Behaviors to avoid after rehab

Behaviors to Avoid While Recovering From Addiction If drugs are so addictive, why aren't even more people addicted to drugs? While many adults drink the occasional beer or glass of wine, most are not alcoholics. Is there a reason that some people become addicted to drugs and alcohol while others don't? The answer may be that 10% to 15% of Americans could have what is referred to as an 'addictive personality.' This term describes someone with a combination of personality traits (or possibly even genetic makeup) that makes them more likely to become addicted to a drug than the average person. For those with an addictive personality, life is a constant battle to keep obsessive or destructive urges under control. While it's already difficult for someone with an addictive personality to kick a drug habit, additional difficulty lies during the process of becoming sober. This is because once the person starts to get drug-free, he may find that he starts substituting a different addiction in place of the original one. For this reason, it's important that all addicts practice moderation and self-control in their lives. There are several behaviors that addicts should avoid while recovering from addiction.

Comfort Eating

Many addictive behaviors begin in order to 'fill a hole' or help cover some difficulty the addict is having in life. One such behavior an addict should avoid is comfort eating. 'Comfort eating' is when a person eats not because they are hungry, but because he or she is trying to relieve stress or cope with some negative emotion. Someone with an addictive personality can tell himself that eating in stressful situations is healthier than doing drugs or drinking alcohol, and to a degree it probably is. Constant and unnecessary overeating, however, can themselves lead to serious health problems. When an addict is recovering from an addiction, it is important that he or she eat healthy foods in proper quantities. This healthy eating is necessary to help the addict recover from the malnourishment that usually accompanies addiction. Self-control is vital, though, to make sure that the addict doesn't overdo it with any type of food.

Gambling

Another common addictive behavior is gambling. The number of casinos in the United States is rising, and experts say that 4 to 6 million Americans are problem gamblers. The problem is that gambling itself can produce a high very similar to that of drugs. Compulsive gambling stimulates the same area of the brain as cocaine. When an addict is trying to recover from a drug addiction, he or she needs to avoid gambling at all costs, lest they replace one serious addiction with another. Also, while gambling may not have the same immediate and destructive health effects as using meth or heroin, the destructive effects of this addiction can simply take longer to manifest. Compulsive gamblers often report feeling anxiety, depression and other stress-related problems.

Self-Control

While it's easy to assume that self-control (or the lack thereof) plays a major role in addiction, there is also scientific observation that the two are linked as well. It's very important, then, that an addict practice self-control and moderation in his or her life. This can be extremely difficult due to physical, chemical dependence on a drug, but as in most things dealing with addiction, a balanced approach is key. Addicts should practice not engaging in any potentially damaging behaviors to an extreme level, or they may find that they have simply swapped one addiction for another.

References: 

• Addictive Personality: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/look-it-way/200903/the-addictive-personality 
• Comfort Eating: http://www.helpguide.org/life/emotional_eating_stress_cravings.htm 
• Obesity Health Problems: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/ 
• Healthy Eating for Recovering Addicts: http://alcoholicsvictorious.org/faq/diet.html 
• Number of Casinos in the US: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_162-57583065/luck-turning-for-u.s-casinos/ 
• Number of Problem Gamblers in the US: http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2013/03/28/gambling-addicts-seduced-by-growing-casino-accessibility 
• Gambling and Health Problems: http://www.problemgambling.ca/EN/AboutGamblingandProblemGambling/Pages/TheEffectsOfGambling.aspx 
• Addiction and Self-Control: http://emlab.berkeley.edu/~rabin/addiction_self-control_rabin.pdf