Switching Addictions: Are You Trading One Addiction for Another?

If you have ever been a drug addict or an alcoholic, you know that these substances take over your life.

If you are not already high or drunk, you are probably thinking about getting high or drunk. When you go through a drug or alcohol detox program, that substance is removed from your life, and suddenly you are left with what feels like a big hole. 

Why Recovering Addicts Trade Addictions

Many recovering addicts struggle to fill the void left behind from their substance abuse problems. Before, their addiction consumed their lives; now they are starting over without them. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to fill this gap and some recovering addicts find themselves substituting one addiction for another.

Are You Looking for Someone to Take Care of You?

It is nice to have someone there for you and someone to count on, but dating to find someone to take care of you is not the answer. It is important that you can stand on your own two feet emotionally and financially before you bring someone else into the picture.

This is a common response because while someone may have quit using heroin after an opioid detox, they may not be fully cured of their addiction problems. Addiction is a disease that usually has psychological and mental ties. Although the substance abuse stops, the recovering addict may still be craving the high that drugs provide or trying to find a means of dealing with emotional distress. Addiction replacement can provide them with another way to get “high” or cope.

The Dangers of Trading One Addiction for Another

Substituting one addiction for another can be dangerous to a person’s health, finances, and overall well-being. While substance abuse often comes with serious negative consequences, other addictions can be just as harmful. It can lead to unhealthy coping strategies as well as a series of secondary problems depending on the new vice.

Even if the new addiction is a healthy habit, trading one addiction for another is still harmful. Too much of anything can lead to problems. It could eventually lead you back to your substance abuse as well because the underlying root causes of your addiction are still there.

Common Substitute Addictions

While replacement addictions can be just about anything, some common examples of recovering addicts trading one addiction for another may include a new addiction to

• Exercising
• Gambling
• Eating
• Work
• Sex or porn
• Religion
• Alcohol (for former drug addicts)

If you fear that you may be replacing one addiction for another, get help. It is important to face this new addiction head on before it too spins out of control or you find yourself falling back into bad habits. At our Boca Raton rehab center, we help patients address the underlying mental health problems connected to their substance abuse and help them avoid addiction replacement.

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Whether you need help for yourself or have a loved one in need, at Banyan Boca, we want to help. To learn more, call us now at 888-280-4763.