Help quitting drugs Pennsylvania

Deciding to Quit

Deciding to quit often starts when drug use is causing problems in your life, such as health problems, relationship conflicts, or job troubles. You might decide to quit because of family concerns. Sometimes people quit because they are worried about the legal consequences of using drugs. Some people stop using a drug just to see if it's as important to them as they think.

It is not easy to change unhealthy behaviors that have become automatic and habitual. But there is hope! Treatment can help you stop using drugs or drinking alcohol, learn how to avoid relapse, and manage any lingering effects of your drug use.

But don't give up. Be patient with yourself. Many people try different ways of quitting several times before finding a strategy that works for them. Some of these strategies include:

• Cutting back or using less
• Stopping all together

Some people find it helpful to taper off gradually. This means you lower the dose over time until you are drug-free. With this approach, your body has time to adjust to smaller and smaller amounts of the drug before you stop completely. But cutting back slowly may be difficult because you still have cravings for the drug.

If you're worried about drug use, talking with a health professional is a good place to start. Ask questions and listen carefully to the answers. Ask what to expect during treatment and recovery. It's important to be as honest as possible when talking to a health professional. Don't try to conceal drug use from your doctor or counselor. They can help you more if they understand all of your problems.

Why Quitting Alone Can Be Hard

Quitting alone is hard because addiction creates deep changes in your brain that affect everything from how you think to how you feel. Those changes are powerful enough to overcome a lot of other motivations, including the desire to quit using drugs or alcohol. If you try to quit on your own, you're also going up against your whole life. Your triggers, stressors, and other factors may be too strong for you to resist alone.

Quitting alone is hard because addiction is more than just a physical dependence on drugs or alcohol. It's also about changes that happen in your mind and behavior, and these can be difficult to overcome on your own. These include:

• Strong cravings for the drug
• The inability to stop using it when you want to
• Withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, shaking, nausea, and anxiety when not taking it
• Tolerance: needing more of the drug over time to get the same effect

To make matters worse, you may have triggers in your environment that can cause you to use again. These include people you used with, places you went to or things you did while using.

When you stop taking drugs, you may feel:

• Cravings for your drug
• An intense desire to use again
• Irritability or restlessness
• Anxiety over not using
• Depression and suicidal thoughts

These symptoms may be because of the effects of withdrawal, but it can also stem from other issues. These could include low self-esteem, stress in life, unresolved trauma, loneliness, or boredom. Talk to a professional about what works best for you.

Is It Safe to Stop on Your Own?

Benzodiazepines and heavy opioid use make going it alone much more dangerous than for cocaine or methamphetamine. For people who have a high tolerance to benzodiazepine or opioids, such as those who are physically dependent on them, trying to quit abruptly can be very dangerous.

The best way to ensure your safety is to seek professional medical help when quitting any drug.

If you decide to attempt detoxification on your own, do not abruptly quit. This is called "cold turkey" or stopping all at once. The withdrawal symptoms are extremely unpleasant and can cause serious harm to the body.

A safe way to quit benzodiazepines and opioids is by tapering (gradually reducing) dosages. Tapering helps prevent withdrawal symptoms. However, some people do experience side effects, such as insomnia, sweating, nausea, muscle aches, headache, or anxiety when they reduce dosage too quickly. It can be difficult for you to judge how quickly to lower the amount of medicine that you are taking, especially if you have not been working with your doctor in developing a plan. Because of this, it is recommended that you work closely with a medical professional during detoxification.

If you think that stopping or reducing your use of a drug is too much to do alone, seek treatment from an addiction specialist.

Talking to a Doctor

Talking with a doctor about quitting drugs is the first step toward recovery. A primary care provider can help make an assessment or refer you to someone who can provide one. Here are some questions that can help you prepare for your visit:

• Have I tried to quit using drugs before? What happened?
• Do I have any physical problems, such as stomach pain, headaches, or trouble sleeping, because of my drug use?
• Are there other health problems that may be related to my drug use?
• What substances am I using now?
• Am I using alcohol along with other drugs? If so, which ones?
• Has anyone in my family ever had a serious alcohol or drug problem?

Counseling and Medications That Help

Counseling and medications work better together than either one alone. Counseling helps you understand why you started using drugs and provides you with the tools you need to avoid future relapse.

The most common types of counseling are:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy teaches people how to identify and change destructive or difficult behaviors.
• Contingency management gives rewards for positive behavior changes, such as remaining drugfree.
• Motivational interviewing encourages patients to be more motivated to change.

Medications can be used to help people reduce or stop using drugs and to treat the effects of drug abuse. They cannot, however, replace counseling sessions or other behavioral therapies that are essential components in a comprehensive treatment program.

Treatment medications for opioid addiction include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. Naltrexone blocks the effects of illicit opioids by occupying the same receptors in the brain that drugs do. It is given to patients who have been detoxified from opioids and are drug-free so that they can avoid relapsing on prescription pain medications or illicit drugs such as heroin.

Methadone is available through a specialized program that can be found at a clinic. Buprenorphine requires fewer clinic visits than methadone, so it may be more convenient. However, methadone is very effective for many people, and both medications work.

If you are addicted to opioids and ready to stop using them, talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you.

For cocaine addiction, behavioral therapy is the most effective form of treatment. There are no medications currently approved by the FDA to treat cocaine use disorder. Research suggests that people addicted to cocaine may benefit from behavioral therapies including cognitive-behavioral therapy or contingency management.

Staying Safe While You Try to Quit

Staying safe while quitting means planning ahead before starting treatment and being aware of your risk of relapse or overdose. Planning ahead can involve having naloxone available in case you relapse, arranging transportation if you have plans to use a car after withdrawal, and informing friends and family members that you are going through detoxification and when they should call for emergency help.

After quitting opioids, overdose risk rises because people's tolerance is reduced during withdrawal and they may use higher doses or stronger drugs than before. If you or someone close to you has recently detoxed from opioids, keep naloxone in your home, and tell your family and friends about the importance of carrying it with them.

Naloxone is available in two forms: injectable and intranasal. Both forms are easy to use and can be obtained at pharmacies.

There are several steps that can help you prepare for a drug-free life:

• Decide on your reasons for quitting.
• Set up a support system of family, friends and other people you trust.
• Make sure you have the resources you need to handle cravings.
• Know how you will avoid situations where it might be hard to stay clean.

Here are some tips for getting through withdrawal safely:

• Keep all appointments with your doctor.
• Talk to your doctor about any side effects you experience from the medication they prescribe you.
• Keep an eye on your withdrawal symptoms. If they become worse, talk to your doctor.
• Follow the directions for taking medicines prescribed by your doctor.
• Avoid mixing medications and alcohol.

Support From Others

In addition to treatment and counseling, there are other ways to help yourself stop using drugs. It helps to have others around who don't use drugs either or people who will support you in your efforts to stay drug-free. They can encourage you when you want to give up, offer practical help (like driving you to appointments), or remind you of the reasons for quitting.

Support groups are made up of individuals with a common experience and goals that meet regularly with one another to share their experiences and provide support and motivation for staying drug-free. These groups may include former patients, family members, friends, and other interested individuals.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is probably the best known example of this kind of group. There are also groups such as Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Cocaine Anonymous (CA). Support groups offer a safe place for people to practice the skills they have learned in treatment sessions and share their experiences with one another. Some support groups follow a 12-step program, while others encourage participants to set their own goals.

You need support during the quitting process. Even though no one can force you to quit drugs or stay in recovery, friends and family may be able to help you change your behavior. For example:

• Friends can encourage you to quit.
• Family members can offer positive reinforcement for staying drug-free and support you when you have trouble resisting urges.

You also need the support of friends and family who don't use drugs, especially during the first weeks or months after quitting. Spending time with these people gives you a chance to talk about your problems and successes without worrying that they'll be judgmental or give in to drug-related pressure.

Mutual-support groups like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or Smart Recovery can be an important part of the recovery process by providing accountability and a safe place to talk about fears and setbacks without fear of being judged. They're free and available in many locations. You can find them at drug rehab centers, hospitals, community centers, and churches.

Where to Get Help in Pennsylvania

To find help in Pennsylvania, start with your local Single County Authority (SCA) - your local drug and alcohol resource office.

Pennsylvania county drug and alcohol offices coordinate substance use disorder prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support services at the local level and make referrals to match needs with treatment options. They also manage disbursement of federal and state funding for eligible clients who need financial assistance to afford care.

SCAs can provide information on treatment options, connect you with local support groups, and help you navigate the process of getting help for a substance use disorder.

If you're a resident of Pennsylvania with a substance use disorder, it's important that you know there are many services available to you. Some of these include:

• Screening and Assessment
• Medical Detoxification
• Outpatient Care (including Intensive Outpatient Programs)
• Residential Treatment Facilities
• Family Counseling and Therapy
• Self-Help Support Groups

You can also use DDAP's Care Provider Search tool to search for specific types of providers or locations.

You can find licensed treatment providers by searching through Treatment Atlas.

Help quitting drugs by Pennsylvania city

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