If you struggle with addiction, you are not alone. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 48.5 million people suffered from a substance use disorder in 2023.[1]
Addiction can cause a lot of changes in your life, including relationship problems, mental and physical health concerns, financial distress, and even legal troubles. That said, it can also hijack your brain, causing compulsive drug-seeking behavior that leads to a cycle that is hard to break.
Addiction changes the way your brain works, so part of recovery involves rewiring your brain back to a healthy state. You want to stop the processes in your brain that cause you to crave drugs and alcohol. Thankfully, a few simple tricks will allow your brain to heal.
When healing your brain after addiction, you should begin repairing your self-image, change negative patterns of behavior, implement healthy routines, and participate in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
In this article, you will learn:
- How addiction changes the human brain
- What it means to rewire your brain after drug addiction
- Tips and tricks for healing your brain in the recovery process
What Does it Mean to Rewire the Brain in Addiction Recovery?
Certain parts of the brain – like the prefrontal cortex – work to regulate emotions, make decisions, and process rewards. When you are abusing addictive substances, they hijack this part of the brain to cause compulsive drug-seeking behavior. This is why it is so hard to stop abusing drugs and alcohol.
As your addiction progresses, your brain structure will go through neuroplastic changes.[2] These changes are what cause the cycle of addiction, trapping you in a pattern of drug abuse and cravings. Because addiction causes changes to the way your brain functions, you’ll need to rewire your brain during the recovery process.
When you do something that causes your brain to feel rewarded, it rewires to crave that thought or action. Since you are recovering from addiction, rewiring your brain involves replacing the reward you got from drugs and alcohol with a positive or healthy behavior. You could train your brain to receive rewards and pleasure from exercise, meditation, social connection, and more.
Ways to Heal Your Brain After Addiction
Rewiring your brain after addiction can take time. However, there are some simple methods you can engage in that will increase your chances of making long-term changes to the way your brain works.
If you are trying to heal your brain after addiction, you should:
Work on Your Self-Image
Your first step should be working on your perception of yourself. You can observe your actions and how they affect you and the world around you. If you are frequently engaging in negative self-talk, you might be more susceptible to leaning on unhealthy coping mechanisms.
One way to improve your self-esteem is to use positive affirmations. Saying statements like “I have the power to change,” or “I am strong enough to overcome this” can help you rewire your brain to have the confidence you need to make lasting changes.
Change Negative Behaviors
The most important step when trying to rewire your brain is altering your behaviors. During addiction, most behaviors you engaged in were efforts to obtain and use drugs. Now that you are sober, you need to learn how to use healthy behaviors to cope with cravings and urges to abuse substances.
The next time you have an urge to abuse drugs or alcohol, acknowledge that you are experiencing a craving. Then, instead of succumbing to your craving, replace substance abuse with positive behaviors like meditation, breathing techniques, exercise, or yoga. This will teach your brain that there are healthy ways to experience reward and pleasure.
Implement Healthy Practices
When you are rewiring your brain, you need to engage in activities that provide you with positive feelings. Doing this will teach your brain that there are healthy ways to experience happiness and improve your cognitive functioning at the same time.
Examples of healthy practices to implement in your daily life include:
- Eating a balanced diet and staying hydrated
- Sticking to a healthy sleep routine
- Developing a regular meditation schedule
- Staying active and exercising regularly
- Participating in weekly addiction support groups
- Spending time with loved ones and close friends
- Making time out of each day to engage in self-care
Participate in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Lastly, the best way to rewire your brain after addiction is by participating in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with a professional psychologist. You can receive CBT in your addiction treatment center or at a private practice with a therapist.
To explain, CBT is a behavioral therapy that teaches you how to identify negative behavioral patterns, shows you how to engage in positive behaviors, and arms you with healthy coping mechanisms and emotional regulation techniques. It is an evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders, which means research has proven that it is effective in reducing addictive behaviors.[3]
Get Connected to a Top-Rated Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center
If you or a loved one suffers from alcohol and drug addiction, it’s time to seek professional help. Addiction treatment programs like the Mandala Healing Center can help you overcome withdrawal symptoms, learn how to avoid triggers and teach you how to rewire your brain to avoid addiction in the future.
Contact us today for more information on our highly-rated addiction treatment center.
References:
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Highlights for the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
- Harvard Health Publishing: Brain plasticity in drug addiction: Burden and benefit
- Science Direct: Evidence-based practices for substance use disorders