How Long Does It Take To Overcome Addiction?
Overcoming an addiction isn’t easy, but proper treatment can help. This page will answer the question “Why do people go to rehab?”, help you understand how long it might take to recover from addiction, and help you start your recovery journey.
Understanding the Recovery Process
If you’re asking yourself, “Should I go to rehab?“, you’re already taking a tentative step toward recovery. Awareness of a potential problem is important, but to break an addiction and start to recover, it’s also important to understand the disease of addiction and the reasons to go to rehab.
What is Addiction & What Causes It?
What do people go to rehab for? Addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by an inability to control substance use despite the negative consequences of it.1,2 Persistent substance use can lead to structural and functional changes in the brain, which can continue to affect a person long after they’ve ceased substance use.1,2
In addition to addictions to substances alcohol, illicit drugs like heroin, or prescription medications including stimulants or opioid painkillers, people can also become addicted to a wide range of activities and behaviors, in which case are referred to as a behavioral addiction.3 Behavioral addictions can include gambling, overeating, television compulsion, and internet addiction.3
While a person may make the initial decision to use alcohol or drugs, that doesn’t necessarily mean they will develop an addiction.1 Addiction doesn’t have one cause, but rather results from a complex interplay of a person’s brain circuits and various risk factors, which can include:
- Social factors, like peer pressure, lack of parental supervision, or community poverty.1
- Environmental factors, such as exposure to substance use at home, adverse childhood events, poor relationships with parents, easy access to substances, and low school connectedness.1
- Family history, which can be compounded by genetic and epigenetic factors.1
Our online guides can also explain more about the signs someone should go to rehab and helping a loved one with addiction.
How Long Does It Take to Recover From Addiction?
Addiction recovery can take time and is typically a lifelong process.4 As with treatment for other chronic diseases, addiction treatment is not a cure, but it can help people manage their condition.4 It’s also important to understand that, as with other chronic conditions, relapse is a normal part of the recovery process.4 If it occurs, it’s a setback, not a failure, and relapse prevention strategies can help in the future.4
In general, various factors can impact the length of time it takes for someone to attain abstinence and maintain their recovery, including the factors below.
How Long Someone Has Had Their Addiction
The longer a person has had an addiction, the more difficult it might be to recover.5 This is because addiction involves deeply ingrained behaviors that can be very difficult to change, especially without proper help.4
There isn’t one set duration to recovery, and the time frame it takes for you or a loved one to recover can vary widely compared to someone else.5 It can help to remember that recovery is not a race, it’s a journey, and it’s completely normal if your recovery takes multiple attempts.6
Types of Addiction
There are different types of substance addictions, and some substances can be harder to quit than others. Additionally, recovery from multiple substances could take even longer.5
The U.S Drug Enforcement Administration classifies substances into 5 different categories, which depend on their addictive potential and other factors.7 Schedule I and II substances have the highest potential for addiction, and some of these include:7
- Heroin.
- Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
- Marijuana (cannabis).
- Cocaine.
- Methamphetamine.
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid).
- Meperidine (Demerol).
- Oxycodone (Oxycontin).
- Fentanyl.
- Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine).
- Amphetamine (Adderall).
- Methylphenidate (Ritalin).
The Severity of the Addiction
The severity of an addiction refers to the number of symptoms of substance use disorder a person has, as outlined by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).8 The more severe an addiction, the longer recovery make take. Severity levels include:8
- Mild, meaning 2-3 symptoms are present.
- Moderate, meaning 4-5 symptoms are present.
- Severe, meaning 6 or more symptoms are present.
A person may also experience physical dependence, which refers to a physiological adaptation that can result in withdrawal symptoms when a person stops using the substance.9 It is not the same as addiction.9 Withdrawal symptoms can be difficult to withstand without proper help, can lead to relapse, and can therefore impact the time it takes to enter long-term recovery.8
Support System and Treatment Resources
It can be more difficult to start and sustain recovery without proper social support and other treatment resources.10 Research shows that adequate social support, such as participating in mutual support groups, is often associated with lower substance use rates after treatment.10
What Makes It So Hard to Break an Addiction?
As mentioned previously, many factors play a role in how difficult it may be to overcome an addiction. Withdrawal, the specific substances a person uses, the duration of their addiction, triggers to use, and more can all increase a person’s vulnerability stay actively addicted and/or relapse.4,7
Fortunately, research and rehab success rates offer evidence that treatment can enable people to counteract the effects of addiction, regain control of their lives, and often, enter sustained recovery.4
How to Talk to a Loved One About Getting Help with Addiction
There are steps you can take to help a loved one with addiction. Convincing someone to go to rehab isn’t necessarily easy, but you can encourage a person to get the help they need. Consider the following tips to start the conversation with a loved one:11
- Prepare your concerns in advance and choose a calm, quiet moment for the conversation.
- Use positive, non-judgmental language and avoid criticism.
- Share your feelings and observations honestly, such as their increased substance use and its impact on their health or your relationship.
- Focus on the positive aspects of change, such as more family time or improved wellness.
- Encourage them to attend support groups or seek treatment.
- Suggest that you research treatment options together, which can medical detox, inpatient drug and alcohol rehab, or outpatient addiction treatment programs.
Start the Recovery Journey Today
If you or a loved one is struggling, we are here to help. Please call us to learn more about our treatment options, using health insurance to pay for rehab, and start your recovery journey today.