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The Road to Recovery
For an addict to get her brain chemistry back in balance
and break the vicious cycle of addiction, it’s crucial
that she reaches out to recovery groups, trained
counselors, or both.
“Even if you abstain from compulsive behavior, that
alone is not enough,” says Dr. H. Westley Clark, M.D., a
spokesperson for the Rockville, Maryland-based Substance
Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration. “Getting
the right help can not only stop addiction and restore
dopamine, but can show you how to manage your life
long-term so you no longer feel you have to fill a void
with dysfunctional behavior.”
People fighting addiction can join a 12-step group such
as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or
Gamblers Anonymous. In these programs, addicts ban
together, meet regularly, and follow set steps to
recovery. These groups not only have a social component,
but a spiritual one, holding that belief in a higher
power is key to effective healing.
People fighting addiction can try inpatient treatment,
outpatient treatment, or counseling with a trained
social worker, psychologist, or psychiatrist (preferably
a professional who specializes in chemical dependency
and is a member of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction
Professionals). “If you have a mild problem, it may be a
matter of months before treatment is successful,” says
Dr. Najavits. “But you may require long-term
intervention, which is usually more successful in the
end.”
Once the support system is in place, there are other
steps people can take to keep their dopamine level up.
1. Follow your bliss. “If you feel
competent and dominant at what you’re doing, dopamine
levels will rise,” says Wang. “So find a job you’re good
at, and stick with it. If you’re a good cook, make
delicious meals. If you’re a good artist, grab your
brush or pen and paint or draw.”
2. Stay active. Studies show that getting
at least 30 minutes of exercise per day can keep your
brain chemistry humming at its happiest — and its
healthiest.
3. Reach out to family, friends, other
church members — and God. Social interaction boosts
dopamine, and a recent Columbia University study found
that having a personal relationship with God is
inversely associated with substance abuse.
Even if you stop compulsive behavior before hitting the
low point called rock bottom, getting sober is seldom
easy. Our culture is one of addiction, where 30 percent
of adults are hooked on cigarettes, 23 percent binge
drink, and 8 percent take illegal drugs.
The good news is that by getting the right help and
making the right choices, it’s possible to beat
addiction — and addiction transfer — for good.
“I saw a psychiatrist for two years, and met women
through my church who shared similar stories of sexual
assault,” says Miller. “When I realized I wasn’t alone
and this wasn’t shameful, I began to finally process my
feelings. I stopped overeating and shopping, dropped
that 100 pounds, and even managed to shed my credit card
debt.”
For Finnegan, prayer did the trick — as did three years of
going to Overeaters Anonymous meetings that she still
attends regularly. “When I was actively binge eating and
drinking, I always felt something was missing,” she
says. “But recovery has taught me that I don’t have to
seek assurance from outside myself. I don’t need to fill
an emotional void with addiction, because I have all
I’ll ever need — and more.”
*Names and identifying details changed to safeguard
privacy.
For More Information
Alcoholics Anonymous
www.alcoholics-anonymous.org
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
http://www.samhsa.gov
Molly M. Ginty lives in New York. Her work has
appeared in Ms., Marie Claire, Redbook,
Women’s e-News and Lutheran Woman Today
magazine.
Dear Café reader:
The information presented in this article is only one
part of the difficult topic of addiction. This
information is not meant to replace a proper diagnosis
by a professional. The staff at Café urges you to
see the following as merely a sample of the many, many
books and resources available.
Use the information listed above
as a starting point for your own research to inform, to
identify, or to begin the recovery process.
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