help you by being a source of support for you. Contact us today at 833-820-2922 to learn more.