January has come and gone and so have many New Year’s Resolutions. The promise to lose weight, exercise more, and get one’s health back are all popular resolutions. So is the promise to find sobriety by stopping how much you drink or use drugs. And by February many find that their desired sobriety is more difficult to obtain on their own than they realized. It leaves many wondering, why is it so hard to change? And asking when to seek professional help?
It’s important to stress that being unable to stop drug or alcohol use on one’s own is not because of a lack of willpower or moral failing. To understand what you’re up against, you have to realize what drugs and alcohol do to your brain. They hijack the reward center of your brain, the part that controls motivation, desire, pleasure, memory, impulse. All of the things you need working for you, are working against you because of an imbalance in your brain chemistry caused by chronic use of drugs or alcohol.
Once you stop using drugs or alcohol, you are left with CRAVINGS! Intense, overpowering cravings. This is because your brain chemistry has gotten used to being supported by artificial means (drugs or alcohol) and is left disrupted. Also, prolonged use of drugs or alcohol means your brain has had plenty of time to establish environmental cues called triggers. These can include familiar places, people, images, sounds, smells, etc. that cause intense cravings. Cravings are the biggest threat to sobriety. And it’s impossible to avoid all triggers in your life. So it’s important to remember that it’s not just about giving up a substance, you also need to gain the things that will protect you and help you heal.
The answer to when to seek professional help, is anytime, but especially early and when your desire for sobriety is so strong. Psychological help such as a life coaching or working with a therapist can help you make the necessary changes to your behavior and mental state. While physical support such as NTR Brain Restoration can help your body safely detox from any drugs or alcohol while helping the brain to rebalance and heal itself. It’s also important to establish a support system this could include group meetings like AA or family and friends. Professional support can help guide you through all of the steps that help promote a successful recovery.
