1 in 10 Americans has resolved a significant substance abuse problem in their life. The UK will not be that different. While many people have dealt with drug or alcohol addiction, there are ways to recover & stay sober.
Perhaps the most important part of addiction recovery & staying sober is being abstinent.
Abstinence recovery is a treatment strategy that requires you to avoid all substances. This is a great option if you are addicted to alcohol or drugs, as it can help you avoid your bad habits. In many cases, it is easier to completely give up substances rather than trying to manage or regulate your substance abuse.
“Moderation” is not always an option. In many cases, there are no safe amounts of alcohol or drug use for people in recovery, & it can lead to a relapse.
Although abstinence recovery programs can be difficult to start, they are one of the best ways to ensure that you stay sober for years to come.
Why…?:
✅ Removes Temptation
By giving up alcohol or drugs completely, it is easier to stay sober and have a life-long recovery.
✅ Makes Clearer Goals
Abstinence recovery programs allow you to set clearer goals for your recovery. When you are addicted to drugs or alcohol, the end goal is to live a substance-free life. Abstinence gives you a clear goal for your recovery & will keep you from consuming addictive substances.
✅ Reduces Risk of Relapsing
One of the most important reasons you should choose to abstain from addictive substances when you are recovering from addiction is that it can reduce your risk of relapsing.
✅ Makes It Easier to Seek Professional Treatment
Often, people who choose to moderate their substance abuse rather than cutting addictive substances out entirely think that they have control over their addiction. It can trick them into thinking that they can still consume these substances without getting any help.
However, choosing complete abstinence can make it easier to seek professional help for your addiction recovery. When you understand that you are reliant on your drug or alcohol use, it makes it clear that you cannot overcome it by yourself.
✅ Increases Likelihood of Long-Term Sobriety
With abstinence, it shows that you are no longer controlled by these substances & you can prove to yourself that you are capable of living a substance-free life.
So how can you monitor or prove abstinence? Traditional testing methods such as urinalysis or saliva testing may appear “cheap” initially but require frequent & timely visits & are not really “fit for purpose” when looking for abstinence monitoring. They can be easily cheated & manipulated & the whole process can often carry a stigma. They don’t promote or strongly motivate the person being tested & can often miss “one off” drug use.
DrugPatch is the only reliable testing method for continuous drug abstinence monitoring.
To find out more about the huge benefits (including better outcomes & overall cost savings) email info@drugpatch.co.uk or go to our Contact Us page.
