Many people who experience addiction are surprised at how difficult quitting can be.
You may even end up wondering,Why can’t I quit?
This article discusses some of the reasons why quitting an addiction is so difficult.
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
It also covers the challenges you might face and strategies that can help you succeed.
Why Is Quitting So Hard?
Addiction affects the frontal cortex of your brain and alters your impulse control and judgment.
With the right plan and resources, recovery is possible.
The good news is that youcanquit, although it’s a complicated process.
Even still, many people are successful in quitting on their own.
These symptoms can make quitting more difficult, but choosing effective treatment options can improve your ability to succeed.
Tolerance is both a physical and psychological process.
Drugs, such as alcohol and opiates, work on specific parts of the brain, creating physical tolerance.
These symptoms are relieved temporarily when you start using the substance or doing the behavior again.
But they go away over time and often permanently after you quit.
Physical Symptoms
It’s common to experience some unpleasant physical withdrawal symptoms when you quit.
These symptoms can make quitting more difficult.
However, the process tends to be quite unpleasant, and it can be dangerous.
If you decide to quit, it’s best to have support from a healthcare provider.
There are also medications that can help with the experience of physical withdrawal.
It’s common for people with addictions to depend on their addiction to cope with stress.
When you quit, you lose that coping mechanism.
This is why it is so important to have other ways of coping firmly established, ideally before quitting.
A therapist can help you with these daily challenges.
Relationship supportcan help you deal with and avoid conflicts without using your addictive behavior for comfort and escape.
In some cases, feelings of guilt are appropriate; in others, they are not.
This process can get in the way of the decision to quit.
Margaret Seide, MD
With addiction, you want to confirm that you set yourself for success.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Find out which option is the best for you.
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