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A Comprehensive Guide To Substance Misuse & the Steps to Recovery
At Retreat Behavioral Health, we are committed to providing both a safe and inclusive setting for individuals struggling with substance misuse as well as education and resources for all who are interested in general information surrounding substance misuse and the steps to recovery.
As part of this commitment, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide on some of the most important topics related to substance misuse, with useful insights that we hope will prove helpful to individuals in recovery, and loved ones supporting them.
Types & Causes of Substance Misuse
Substance misuse is a chemically-based mental health condition characterized by a cycle of cravings, tolerance, and compulsion. There are various types of substance misuse disorders, including those centered around alcohol, opiates, nicotine, and stimulants.
Understanding the unique mechanisms that trigger substance misuse in the brain can help us better understand why it happens—as well as how to best treat it. So, how does addiction affect the brain? Substances prone to misuse, including many types of drugs and alcohol, send a surge of dopamine to the brain’s reward center. Over time, these sudden and intense surges interfere with normal brain function, which causes the individual to want and need more activation to feel the same level of reward. Eventually, the body will require more of the substance to achieve the desired level of “pleasure”.
Signs of substance misuse include:
- Problems controlling intake amount
- Increased tolerance to the substance
- Withdrawal symptoms upon trying to quit
The Physical and Mental Effects of Substance Misuse
Substance misuse takes a toll on both physical and mental health.
Potential physical side effects of substance misuse include:
- Weakened immune system
- Liver failure
- Heart failure
- Severe brain damage
- Cognitive problems, including problems with memory and attention
- Seizures
- Stroke
- Nausea and abdominal pain
At Retreat, we specialize in the intervention and treatment of a wide range of substance use disorders, including those to opiates, cocaine, party drugs and hallucinogens, alcohol, benzodiazepines, and amphetamines. We also offer integrated treatment for co-occurring disorders such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and bipolar disorder.
How Drug Misuse Can Affect Your Loved Ones
It’s not just individuals who are struggling with substance use disorder themselves who are affected by this mental health condition. Family members, romantic partners, and friends are often deeply affected as well, and this can have profound consequences.
Children of those who struggle with substance misuse are twice as likely to one day struggle with a substance use disorder themselves, they may also begin to experience other mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Meanwhile, ongoing substance use disorder can alienate an individual’s support system and create feelings of distrust that are difficult to remedy.
The complications that substance misuse can lead to in relationships is part of the reason why it is recommended that those in recovery do not date each other, at least in the beginning of their recovery journey. Romantic relationships can quickly become emotional and intense, both of which can be triggers for relapse.
How to Heal your Mind and Body in Recovery
The steps to recovery may seem overwhelming, but overcoming substance misuse is possible.
Recovery is about more than just being sober. Individuals who are successful in their recovery require not just abstinence but social support, a safe and stable home life, mental and physical wellness, and a meaningful daily life.
The steps to achieving this vary from person to person, but almost always include detox and physical recovery followed by sustained mental and behavioral treatment. Lifestyle changes can be instrumental as well for developing self compassion and new habits and hobbies. Exercising, eating and sleeping right, going to therapy, and allowing in love and support can all be beneficial, and are encouraged during recovery. Another useful practice is meditation, which can help with stress reduction and anxiety control while promoting mindfulness and increased self-awareness.
The Detox Process
Detox is the first step in recovery from substance misuse. This is a medical intervention for individuals struggling with substance use, and is necessary for re-wiring both the body and the brain in order to restore normal functionality.
There are three stages to detox:
Evaluation – An individualized medical assessment ensures that clinical staff understand the exact scope of the issue and can provide a personalized detox plan.
Stabilization – The process of ridding the body of the substance, which may or may not require the use of targeted medications. This is a physical process but also a mental one, with the individual being guided through what is happening and what to expect.
Entry into treatment – Once detoxed, full recovery can begin. This includes treatment to help the brain and body relearn how to communicate and function.
As you might expect, detox isn’t easy—and it often isn’t pleasant either, though it is worth it. Side effects of the process include nervousness or anxiety, insomnia, nausea, body discomfort, mood swings, poor sleep, and difficulty concentrating. This is why it is so important to undergo detoxification under the care of qualified professionals instead of attempting it on your own.
How to Cope with Depression & Anxiety
In individuals with co-occurring disorders, substance misuse is often an attempt to manage depression and anxiety.
Depression and anxiety are incredibly common. It is estimated that 40 million American adults live with an anxiety disorder—about 18.1% of the adult population. Meanwhile, estimates suggest that roughly 16 million Americans are affected by major depressive disorder and that 5% of American adults experience serious seasonal depression (with another 10% to 20% experiencing a more mild form known as the “winter blues”).
There are many natural ways of coping with depression and anxiety. And while the path to finding happiness and relief can and does look different for everyone, there are certainly things that can help. For managing anxiety, this includes deep breathing, practicing distraction skills, and even adopting a furry friend.
For those who need more targeted treatment, therapy and medication are usually recommended. There are also noninvasive procedures that may be able to help, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which uses the repetitive delivery of magnetic pulses to the brain to help improve the symptoms of depression.
About 250,000 Americans attempt suicide every year, many of whom are dealing with depression and/or anxiety and may have benefitted (or may still benefit) from a mental health recovery program. If you or a loved one is struggling, we encourage you to learn about Synergy Health Programs, where we offer comprehensive mental health treatment solutions for a wide range of conditions, including depression and anxiety.
Steps to Recovery: How to Find the Right Recovery Program For Your Needs
Everyone has different needs when it comes to substance misuses recovery, which is why we offer multiple types of treatment programs that vary in length, location, and intensity. These include:
- Residential and inpatient treatment
- Outpatient treatment
- Day treatment
- Telehealth therapy
In choosing the right recovery program for your needs, it is important to take into account the location and cost of the care centers you are considering, as well as the length and intensity of the program. Many individuals start with more intensive residential care and gradually transition to outpatient, day treatment, or ongoing virtual support depending on their progress and their needs. Some also transition into sober living communities.
Another important step in finding the right recovery program is to undergo a consultation. This will allow clinical staff to evaluate your needs and make a recommendation on what would be a good fit. It also allows you to assess for yourself whether a particular program and care team is right for you.
Relapse Prevention Strategies and Staying on Track
Recovery and sustainable sober living are rarely a straightforward process. Instead, they’re something that individuals have to work at every single day for their entire lives, both on their own and, if and when needed, with the support of a qualified mental health professional.
Effective relapse prevention begins with a plan. Relapse is an emotional, mental, and physical process, and can occur slowly over time or rapidly and unexpectedly. Some individuals choose to reside in sober living communities—at least in the beginning of their recovery—to maintain accountability and support during their steps to recovery. And even those who don’t must find a way to prioritize recovery in their day-to-day lives and recognize the at-home warning signs of relapse. These include withdrawal from support systems, elevated feelings of stress, impulsiveness, and an increase in cravings.
It is crucial that individuals in recovery learn healthy ways to manage stress, avoid old habits, and build healthy relationships. Self-care and hobbies are important too, with activities like volunteering, yoga, crafts, writing, and exploring the outdoors all serving to benefit both body and mind in positive ways.
Reach Out for Support
Help is always available.
Retreat Behavioral Health has been serving individuals with substance use conditions since 2011, and we are dedicated to continuing to offer our patients the highest quality care backed by the most recent clinical research. In the decade since our founding, we have also established Synergy Health Programs, a fully-functioning mental health treatment division that ensures we are able to meet all of our patients’ care needs during their steps to recovery and beyond.
Learn more about our research and our mission, which includes doing our best every single day to provide compassion, respect, and acceptance to all individuals in need of care.
