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Published: 12/6/2021

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, you are far from alone. In fact, 1 in 10 Americans will experience substance use disorder (SUD) in their lifetimes, and only a small portion will ever seek treatment.

Well, it's best to know what you're getting into before making the decision to quit. Luckily, we can make that simple for you. Let's talk about addiction and the timeline most people take.

How Addiction Affects the Body

SUD is a health condition that affects people from all walks of life and should never be considered a "weakness" or a "personality trait."

No matter what kind of substance is being used, addiction generally works the same. Although, there is a distinction to make between psychological dependence and physical addiction.

Physical addiction is characterized by a chemical imbalance and dependence. For example, most drugs (including alcohol) mimic the effects of neurotransmitters like dopamine or serotonin. When your brain is flooded with these similar chemicals, it stops producing them and instead relies on the substance for pleasure and normal brain functioning over time.

This leads to physical withdrawal symptoms that are different depending on the substance, but usually include:

• Tremors
• Vomiting
• Intense cravings
• Nausea
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Sweating
• Fever

The list goes on. Physical addiction is mainly the type that we will focus on, but it often comes alongside psychological dependence, which is often more challenging to overcome.

A psychological dependence is when you believe that you need to use something in order to function with or without physical addiction. This can even lead to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, or even physical manifestation.

For example, marijuana is not believed to be physically addictive. However, somebody can easily become psychologically dependent on marijuana (or anything) to get through their day, which is often more challenging to overcome initially.

The reason that psychological dependence is often stronger than physical addiction is that you can force yourself to get through withdrawals if you really want to, but beating a mindset is not as simple.

Basically, you can psychologically overcome a physical addiction but you can't physically stop a psychological one. In every event, your brain runs the show. When the two coincide, it's even more challenging.

Addiction Recovery Timeline

Whether it's sex addiction, drug addiction, or alcohol addiction, timelines for recovery are often similar. Here is what to expect for general recovery but remember, everybody will experience this process differently.

1. Detox

Detox is the hardest part of recovery on a physical level. However, there is a common mistake among those in recovery that once that's done, the hard part is over. While that is true for physical symptoms, addiction does not go away after withdrawals subside.

However, detox is the process of your body cleansing itself from the substance you were abusing, and it takes different amounts of time depending on the type and intensity of the addiction. Different substances will have different withdrawal times, but in general, you can expect them to be clear after 2 weeks.

For most substances, withdrawal symptoms peak between 48 and 72 hours and steadily improve over the next few days, and up to 14 days total. Once this process is complete, there should be no more physical symptoms left to worry about.

2. Rehabilitation

This is the period when inpatient rehab is most critical after detox. During this process, patients will need to learn the necessary tools to live a sober life, treat underlying mental health conditions (if applicable), and remain away from substances.

Some people choose outpatient help, but there is no substitute for the controlled environment that inpatient facilities offer. In a rehab setting, patients won't have the option of relapsing but instead will be provided with medical staff, therapy services, group counseling, and recreational activities to occupy their minds.

Every center will offer different programs, so we can't give too many specific details. It's highly recommended that you look into a program before enrolling to find the best help, but we'll go into that later.

On average, stays in rehab last between 30 and 60 days, often (but not always) including the initial medical detox treatment. Some will be longer, but this is the general length of stay.

3. Readjusting

Next is the period when patients must learn to adapt to their everyday lives while remaining sober. During this period, recovering addicts will need to make serious lifestyle changes, develop healthy routines and habits, gain employment, and remain sober.

Readjusting can be easy for some, especially if they managed to treat their addiction early enough. However, it could take years for others. Timing will depend entirely on the individual, but outpatient services will speed up the process.

Everybody in this stage should attend meetings regularly, remain in contact with sponsors, attend counseling, and surround themselves with the right people to ensure a smooth transition.

4. Maintaining Abstinence

If detox is the hardest physically, this is the hardest mentally. Yes, by this point you will have adjusted to your sober life and you will likely be more comfortable moving forward. However, this is also the longest period by far.

During this period, it's critical that those in recovery continue practicing healthy habits like their exercise routines, diets, hobbies, and positive social interactions.

Addiction recovery is a lifelong journey, and maintaining abstinence will be the longest portion of your journey, as it lasts until the end of your life. Hopefully, you will have the tools and will to carry on for the duration.

How Long Does It Take To Overcome Addiction?

Here's the thing; that's a difficult question to answer for two reasons.

First, addiction is a lifelong disease that is never truly overcome, but rather managed. A person in recovery will still be an addict even if they have been sober for 10 years, they will have just found better ways to cope and lead a sober life. That's an important distinction to make.

Second, addiction recovery is a journey that is unique to the individual, so times vary widely. There are a number of genetic and environmental factors, as well as the intensity and duration of the addiction.

For example, somebody who has been drinking large amounts of wine daily for 3 years is almost certainly an alcoholic.

However, they may have an easier time adjusting to a sober lifestyle than somebody who has been abusing whisky daily for 20 years. Or, they may not!

However, because of these clauses, let's agree to apply the term "overcoming" to comfortably living a sober life. Most recovering addicts will remember the moment when they realize how much better life is sober, so that is the measure that we will use.

In that case, the initial withdrawals and early recovery need to take place before this is met. For most people, this will take between 3 to 6 months to enter the "maintaining abstinence" phase.

Why This Long?

You may be wondering how we arrived at that figure. Keep in mind, it could be slightly shorter or a lot longer for certain individuals. Although, this is a good general timeline.

First, detox is a very difficult and uncomfortable process, and that usually takes between 1 to 2 weeks for symptoms to subside.

Next, there is the period of care in the form of inpatient rehab treatment or intensive outpatient treatment. This is the phase where people learn coping skills and the tools they need to live a sober life, and this usually lasts for up to 2 months.

Lastly, there is the adjustment period. Going from rehab to outside life is challenging, as you will need to end toxic relationships and mend positive ones, learn how to keep yourself productive, and how to refrain from substances on your own accord.

Because this period is so challenging, many patients choose to enter a sober living home as an intermediary between rehab and life.

However, this is the process that varies the most, which is how we arrived at 3 to 6 months. It could take one person a couple of weeks to adjust to a sober life and it could take another a couple of years. However, 1 to 3 months on your own is a good range to plan for.

How To Make the Process Easier

Let's be very clear and say that the process won't be easy. However, there are ways to make the process a little less complicated and more achievable. Remember, you don't have to do this alone.

1. Finding Help

Studies all suggest that inpatient rehab is the most effective form of treatment for addiction. It's important that you do your research and find the right facility for your needs.

For example, if you have an underlying mental health condition like depression, anxiety, or PTSD, then a facility with dual diagnosis treatment is bound to be right for you.

Whatever your own personal needs are, do some research into prospective facilities and ensure that they offer the services you require. Always do your diligence and ensure that the center is accredited and accepts your insurance.

2. Intervening

If you are reading this because you are concerned about a loved one, then first of all, good for you. They need you now more than ever. However, you likely have questions about how to support a loved one with an addiction.

First, you should take the previous advice and look for help for them. An intervention is a great option to help your loved one, and it will be even more effective if you have options prepared for them if it is successful. Don't give them time to change their mind.

Next, you should only gather people who have your loved one's best interest at heart and make expectations clear. Nobody should be berating, belittling, or airing out dirty laundry.

Your loved one should feel comfortable around the people that you invite and those people should only prepare statements that help the individual. If you're unsure about a person or a statement being beneficial, it's better to err on the side of caution. When in doubt, leave it out.

Lastly, keep in mind how delicate the situation is. You're trying to convince someone to make a dramatic lifestyle change, so remember that that cannot be done by force. Threatening will not help in this situation, so try to be as supportive and persuasive as possible, especially when dealing with psychological addiction.

3. Find Ongoing Support

Similar to what we mentioned about detox, there is a common misconception that rehab is a one-and-done treatment plan. Well, patients are not "cured" simply by attending rehab, which is why ongoing support after rehab is so important.

The misconception carries dangerous implications, as even the best rehab facilities have between a 40% and 60% relapse rate.

After rehab, people need to attend meetings, therapy sessions, and receive ongoing support from their loved ones. Without that, the chances of relapsing are much greater.

Meetings will help hold you accountable and keep your motivations high as time passes. Your loved ones will need to play a major role in this as well by spending quality time and keeping spirits high, especially during difficult times like the holidays.

Start Your Journey Today

If you're intimidated by the idea of a longer timeline for recovery than you thought, don't be. Remember, you have many years of life ahead of you, so a few months will seem like nothing down the road.

Make the best decision you'll ever make today and start looking for treatment options. Keep reading our blog for more information and feel encouraged to apply online today for enrollment.