Young People Ask . . .

How Can I Recover From Drug Abuse?

As more and more young people experiment with drugs, the question of how to recover from drug abuse takes on greater importance. This article deals with the emotional aspects of recovery. We publish it to help those who are struggling to break free from drugs. At the same time, it is our hope that being made aware of what is involved in recovery will help other youths to avoid getting involved with drugs in the first place.

“WHEN I first stopped using drugs, I had trouble identifying my feelings,” recalls Allen. “At times, I didn’t know if I was happy or sad. My frequent displays of violent anger were often triggered by insignificant events. I just didn’t know how to control my emotions.”

An unusual experience? Not really. It’s quite common for recovering drug abusers to have some trouble with their emotions when they first stop using drugs. The problem is, though, that often the tendency is to seek relief by going back to drugs. Hence, it’s important that they learn to maintain good emotional health.a But how?

Recovering Emotionally

Allen, who is starting his second year of drug-free life, says: “To really keep a handle on my emotions, while adding structure to my life, I try to follow one simple rule: Don’t get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. (As a memory aid, think of the word h-a-l-t.) I find that when I stick to this rule, I feel my best both physically and emotionally.” Yes, consider what drug rehabilitation experts say about avoiding these four things:

Hungry: Hunger, with its accompanying drop in the blood-sugar level, can cause irritability and depression, say the experts. Therefore it’s essential that at regular intervals the recovering drug abuser eat a well-balanced meal, including vegetables, fruit, and protein. And, of course, he’d do well to avoid junk foods​—simple carbohydrates such as candy, cake, cookies, and soft drinks containing sugar. It is also recommended that he avoid alcohol in the light of its mood-changing properties.b

Angry: Uncontrolled anger poses a real danger to recovery. Anger causes you to do and say things you may later regret. This, in turn, causes feelings of guilt, depression, and low self-esteem, any of which could easily lead the recovering drug abuser back to drugs. The Bible tells us to “be wrathful, and yet do not sin.” (Ephesians 4:26) So although you may be justifiably angry at times, you’re still responsible to control such anger. So ask yourself: ‘Why am I angry? What can I constructively do about the situation?’ Try talking things over with a responsible adult before you say or do something you’ll later regret. Express how you feel in a calm, mature way. Talking out your feelings is one of the best ways of dealing with them.

Lonely: Loneliness can trigger such negative feelings as self-centeredness, envy, self-pity, depression. Once again the danger exists that such negative feelings may send the former abuser back to drugs, looking for relief. When you find yourself feeling lonely, try calling a close friend to talk about your feelings. (Proverbs 17:17) Or try talking to one of your parents. A good way to combat loneliness is to make yourself available to help others. Remember, “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”​—Acts 20:35.

Tired: Reportedly, this more than any other factor can cause failure in one’s recovery. Being tired not only can make you irritable and depressed but can also cloud your thinking. Therefore, it is highly recommended that the recovering drug abuser have a structured sleep pattern, that he go to bed and get up at regular times so as to get a good night’s sleep.

In a practical way, how does all of this work? Explains Allen: “If I feel irritable or depressed during the course of the day, I just stop and think: ‘Am I too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired?’ Often just a simple adjustment in one of these areas puts me on the road to feeling better​—without drugs!”

Needed​—A More Meaningful Relationship

Often a drug abuser develops a close relationship with his drugs​—he relies on drugs to feel secure, happy, or more comfortable in difficult situations.

Recalls Fred, who used drugs for a number of years: “Social events were a nightmare. I was shy and uncomfortable around people. I felt a wrenching feeling in the pit of my stomach, a feeling that I didn’t belong. The only solution I could see was to use drugs to loosen up. But it wasn’t long before the trouble started.” What kind of trouble? “I was arrested twice,” he continues, “once for disorderly conduct and once for driving while intoxicated. Both times I was high on something.”

If it’s not trouble with the law, the drug abuser may find himself in trouble with his teachers at school. Or his relationship with loved ones becomes strained. If things get bad enough, he may try to stop using drugs. But unless he replaces the lost relationship he had with drugs with something more meaningful, he may find himself returning to drugs. As Dr. Sidney Cohen wrote in The Journal of the American Medical Association: “Persons do not stop the use of mood-altering drugs until they discover something better.”

Finding “Something Better”

Both Allen and Fred found “something better” than drugs. They began to study the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Through a study of God’s Word the Bible, they learned about God’s endearing qualities and how to develop a father-child relationship with him.

Allen puts it this way: “Learning of God’s mercy has drawn me so close to him that I can approach life with confidence. I’m happier now than I’ve ever been.” Fred agrees, adding: “Although some days are better than others, I can truthfully say that I’ve found an inner peace that I never had with drugs.” This “peace of God” that ‘guards one’s heart and mental powers’ is promised to those who develop a close relationship with God.​—Philippians 4:6, 7.

Such peaceful contentment is unmatched by any artificial means, and it can help you deal with problems you have little or no control over, such as sickness or perhaps the death of a loved one. (Ecclesiastes 9:11) You can likewise find strength to tackle day-to-day challenges​—effectively dealing with others who mistreat you or trying to cope with days when everything seems to go wrong!

When problems crop up, learn to draw on your relationship with God through prayer. Share with him your deepest thoughts, feelings, and needs. Tell him your fears, your anxieties, your disappointments. Express your joys and thanks. Such deeply felt prayer, when uttered “in faith,” will help calm your heart. (James 1:6-8) Remember what the apostle said​—such earnest petitions bring “the peace of God” that will ‘guard your heart’ and help you not to be “anxious over anything.”

The closer you draw to Jehovah, the more you will sense his interest in your life, just as an infant can sense the love of a caring parent. And each obstacle you overcome with God’s help will become a building block of faith, which will serve as a wall of protection, securing your emotional well-being.

Yes, to be successful in recovery, the former drug abuser needs to replace drugs with peaceful contentment such as that resulting from a close relationship with God. Such a relationship will enable him to enjoy life without turning back to drugs for a false sense of security. As Fred, who now has been off drugs for over three years, put it: “I’ve found an inner peace that I never had with drugs.”

[Footnotes]

[Blurb on page 15]

“I try to follow one simple rule: Don’t get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired”

[Blurb on page 17]

“I’ve found an inner peace that I never had with drugs”

[Picture on page 16]

Recovering drug abusers should avoid alcohol in view of its mood-changing properties