If you have an addiction that’s bad for you, you need to stop it right away. It seems so simple doesn’t it? At least, it will be for people who have never had to deal with addiction. But let’s stop right there because there is a fallacy that we want to diminish right now. Very few people are not addicted to anything. Most of us have a coping mechanism in our life. For some, it’s going to be the puff of a cigarette. Others, it will be a nice glass of wine at the end of each night or a bottle. Then there are those who use drugs to deal with life. But, if you are a blogger, you might find yourself addicted to the internet. If you don’t think you are, try going a week without it and see how you get on. We all have our crutches to bare. Some are just more harmful than others, and some are more socially acceptable.
But, there are just as many dangers of quitting an addiction as there are of keeping it up. On this post, we’ll show you exactly what we mean.
Replacing One Addiction With Another
This is shockingly common during the recommended treatment for addicts. For instance, many people still believe that methadone should be used as a detox for heroin addicts. Methadone is a drug that in medicine is used for pain relief. In low quantities it is also commonly used in heroin detox programs. The problem is that like most drugs Methadone is addictive. It’s not uncommon for heroin users to replace one addiction with another. If you do have an addiction to drugs you’re probably going to have an addictive personality. Not all users of drugs become reliant on them. You need to have the right personality traits. But many people who want to detox from Methadone can’t due to their high doses. That’s why they need specialist treatment. Essentially, just as you get out of one rabbit hole, you fall down another.
Going Cold Turkey
Another popular treatment for addicts is to force them to go cold turkey. By doing this, they don’t get any other medicine that they can use as a crutch. Instead, the body is starved of a chemical that it has become reliant on. The effects of doing this can be catastrophic and will last for weeks or even months. But the biggest problem with going cold turkey is that is often makes the addiction come back stronger than ever. Rather than a bag of weed at the end of the month, you’re suddenly looking to score something stronger. Something like cocaine.
Mental Health Issues
Lastly, the effects of drugs and addiction on mental health have been well documented. But the effects of breaking an addiction are often left out. The reason for this is that they can be just as severe. By breaking an addiction that you have had for years, you might find that you are constantly feeling depressed. As well as this, you may develop suicidal thoughts or issues with self-harm. That’s why addicts always need the support of both a medical team and a home support group.
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