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If it only takes 21 days to break a habit, then you would think kicking your drug or alcohol habit would be easier. In truth, the whole “kick your habit in 21 days” mantra is actually very misleading and when you apply it to substance use disorders, it can do more harm than good.
How Long Does it Take to Break An Addiction?
Self-improvement is popular, and many believe habits can be broken in just 21 days. This idea makes big goals—like exercising, eating better, or quitting tobacco—feel achievable. However, new research shows it actually takes much longer to break a habit.
The concept that a new habit can be formed in about 21 days originated from Dr. Maxwell Maltz’s self-help book Psycho-Cybernetics, which was first published in 1960. Dr. Maltz (a plastic surgeon) observed that it generally took his patients about 21 days to adjust to their new physical features. He then began to observe his own personal adjustments and wrote in his book that it generally required a minimum of 21 days to fully adjust to a major life change such as functioning with an amputated limb or adopting a new diet or a healthier habit.
Unfortunately, things aren’t so cut and dry. In a more recent study, which was published in 2009, researchers from University College London found that the average time it takes for a new habit to stick is 66 days, which is about three times as long as Dr. Maltz reported in his observations. It’s also important to note that the study also found wide variations from person to person, and adopting a new habit often took anywhere from 18 to 254 days.
If you’re trying to break a bad habit, this news may be a bit of a downer, but in truth, the key to breaking any bad habit is having the right mix of motivation, support, behavioral changes, and circumstances.
How Many Days Does it Take to Break an Addiction?
Addiction is a very complex and individualized medical disorder but research indicates that most people need at least 90 days in treatment to experience significant and lasting outcomes.
Medical detox, which is often the first phase of addiction treatment, only breaks a person’s physical addiction to a substance but it does not address psychological addiction, behavioral issues, and mental health problems.
The detox process can take anywhere from five to seven days, but it’s impossible to say exactly how long it will take because the severity and duration of withdrawal vary greatly from person to person.
The amount of time it takes to break an addiction is highly dependent on the person, his or her specific substance abuse problems, and his or her treatment needs. People also progress through recovery programs at varying speeds so it is impossible to determine a specific duration of time in treatment that will work for everyone.
Addiction Recovery: More Than Just Breaking Bad Habits
Although your alcohol or drug abuse may seem like it’s just a bad habit, overcoming a substance use disorder is much more than just breaking a bad habit. While it’s true that part of the recovery process involves developing new, healthier habits and behaviors, addiction is a chronic disease that requires more thorough treatment.
Addiction is an illness that affects the body, mind, soul. It often affects a person’s livelihood too. Generally, it is intertwined with other issues like mental illness, low self-esteem, financial problems, homelessness, criminal behavior, broken relationships, and more. As a result, addiction recovery is a complex process that can’t be oversimplified into a magical 66-day treatment program. In short, there is no easy fix or simple cure for addiction.
Instead, a thorough and comprehensive treatment approach is necessary to overcome any substance use disorder. This often includes some or all of the following treatment components:
- Adequate intake, processing, and assessment
- A fluid treatment plan
- Behavioral therapy and counseling
- Substance use monitoring
- Pharmacotherapy medications
- Clinical and case management
- Self-help/peer support groups
- Continuing care
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Sobriety Tools for a Successful Recovery
Relapse can be a normal part of recovery and should be seen as a temporary setback, not failure. Just like slipping up on a healthy diet doesn’t mean you’ve failed, a relapse offers a chance to reflect, adjust behaviors, and keep moving forward with positive choices.
If you happen to relapse after detox, there are recovery tools, support, and aftercare treatment programs available that can help you get back on track. Examples include:
- Inpatient or outpatient rehab: After detox, rehab is an important next step that will help you reach your sobriety goals by teaching you how to implement healthier habits and behaviors.
- Sober living: A sober living program provides safe, substance-free housing and peer accountability to help you adjust to a sober life outside of a structured rehab program. It also offers additional recovery services like employment assistance, educational planning, and volunteer placement.
- Peer monitoring: A peer monitoring program pairs you with a sober mentor and partner who offers support and guidance as you navigate the ups and downs of early sobriety. He or she will also help you learn how to recognize triggers and warning signs of relapse before it occurs and take action.
Community recovery groups: 12-Step fellowships and other community groups are extremely beneficial for people in recovery because they provide ongoing support, social connection, and opportunities to give back in all stages of recovery.
What Are Common Addiction Treatment Barriers?
There are many barriers that keep people from getting the treatment they need. Depending on the person, their stage of life, and their unique circumstances, getting treatment for addiction could mean choosing between a job and recovery or choosing between personal well-being and the well-being of an entire family.
One study published in the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment found that problem drinkers and drug abusers identified the following types of barriers as being the most powerful:
- Fear of treatment/bad treatment experiences
- A need to conceal drug abuse from a spouse
- Privacy concerns
- The belief that treatment was unnecessary or not beneficial
- Practical and economic issues
Specifically, many individuals may not ask for help because of the following reasons:
- Pride and shame – The need to conceal drug and alcohol abuse from spouses, friends, and co-workers is often based on pride or shame, as a person may not want someone to know that they need help or may be too embarrassed to admit they have a problem.
- Lack of childcare – If a mother is suffering from addiction but does not have access or the means to get childcare for her children, she will be much less likely to enroll in a drug and alcohol detox program and rehab that would require her to be away from home for any amount of time.
- Fear of losing a job – Some individuals may be worried about losing their job or status at work if their employer were to find out that they were seeking treatment for addiction.
- Financial stress – Enrolling in a detox center or rehab program costs money. Therefore, financial stress may cause a person to feel like they don’t have the financial means to enroll in treatment, even if they were to utilize their health insurance benefits.
- Limited access to treatment centers – If an individual lives in an area of the country with limited resources, such as a very rural area, he or she will be much less likely to get the help they need simply because it is not available. In addition, it takes time and resources to travel to a different location for treatment, and this may not always be possible.
Next Steps
Once you’ve asked for help, the hardest part is over. The next logical step for most people is to enroll in a drug and alcohol detox program. Most individuals need to complete drug detox before they can enter a rehab facility. This process simply rids the body of harmful chemicals and toxins from repeated drug and alcohol abuse and prepares the mind, body, and spirit for rehab.
Before enrolling in a program at a detox center, you will likely need to complete a screening either over the phone or in person. This will allow the treatment center to accurately assess your needs and determine whether or not their program is a good fit for you. If it is, a high-quality detox center will have the ability to complete your enrollment that day and begin detox immediately. If they do not, you may want to consider another option.
Medically supervised drug and alcohol detox provides medical care and assistance 24/7 so you can feel safe and secure all throughout your detox process. Many facilities, such as Briarwood Detox Center, are also designed to make you feel right at home, with private or semi-private rooms, chef-prepared meals, and comfortable living spaces where you can relax and focus on healing.
Achieving a full recovery from addiction is much more than just breaking a bad habit. Although correcting harmful habits and lifestyles is an important aspect of addiction recovery, medical detox is just the beginning of the recovery process that requires ongoing commitment and maintenance.
If you are ready to detox and start a new life in recovery, the professionals at Briarwood Detox Center are available to help you. Our drug and alcohol detox programs are individually designed to meet your needs and our staff can help you continue your recovery journey after detox is over. Call (832) 850-4318 today to get started.
