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How To Quit Alcohol And Drugs?
Question: Hi Doctor, My Husband is a smoker, drinks alcohol even when he is little upset or very happy. Also dopes up regularly say like once a day.
For his health benefit i feel that he should quit all these and should come out of addictions.
For his health benefit i feel that he should quit all these and should come out of addictions.
Brief Answer:
As below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Welcome to Healthcare Magic!
You mention that your husband tries to quit but whenever he gets tensed up, he gets back to drugs. I guess you meant that he is not unwilling to quit drugs but he finds it difficult to continue his abstinence. This is problem common to all people with drug dependence.
I am happy to know that your husband makes an effort to quit. Had this not been so, it would not have been difficult to help him. There are a few things that can be done to help him remain abstinent.
1) He should try quitting drugs only one at a time. For example, if he smokes and drinks, he should first quit alcohol and then try quitting smoking. Trying to quit all at a time usually fails. You mentioned he dopes up once a day, but did not say what substance is he using other than alcohol and cigarettes.
2) Relapse prevention counseling (RPC) helps patients realize what factors make them go back to drugs and how they can counter them. Strong emotions like anger, XXXXXXX anxiety, frustration etc are common triggers for relapse. Once a person is aware that he is in danger of relapse in these situations, he is better able to deal with these. RPC also teaches patients how to control craving.
3) Family members need to control their emotions and refrain from making critical comments, which may lower his self esteem. Low self-confidence makes people vulnerable to drugs.
The best thing that you can do to help him is to motivate him, tell him he can do it, support him and find him a doctor who can help him through the process. A good psychiatrist with special interest in addiction medicine will be perfect.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
As below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Welcome to Healthcare Magic!
You mention that your husband tries to quit but whenever he gets tensed up, he gets back to drugs. I guess you meant that he is not unwilling to quit drugs but he finds it difficult to continue his abstinence. This is problem common to all people with drug dependence.
I am happy to know that your husband makes an effort to quit. Had this not been so, it would not have been difficult to help him. There are a few things that can be done to help him remain abstinent.
1) He should try quitting drugs only one at a time. For example, if he smokes and drinks, he should first quit alcohol and then try quitting smoking. Trying to quit all at a time usually fails. You mentioned he dopes up once a day, but did not say what substance is he using other than alcohol and cigarettes.
2) Relapse prevention counseling (RPC) helps patients realize what factors make them go back to drugs and how they can counter them. Strong emotions like anger, XXXXXXX anxiety, frustration etc are common triggers for relapse. Once a person is aware that he is in danger of relapse in these situations, he is better able to deal with these. RPC also teaches patients how to control craving.
3) Family members need to control their emotions and refrain from making critical comments, which may lower his self esteem. Low self-confidence makes people vulnerable to drugs.
The best thing that you can do to help him is to motivate him, tell him he can do it, support him and find him a doctor who can help him through the process. A good psychiatrist with special interest in addiction medicine will be perfect.
Best wishes.
Dr Preeti Parakh
MD Psychiatry
Note: In case of any other concern or query related to prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or the recovery of persons with the any type of addiction or substance use, follow up with our Addiction Medicine Specialist. Click here to book a consultation now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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