Woman dealing with drug and alcohol craving

How to Stop Drug and Alcohol Cravings

The ability to manage drug cravings can be an essential recovery skill. If you’re not able to do this on your own, you may benefit from therapy, education, and/or certain prescription medications.

What Exactly Are Cravings?

Drug cravings are intense, powerful urges to use substances. When someone attempts to end their use of a drug that they have become addicted to, they may continue to experience cravings long after other withdrawal symptoms have subsided.

In some cases, drug cravings occur naturally, such as when a person first stops using a substance and their body struggles to adapt to its absence. 

In other cases, cravings may be triggered by external events or circumstances. For example, if a person who is in recovery from alcohol use disorder (alcoholism) visits a bar or restaurant where they used to drink frequently, the sights, sounds, and even smells in that environment may cause them to experience alcohol cravings again.

Learning to manage alcohol cravings or other drug cravings is an important step on the path toward successful, long-term recovery from addiction.

Why Do Some People Crave Drugs When Others Don’t?

Addiction impacts different people in different ways. The same is true of withdrawal and recovery. Though there are common aspects to all of these experiences, there can also be considerable variations from one person to the next. One of these variations can involve the frequency and intensity of cravings.

Virtually everyone who goes through withdrawal will have some level of cravings. Some people may only experience minor urges, while others may struggle with extensive, long-lasting compulsions.

The likelihood that a person will have drug cravings can be influenced by many factors, including:

  • Which drug they had become addicted to
  • The amount and frequency of their prior substance abuse
  • The effectiveness of their coping strategies
  • Their ability to avoid triggers
  • The type of treatment they receive
  • Neurobiology and genetics

What Are the Ways to Stop Drug and Alcohol Cravings?

There unfortunately isn’t a simple way to eliminate drug and alcohol cravings. But there are a variety of steps you can take to manage these urges, so they don’t derail your recovery. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Practice mindfulness: One of the core tenets of this practice is that you are not controlled by your emotions. Mindfulness can help you acknowledge feelings such as drug cravings, and then let these feelings go without acting upon them. Over time, this can help to release the hold that cravings have on your life.
  • Stay active: Incorporating an enjoyable form of exercise into your daily schedule can yield myriad benefits, including helping you manage drug cravings. When you are actively engaged in an activity that motivates and energizes you, you will be less likely to focus on alcohol cravings or urges to abuse other substances.
  • Know your triggers: Once you have identified the circumstances that can trigger drug cravings, you can change your behaviors to avoid these situations. If it’s impossible to avoid a trigger, you can at least prepare yourself ahead of time so that you can respond in a healthy manner, without resorting to substance abuse. 
  • Resist isolation: Sometimes the simple act of talking to someone else about what you’re going through can help you put your current challenges into proper context. Active addiction can be isolating, but connecting with others can be a valuable means of managing difficult emotions and protecting your recovery.

If Those Don’t Work, What Are My Treatment Options?

If you haven’t been able to overcome or manage your drug cravings on your own, don’t despair. When you find the right type of treatment, your life can get much better. Here are just a few of the many options that may help:

  • Medication: Certain prescription medications can ease alcohol cravings as well as cravings for certain other substances, such as opioids. Depending on what’s best for you, medication can be either a short- or long-term solution.
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a goal-focused form of psychotherapy. If your goal is to become better able to manage drug cravings, CBT sessions can help you identify maladaptive thoughts and beliefs that may be linked to these cravings. Then you can work with your therapist to make the changes that will reduce the impact of future cravings.
  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): Distress tolerance is one of four skills that are often taught through DBT sessions. The other three skills are mindfulness (which we mentioned in the previous section), emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT sessions can be a valuable element of care for someone who has been experiencing strong drug cravings.
  • Holistic services such as music therapy, art therapy, and food and nutrition education can help you make essential lifestyle changes and develop better stress management capabilities, both of which can be beneficial in terms of easing the impact of drug cravings.

At Sanctuary Treatment Center, we’ll work with you to identify the full scope of your needs, then select the therapies and services that can help you achieve personal goals such as learning how to effectively manage drug cravings. 

Contact Our Drug And Alcohol Addiction Treatment Center in Los Angeles, CA

Sanctuary Treatment Center offers a full continuum of customized care for adults who have become addicted to alcohol and other drugs. Programming options at our addiction treatment center in Los Angeles include detoxification, inpatient care, outpatient rehab, and aftercare support. At every level of care, you can expect to receive personalized service and comprehensive support from a team of highly skilled professionals.

To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact Us page or call us today.

The difference between crack vs meth

Crack vs Meth: What are the Differences?

You are probably aware that crack and meth are powerful illegal drugs. But do you understand the similarities and differences between crack vs. meth? Increasing your knowledge of these dangerous substances can help you determine if someone that you know has been abusing them, so you can connect them with appropriate care before it’s too late.

What is Crack?

Crack is a version of cocaine. Instead of appearing as a white powder that can be snorted, crack is baked into small crystalline rocks that can be smoked. The term “crack” refers to the crackling sound these rocks make when they are heated.

Crack produces effects that are similar to powder cocaine. The primary differences between the two versions of the drug are that crack’s effects usually occur faster and become more intense, but they don’t last as long.

Crack use emerged as a serious public health threat in the 1980s. Though rates of crack abuse have declined since then, the drug has not disappeared. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), about 996,000 people ages 12 and above in the United States used crack in the past 12 months.

What is Meth?

Meth is short for methamphetamine. It is sometimes referred to as crystal meth due to its appearance. Like crack, meth is a stimulant. This means that it speeds up the ability of neurons to send and receive messages throughout the central nervous system.

Meth can be ingested in several ways. As a crystal, it can be heated and smoked. It may also be crushed into a powder and snorted, dissolved into a solution and injected, or taken orally in pill form. There is no such thing as safe meth use, but injecting the drug may be particularly dangerous because it can expose a person to HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and other bloodborne diseases.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has reported that an estimated 2.5 million people ages 12 and above in the U.S. used meth in the previous year. NIDA has also reported that about 1.6 million people were addicted to meth in the past 12 months.

Crack vs Meth: Experience

Crack and meth are both stimulants. When someone uses either of these drugs, they are likely to experience effects such as:

  • Euphoric rush
  • Racing heart rate and increased blood pressure
  • Elevated energy and self-confidence
  • Heightened sensitivity to light, sound, and touch
  • Loss of appetite and diminished need for sleep

In terms of a person’s experience when taking these drugs, one of the primary differences between crack vs. meth is the duration of their effects. When someone uses crack, the drug’s effects typically wear off in about 10-15 minutes. When a person ingests meth, the high may last for six to 12 hours.

Crack vs Meth: Addiction

In terms of addiction, there isn’t a significant difference between crack vs. meth. People who use either one of these drugs are at high risk of becoming addicted. 

When the effects of these drugs wear off, they can be followed by a dramatic physical and psychological crash. To prevent this crash from occurring, people often use these drugs multiple times. For example, someone who is in the midst of a meth binge may stay up for several days in a row, taking meth every time they feel their stamina beginning to wane.

The more frequently a person uses crack or meth, the more likely they are to become dependent on it. Once a person has become addicted, it can be extremely difficult for them to end their crack or meth use without professional care.

Crack vs Meth: Dangers

Addiction is just one of many negative outcomes that can result from crack or meth abuse. The following is a quick comparison of the dangers of crack vs. meth.

Potential dangers of crack include:

  • Diminished cognition
  • Cardiovascular distress
  • Liver and kidney damage
  • Malnutrition
  • Hallucinations and delusions
  • Paranoia 
  • Delirium and psychosis

People who use meth for an extended period may incur the following types of harm:

  • Severe dental decay
  • Skin damage due to compulsive scratching and picking
  • Aggressive and violent behaviors
  • Auditory and visual hallucinations
  • Altered brain structure and functioning
  • Memory impairments
  • Psychosis

Though there are a few differences between the dangers of crack vs. meth, it is no exaggeration to note that anyone who abuses either of these drugs exposes themselves to potentially catastrophic damage, up to and including death.

How is Crack Addiction vs. Meth Addiction Treated?

One important similarity between crack vs. meth is that addictions to either of these drugs can be treated. 

The ideal course of treatment for someone who has become addicted to either crack or meth can be influenced by a variety of personal factors, including how long the person has been abusing the drug, how much they have been using, how their life has been affected by their addiction, and if they have any co-occurring mental health concerns.

Many people who have become dependent on crack or meth start their treatment experience with detoxification. Detox is a short-term program that helps people get through withdrawal safely and with minimal distress.

Following detox, a person’s treatment for crack or meth addiction may involve inpatient and/or outpatient care. Within these programs, they may take part is various therapies and support services to help them in the following ways:

  • Replacing maladaptive thought and behavior patterns with healthier ways of thinking and acting
  • Developing better stress-management and coping skills
  • Identifying the triggers that could undermine their recovery
  • Working on strategies for avoiding triggers or responding to them without resorting to substance abuse
  • Beginning to repair relationships that were damaged by their addictive behaviors
  • Sharing support with others who have had similar struggles and who are also working toward a healthier future
  • Connecting with community-based resources that can offer long-term support

Contact Our Crack and Meth Addiction Treatment Center in Los Angeles, CA

If you or someone in your life has become addicted to crack or meth, Sanctuary Treatment Center can help. Our crack and meth addiction treatment center is a trusted source of life-affirming inpatient and outpatient care for adults in the Los Angeles area.

Our team of compassionate professionals works closely with each patient to determine the full scope of their mental and behavioral health needs, and we use these insights to develop customized plans to help our patients end their substance abuse and build a foundation for successful, long-term recovery.

We understand that every person who struggles with crack or meth addiction is impacted in a unique way, and we are committed to providing each patient with a truly individualized experience while they are in our care.

To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.

What is the most addictive drug

What is the Most Addictive Drug?

Some people can use alcohol and certain other substances without becoming addicted. For others, even minimal exposure to a drug leads to the development of a substance use disorder. Why does this happen? What makes drugs addictive – and what is the most addictive drug?

What Makes Drugs Addictive?

According to a report by the U.S. surgeon general, most addictive drugs trigger a flood of the neurotransmitter dopamine in an area of the central nervous system known as the basal ganglia, which controls functions such as learning and reward. The excess dopamine allows neurons in the basal ganglia to communicate more rapidly. Hence producing a sense of euphoria and other pleasurable effects.

Over time, receptors in the basal ganglia adapt to the presence of the substance, and they do not respond at the same level. This means that a person must use larger amounts of the addictive drug in order to achieve the desired effect.

The surgeon general also reports that changes in two other areas – the extended amygdala and the prefrontal cortex – may be responsible for the distressing effects a person feels when they try to stop using a drug that they have become addicted to. 

This combination of a desire for pleasure and a fear of experiencing pain can trap a person in the downward spiral of addiction.

What is the Most Addictive Drug?

Asking what is the most addictive drug is a simple, straightforward request. Unfortunately, this question does not have a simple answer.

Many sources cite heroin (or opioids, which is the category that heroin belongs to) as the most addictive drug. Heroin and other opioids do, indeed, have a high risk of abuse and addiction. In addition, once a person becomes dependent on them, the distress of withdrawal can make it very difficult to stop using them.

Cocaine and methamphetamine are also commonly included in discussions about what is the most addictive drug. These substances both cause an intense rush, followed by a painful physical and emotional crash. This can prompt a person to abuse them multiple times. This can increase the odds that the individual will become addicted.

Given the millions of people who have become addicted to alcohol and nicotine, these two substances may also merit consideration as possible answers to this question.

Here are a few reasons why it’s so difficult to identify what is the most addictive drug:

  • The signs and symptoms of addiction can be very different from one person to the next.
  • It is impossible to accurately identify how many people have used a drug and how many have become addicted to it. 
  • Does “most addictive” refer to how quickly addiction occurs, or how difficult it is to overcome?

Ease of access and cultural acceptance can also influence rates of abuse and addiction. For example, in the United States, nicotine use and addiction were much more prevalent decades ago, when there were few laws restricting where and when people could smoke. On a related note, one of the reasons why some people in the U.S. find it so difficult to resist the compulsion to drink is because alcohol has been so thoroughly incorporated into so many facets of life. 

Though it may be impossible to achieve universal consensus on what is the most addictive drug, it may be much easier to determine which substances should be included in an expanded list of the most addictive drugs.  

List of the Top 10 Most Addictive Drugs

Here, in alphabetical order, are 10 substances that many experts would agree are among the world’s most addictive drugs:

  1. Alcohol
  2. Amphetamine
  3. Barbiturates
  4. Benzodiazepines
  5. Cocaine
  6. Heroin
  7. Marijuana
  8. Opioid Agonists
  9. Methamphetamine
  10. Nicotine

Dangers of These Addictive Drugs

When someone abuses these addictive drugs, they can expose themselves to immediate and long-term harm. 

The types of dangers that can result from addictive drugs can vary considerably from one substance to the next. These dangers can also be magnified by factors such as the individual’s age, gender, and metabolism; if they have a mental health condition; and if they have been engaging in polysubstance abuse (abusing multiple drugs at the same time). 

Depending on these factors, here are some of the many potential negative effects that can result from the abuse of addictive drugs:

  • Memory problems and other cognitive deficiencies
  • Physical injuries due to impaired coordination and judgement
  • Malnutrition and other health concerns due to poor self-care
  • Damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and other organs
  • Onset or worsening of co-occurring mental illness
  • Exposure to HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and other bloodborne diseases
  • Increased risk of certain types of cancer
  • Legal problems, including being arrested, fined, and/or incarcerated
  • Inability to get and keep a job
  • Ruined relationships with friends and family members
  • Financial devastation
  • Social withdrawal and isolation
  • Homelessness
  • Suicidal thoughts and behaviors
  • Overdose
  • Death

It is important to understand that, contrary to a persistent myth, you don’t have to incur overwhelming damage (or “hit rock bottom”) before you can benefit from professional care. The moment you realize that you have a problem with alcohol, cocaine, heroin, or any other addictive substance, you can begin your recovery journey. 

Get Help Today at Our Los Angeles Addiction Treatment Centers 

Sanctuary Treatment Center is a respected provider of personalized care for adults who have become addicted to alcohol and other drugs. Treatment options at our rehab center in Los Angeles include detoxification, inpatient care, and outpatient programming. At every level of care, you can expect to receive customized services in a safe and respectful environment. 

With the help of our skilled treatment professionals, you can end your substance abuse, regain control of your behaviors, and begin to live a healthier, drug-free life. To learn more or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact Us page or call us today.  

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