Knowing how to overcome an addiction starts with understanding that it is not a matter of willpower but a health problem that can be treated. Treatment combines medical care, which sometimes includes medication, and psychological care, and it is adapted to the substance or behaviour, how long the person has been using and their individual situation. With the right support, many people regain control of their lives.
How to overcome an addiction: where to start
The first step is usually the hardest: recognising that your use has become a problem. After that, these pointers can help you get going:
- Get a professional assessment. A specialist team will review your history of use, your physical and mental health and your circumstances in order to recommend the most suitable treatment.
- Do not stop suddenly if there is physical dependence. With alcohol or tranquillisers such as benzodiazepines, stopping abruptly without medical supervision can be dangerous.
- Set a realistic goal. The usual aim is abstinence, but the plan is tailored to each case and reviewed over time.
- Lean on someone. Having family, friends or a therapy group reduces isolation and relapse.
- Change your surroundings. Keeping away from the places, people and routines linked to using makes the first few months much easier.
What addiction treatment involves
Medical care and medication
Not everyone needs medication, but in many cases it is a great help. During withdrawal from the substance it allows the body to adjust safely and with less discomfort. Later on it can help to reduce intense urges to use (craving), stabilise mood and address other mental health conditions that accompany the addiction, known as dual diagnosis. It is especially advisable when use has been long and heavy.
Psychological treatment
This is the core of the process. Therapy helps to answer a key question: what was I using for? The substance often served to calm anxiety, escape problems or feel confident socially. Understanding that function makes it possible to learn other ways of facing the same situations. It can be individual, group-based or with the family, and ideally several formats are combined.
Outpatient or residential
In outpatient treatment the person stays at home and attends regular sessions that fit around work or studies. Residential treatment, with admission to a therapeutic community, is reserved for situations in which the person’s surroundings make abstinence very difficult or the dependence is severe. The choice is made after the initial assessment.
Stages of addiction treatment
Every process is different, but most treatments go through these stages:
1. Detoxification
Its aim is for the body to stop depending on the substance safely. It is not always necessary: a doctor decides based on what is being used, how much and the person’s state of health. It can be done at home, with medical follow-up and a family member as the point of reference, or with hospital admission if closer monitoring is needed. At this stage the main weight falls on medical care. More information about detoxification.
2. Breaking the habit
This is the central stage of psychological work. Here the dependence is acknowledged, the person learns how addiction works and identifies the situations, emotions and habits that push them to use. Specific skills are practised: solving problems, managing anxiety, curbing impulses and anticipating high-risk moments. Temporary protective measures are often agreed at this stage, such as someone else managing money or having lab tests.
3. Rehabilitation
What has been learned is put to the test in daily life. Relationships are repaired, routines and responsibilities are taken back and, little by little, the control measures are withdrawn to check that the person stays abstinent with greater independence.
4. Reintegration
The final stretch focuses on taking a full part again in work, training, family and social life. The team checks that the strategies have become established and prepares a plan in case difficulties arise later on.
Withdrawal syndrome: what it is and how it is managed
Withdrawal syndrome is the set of physical and psychological symptoms that appear when a person reduces or stops a substance their body depends on. It varies greatly depending on the drug: it can range from irritability, insomnia and anxiety to shaking, sweating, vomiting or, in severe cases, seizures.
With alcohol and benzodiazepines, withdrawal can be dangerous, so stopping must always be done under medical supervision. With other substances the physical risk is lower, but the discomfort is one of the main reasons people go back to using. In the event of seizures, severe confusion or loss of consciousness, call 112, the European emergency number.
How to overcome an addiction and prevent relapse
Overcoming an addiction is a long, non-linear process. A relapse, that is, returning to the previous pattern of use after a period of abstinence, is common and does not mean all is lost. It is worth distinguishing it from a one-off lapse, which, if handled well, can be a learning opportunity.
Warning signs
- Going back to places or people associated with using.
- Thinking “just this once won’t hurt” or idealising the times when you used.
- Dropping sessions, medication or self-care routines.
- Building up stress, tiredness, isolation or emotional distress without talking about it.
Strategies that help
- Having a written plan for high-risk moments: who to call and what to do.
- Keeping regular hours, rest, meals and physical activity.
- Building a support network and activities that give meaning to your day.
- Staying in touch with the therapy team, even when things are going well.
When to ask for help
Ask for help if you have tried to stop on your own without success, if you feel physically unwell when you cut down, if the addiction is damaging your health, your work or your relationships, or if it exists alongside anxiety, depression or another mental health problem. Families can also seek advice even if the person affected does not yet want treatment.
At Fundación Salud y Comunidad (FSC) you can start with a free first appointment in Barcelona, where we will assess your situation and advise you on the most suitable treatment. Call us on +34 93 424 04 00.
Frequently asked questions
Can you overcome an addiction without help?
Some people manage it, but when there is physical dependence or several failed attempts, professional support greatly improves the chances and avoids risks. With alcohol or benzodiazepines, stopping without medical supervision can also be dangerous.
Is detoxification always necessary?
No. It depends on the substance, the amount used and the person’s state of health. A doctor assesses whether it is needed and whether it can be done at home or requires admission.
How long does addiction treatment last?
There is no single length. The initial phase can be short, but the psychological work and follow-up to prevent relapse usually continue over time and are adjusted to each person’s progress.
Does a relapse mean treatment has failed?
No. Relapses are part of the process for many people. What matters is spotting it early, getting back in touch with the team and analysing what triggered it in order to strengthen the plan.
What can the family do if the person does not want treatment?
The family can seek guidance on their own to learn to communicate better, set limits and look after themselves. This often makes it easier for the person to eventually accept help. Find out about our family support programme.
The treatment of an addiction usually rests on two fundamental pillars: on the one hand, pharmacological treatment, which is not always essential, and on the other, psychological treatment:
In this respect, during the initial detoxification stage, pharmacological treatment allows the person to go from using to not using comfortably, without withdrawal symptoms, with the aim of helping to clear the substance from their body. In later stages of treatment, medication helps to ease the desire to use the substance (craving), thus preventing relapse and stabilising mood, and to manage any other psychiatric conditions the person may have.
In the treatment of an addiction or drug dependence, with people who have spent years using substances that have seriously affected the functioning of the central nervous system, psychopharmacological treatment is highly advisable.
For its part, psychological treatment helps the person discover and understand what role their substance use has played – what they were using for – and then prepares them for life without substances by training them in new skills.