For those struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, there’s a temptation to give up cold turkey. But when is treatment necessary?
There’s a common misconception that if someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, they simply lack the willpower to stop using. Those who have experienced substance use disorder firsthand know it’s much more complicated than that. What’s the difference between abstinence and recovery, and how are they related? Let’s dive in.
Understanding Abstinence & Recovery
Abstinence is the physical act of not using alcohol, drugs, or other substances. It is often a test of willpower and every day of abstaining from substance use should be viewed as a victory. Some people with mild symptoms of addiction or recreational users are able to simply stop. But for others with a serious addiction, abstinence is only one part of the recovery process. Abstinence alone doesn’t address underlying issues that come with addiction, such as trauma, PTSD, and other mental health issues. This is where recovery comes in.
Recovery is about more than just not using substances. There is a deeper healing that happens during treatment that leads to more profound, lasting changes in your life. Recovery is about taking your life back and experiencing the joy and fulfillment that comes from being substance-free. It involves treatment, constant reflection, building healthy habits, seeking new fulfilling relationships, and unlearning harmful coping strategies.
What’s the Difference Between Abstinence and Recovery?
Recovery is a lifelong process. Where abstinence can keep you sober, recovery gives you the tools to take your life back from addiction. But what gives recovery an edge in the fight against addiction over abstinence alone?
The key factor is their approach. Abstinence focuses on willpower and the your ability to simply fight the urge to use. Recovery goes about this differently. Its focus is on changing your life so being sober becomes a part of your being. It’s less about saying no to addiction and more about saying yes to a new way of life.
Without the deeper introspection and life-changing measures that recovery provides, a person may develop “dry drunk syndrome”. This happens when you abstain from substances but doesn’t address the root cause or co-occurring issues involved in your addiction. A 2023 study in the Journal of Substance Use shows us 29.8% of participants reported continuous abstinence from substance use or addictive behavior over a 5-year follow-up period. The risk of relapsing back into unhealthy behaviours is much higher without the changes recovery provides.
Recovery also encourages group therapy and surrounding yourself with a positive sober community, whereas abstinence is typically an individual undertaking.
How Do Abstinence and Recovery Work Together?
In the end, the objective of both abstinence and recovery is the same: to get back to a joyful life without substances. However, this is something that recovery prepares you for that abstinence alone can’t. Recovery seeks to provide the tools for sustainability so that you don’t rely on willpower alone to fight addiction.
Abstinence and recovery can work together and, without each other, healing can’t truly begin. Abstinence without recovery is painful and recovery without abstinence is impossible. When they work together, they are truly powerful.
EHN Canada’s Approach to Abstinence-Based Recovery
At EHN Canada, we provide abstinence-based treatment in our programs including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Exposure Therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy with the goal of giving patients their lives back.
For more information on our programs click here, call us at 1-866-963-6343, or fill out a form to get in contact with us.
