Does Recovery Mean Giving Up All Drugs Forever?

People who have problems with addiction are often addicted to one particular substance or behaviour. However, others find themselves struggling with multiple addictions, whether it’s drugs or something like gambling, spending, or sex. The big question for many, when they resolve to enter recovery, is whether tackling their addiction should also mean avoiding any other potentially addictive substances or behaviours. Although you might not be an alcoholic, you might be concerned about replacing an addiction to another drug with alcohol, for example. But some people might choose not to be so strict with themselves. So, do you need to be completely drug-free and clean-living to be in recovery?

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The Question of Using Drugs for Health

One thing to consider when in addiction recovery is the matter of using drugs to treat various health problems. This can sometimes raise difficult dilemmas, such as when you might require strong pain relief as an opioid addict. Some addicts may try to avoid medications as much as possible, but they can often be useful to treat addiction, such as in the case of using methadone to treat opioid addiction. Other people may find that using drugs can treat pain or other health complaints, whether it’s OTC pain relief or a solution like Delta 9 THC. Some also use medication to manage mental health conditions, which are common in people with addictions. Everyone must make their own decisions regarding what medication they feel is right for them.

What About Recreational Substances?

When it comes to using drugs recreationally, many people will feel that the line is clearer. Addicts are often advised to avoid all substances so that they don’t replace one addiction with another or form a new habit as a crutch. Someone recovering from drug addiction might choose to also stop drinking, for example. However, not everyone thinks that’s the right decision for them. Some are comfortable with continuing to drink, for example, and are even able to do so without continuing unhealthy behaviours.

Others might have a period of clean living where they avoid any potentially addictive or harmful substances or behaviours before slowly starting to take them up in a controlled manner.

What Does the Research Say?

Even though whether to give up all potentially addictive substances or behaviours is a personal choice, it’s worth considering what the scientific research says. This is particularly true when it comes to using substances like alcohol in a recreational way. One thing to note is that many people, more than a third, who have a problem with one drug also have an issue with alcohol. One study showed that a possible negative effect of continuing to drink alcohol when giving up another drug was a drinking-induced relapse. In other words, drinking could make it more likely for a relapse to occur. However, the same study also found that there wasn’t much evidence that people would replace their previous substance use with drinking.

So, should addicts give up all substances in recovery? Many experts say yes, but it’s ultimately a personal decision.

This is a collaborative post.