How long does it take to break an Addiction?
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, addiction is a “treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment and an individual’s life experiences.” Addiction is a difficult disease to overcome. Addiction is a disease in which people continue to engage in harmful behaviors despite the negative consequences. This is because addiction has changed the brain’s reward system and increases the desire for dangerous substances and chemicals.
There are four main phases of addiction. The experimentation phase is when substance use first begins. The person may use drugs on occasion, but they do not have a regular pattern of use. The regular use phase occurs when drug use becomes more consistent. They will start drinking and using drugs daily or on the weekends, where problems may start to develop.
During the next phase of dependence, the brain and body will adapt to the drug and need it to be able to function normally. Tolerance can also develop in which the user will need more of the substance in order to achieve and feel the desired effects. Symptoms of withdrawal are common during this stage. In the final stage, addiction takes place. Addiction is the most severe stage in which a person is physically and psychologically dependent. They are unable to stop drug use. Ultimately, the drugs will begin to control them.
There are a few common types of addiction. This includes alcohol addiction, prescription medication addiction, marijuana addiction, heroin addiction, cocaine addiction, meth addiction, nicotine addiction and behavioral addictions such as gambling and food addictions. Depending on many factors, breaking an addiction can last anywhere from months to years.
How long does it take to break an Addiction?
Recovery from addiction takes time. It is a long process and in some cases, can be a lifelong process. However, there are many contributing factors as to how long it can take for a person to overcome their addiction. One common myth about addiction recovery is that it takes 21 days to form or change a habit. This is not true. In fact, it is based on a misunderstanding from Dr. Maxwell Maltz. The writer and plastic surgeon’s research found it took at least 21 days for a person’s self-image to change.
Collective data suggests that it takes about 66 days to build a new habit. This means breaking old ones to replace them with a healthier routine. Research on addiction and substance abuse also found that the bare minimum to break an addiction is 90 days of treatment. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, attending treatment for a minimum of 90 days can result in the most efficient and beneficial outcome. In some cases, the 90 days might not even be enough. This can be especially true for breaking an addiction to opioids where 12 months of comprehensive treatment is recommended.
The general timeline for breaking a Substance Addiction
- Acknowledge the problem. Admitting you have a problem is the initial step in breaking an addiction. You have acknowledged that there is a problem and you need help.
- First Stage. The first stage of addiction treatment is detox. The duration of this stage may vary depending on the substance use, the severity of the addiction and if other drugs were also used. Detox could take as long as 10 days.
- Second Stage. In the second stage, treatment will involve intense and comprehensive psychological therapies and counseling. During this period, it could take anywhere from 30 days to 6 months or more. Clients will usually enter into residential programs and then move to outpatient programs such as PHP and IOP.
- Life Long Plan. During this final stage of breaking an addiction, patients and the medical care team will create a recovery plan that consists of medication management, continued clinical support and addiction recovery support programs.
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How long does it take to break an Addiction to the most common substances?
- Breaking an addiction to Heroin. On average, withdrawal begins around 6 hours after the initial dose. Peak withdrawal symptoms occur at about 72 hours and last for a week. For other opioids, withdrawal can last between 4-10 days. The majority of the symptoms will pass after a week while some of the psychological symptoms can continue on for weeks or months after.
- Breaking an addiction to Alcohol. On average, the withdrawal will occur within 8 hours after the initial dose. Peak withdrawal symptoms occur between 24-72 hours and will last for about 2 weeks. Breaking an addiction to alcohol is difficult and some people can develop post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS) that last much longer than the average withdrawal timeline. During PAWS, a person may endure continued emotional and physical symptoms that peak at 4-8 weeks after the initial drink.
- Breaking an addiction to Benzos. On average, withdrawal begins around 12 hours. Peak symptoms can occur between 24-72 hours and can end in days or months. It is very dependent on the type of substance used and how often or how much it has been used. Symptoms of benzo withdrawal can be severe and unpredictable.
- Breaking an addiction to Meth. On average, withdrawal from meth begins around 24 hours after the initial dose. Peak symptoms will occur between 4-10 days and end between 7-10 days. Meth is a highly addictive stimulant drug that can result in continued cravings, symptoms of depression and insomnia persisting beyond 10 days.
- Breaking an addiction to Cocaine. On average, withdrawal from cocaine begins within 24 hours after the initial dose. The peak symptoms will occur within 7 days and can last for up to 10 weeks. During this period, drug craving can continue and can often worsen after the first few weeks of initial detox.
Factors that impact how long it takes to break an Addiction
- Personal history of addiction
- The type of drugs used
- Overall physical health
- How long you’ve used drugs
- Any co-occurring mental health disorders
- Availability of social support networks
- Genetics
- Environment
- Age and gender
- Family history of addiction
- Types of treatments you have received
- Relapse prevention strategies
- Commitment for long-term recovery
Reach out to Hotel California by the Sea
We specialize in treating addiction and other co-occurring disorders, such as PTSD. Our Admissions specialists are available to walk you through the best options for treating your addiction.
Treatment for Addiction
Some people believe recovery is a lifelong process and that you can never really recover or stop being addicted to drugs and alcohol. They believe cravings continue to challenge you even long after your drug use has been stopped. The recovery timeline is different for everyone. There are five main stages of addiction recovery: pre-contemplation, contemplation, decision, action and maintenance.
Precontemplation is the stage in which a user is unaware that their drug use is causing problems and has no intention of changing. Contemplation is the stage in which the user begins to realize that it might be time to change but still has no commitment to taking action or changes. The decision stage is when the user begins to take action about their substance abuse and create goals. The action stage is when the decision is put into place where the user will learn new behaviors and practice self-management techniques. The maintenance stage is when new behaviors have replaced all old habits and there are positive changes with the desire to make recovery permanent. All of these techniques can also be learned and practiced within a behavioral health program like Hotel California by the Sea.
We provide all levels of care when it comes to treating a substance addiction. Detox, residential, PHP and IOP programs are designed to take our clients through a gradual process of helping them overcome their addiction. Using evidence-based treatments such as CBT, DBT and family therapy, our clients are better equipped with a solid foundation for recovery. Hotel California by the Sea is dedicated to helping those who are suffering from addiction through social services, clinical support and effective treatment modalities.
References:
https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/substance-use-disorder/how-long-does-addiction-last
https://www.addictions.com/blog/how-long-does-it-take-to-break-an-addiction/
https://recovery.com/resources/how-long-does-it-take-to-break-an-addiction/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/addiction/recovery-addiction
https://www.verywellmind.com/overcoming-addiction-4157285
https://zinniahealth.com/substance-use/addiction/how-many-days-break-habit