Throughout that process, he learned the importance of helping others and living by spiritual principles. Throughout his recovery, James has used his personal story to help make a difference in the lives of others. Over the years he grew into becoming an advocate for people in recovery or seeking recovery how to break the addiction cycle from substance use disorders. James is a CCAR Recovery Coach and believes in developing meaningful relationships, and providing highly individualized therapy and client care. In 2017, James had the opportunity to combine his business experience and passion for recovery to start The Freedom Center.

She works with The Freedom Center team to develop and implement policies, procedures and oversees Intakes and Transportation. Alexandra works with Admissions and Clinical Departments for scheduling client admissions, transfers, discharges and outside appointments while maintaining positive relationships with all clients. Her primary focus is to provide all clients with a safe, structured environment while coordinating their care. Alexandra understands addiction from both familial and personal standpoints, as she is active in her own recovery. Alexandra is a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend and has learned the value of recovery and succeeding in whatever she sets her mind to. Her innovative approach as Director of Operations gives her clients a safe and compassionate place at The Freedom Center to begin their recovery journey.

Action Stage

These stages can be represented as a cycle, and in theory, people should go through these stages in sequence. In reality, people can jump about between stages, go backward and forward, and even be in more than one stage at a time. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine.

• An individual can move on to the next step of addiction when alcohol or drugs become increasingly important in their life.
• Someone struggling with mental health issues or unresolved trauma may also turn to a substance to escape from the negative emotions.
• When someone fails to function in a normal capacity without having used a substance, dependence on that substance is evident.
• At Recovery at the Crossroads, the best New Jersey addiction treatment center, individuals find a welcoming environment where they discover how good it feels to live substance-free.
• Corey’s mission is to provide quality behavioral health care to local community members who reach out in need, regardless of their financial situation.

It takes time to get used to life without an addiction, even if your support and alternative ways of coping are good. Precontemplation is the first stage in the stages of change model of addiction and behavior change. People in the precontemplation stage typically do not consider their behavior to be a problem. This may be because they have not yet experienced any negative consequences of their behavior, or it may be a result of denial about the negativity or severity of the consequences they have experienced. This model was developed from research looking at how change occurs in “natural recovery” from addictions. It has been embraced by health care providers seeking to move away from confrontational and pathological approaches toward motivational and person-centered approaches, such as motivational interviewing.

Break the Cycle of Addiction Today

Current research has indicated that the effects of dopamine from drugs are much more exhilarating than the dopamine produced naturally. Written by John R. Williams, MA LMHC, Mental Health Therapist for The Center • A Place of HOPE. John seeks to empower individuals to find peace and fulfillment and establish warm and robust relationships. Addiction happens when someone continues to use even after the negative consequences start popping up.

The good news is that if you can identify that you’re in an early stage of substance abuse, you can break the cycle before full-blown addiction occurs. Similarly, when rehab doesn’t work, you can’t immediately jump to the conclusion that rehab is the issue. You have to step back and holistically examine your approach by assessing what’s working and what isn’t.

How Long Does it Take to Make a Habit?

Sometimes peer pressure even plays a role in this regard, but whatever the reason may be, initial use is always the first stage of addiction. Maintenance can also become difficult when the stress of life catches up with you and the old, familiar ways of coping—the addictive behavior—re-surface. This is why it is important to learn new ways of coping with stress during the action stage so that alternative strategies will be available to you during the maintenance stage.

The staff at Miracles Recovery Center, located in Port St. Lucie, Florida, is ready to take your call and work with you or your loved one to break the cycle of addiction and begin the path to recovery. It is never too late to begin the process of having and maintaining a sober life. Those who seek treatment for substance abuse might experience a period of sobriety but then relapse. Relapse does not mean that they will never maintain sobriety, but it indicates that they should try a different approach to treatment. Without healthy coping skills and relapse prevention strategies, those in recovery will struggle to stay out of the cycle of addiction. For treatment to be successful, it must address the complex issues the addicted person faces.

Tolerance is what is referred to when a consistent volume of a substance is no longer producing the desired effect, and a larger volume is necessary to reach the effect. Over time, when drugs or alcohol are used, a person’s brain will register that pleasurable feeling differently than before. Increasing the volume of a substance may work for some time, but after a while the dosage will need to increase again, leading to harmful substance usage.