How to Stop Using Drugs: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Acknowledge the Problem

The first and often most difficult step in stopping drug use is honest self-assessment. Addiction thrives on denial — minimizing use, rationalizing consequences, and comparing yourself favorably to people with worse problems. Ask yourself these questions honestly:

• Have I tried to cut back or stop and been unable to?
• Am I using more than I intend to, more often than I intend to?
• Has my drug use affected my relationships, work, health, or finances?
• Do I experience withdrawal symptoms when I do not use?
• Do I spend significant time thinking about, obtaining, or recovering from drug use?
• Have people who care about me expressed concern?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your drug use has likely crossed from recreational choice into a clinical problem that benefits from professional support. This is not a moral judgment — it is a recognition that your brain chemistry has changed in ways that make stopping without help extremely difficult.

Step 2: Tell Someone You Trust

Isolation fuels addiction. Breaking the secrecy is powerful. Choose someone you trust — a family member, friend, doctor, therapist, or clergy member — and honestly share what you are going through. You do not need to have a plan yet. Simply saying "I need help with my drug use" opens doors.

If you are not ready to talk to someone in your life, call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 — a free, confidential, 24/7 information and referral service. They can connect you with treatment options in your area.

Step 3: Consult a Medical Professional

Drug withdrawal can range from deeply uncomfortable to life-threatening depending on the substance. Before stopping any substance you use regularly, consult a healthcare provider:

Substances requiring medical detox (withdrawal can be dangerous or fatal): - Alcohol (seizures, delirium tremens) - Benzodiazepines (seizures, psychosis) - Barbiturates (seizures, cardiovascular collapse)

Substances where medical detox is strongly recommended (withdrawal is very uncomfortable): - Opioids (heroin, prescription painkillers, fentanyl) - High-dose stimulants (severe depression, suicidal ideation)

Substances where medical support helps but withdrawal is not dangerous: - Cannabis, nicotine, lower-dose stimulants, hallucinogens

A medical professional will assess your specific situation — substance(s), dosage, duration of use, co-occurring conditions — and recommend the safest approach. This may include outpatient medical management, a formal detox program, or immediate inpatient care.

Step 4: Build Your Support System

Recovery does not happen in isolation. Build a network of support before and during the process of stopping:

Professional Support: Therapists specializing in addiction (look for credentials like LCADC, CASAC, or addiction-focused Licensed Clinical Social Workers), psychiatrists for co-occurring mental health conditions, and primary care providers who can monitor your physical health.

Peer Support: 12-step programs (AA, NA, SMART Recovery) provide structured support from people who understand addiction firsthand. Find meetings in your area or online.

Personal Network: Identify friends and family members who support your recovery and are willing to be part of your team. Set boundaries with people who enable your drug use or who are active in their own addiction.

Remove Triggers: Discard drugs, paraphernalia, and dealer contacts. Avoid places, people, and routines associated with use, especially in early recovery. This may mean changing social circles, avoiding certain bars or neighborhoods, and restructuring your daily routine.

Step 5: Enter Treatment

Structured treatment dramatically increases the likelihood of sustained recovery. Treatment options include:

Outpatient Counseling: Individual therapy (typically weekly) addressing substance use patterns, triggers, and coping strategies. Best for mild substance use disorders or as a step-down from more intensive programs.

Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP): 9-15 hours of structured therapy per week (typically 3 days), including group and individual sessions. Allows you to maintain work and family obligations while receiving robust treatment.

Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP): 20-30 hours of programming per week with daily attendance. Provides a high level of care without overnight stays.

Residential/Inpatient Treatment: 24/7 therapeutic environment for 30-90 days. Removes you from triggering environments and provides comprehensive, immersive care. Recommended for severe addiction, co-occurring disorders, or failed outpatient attempts.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): FDA-approved medications for opioid addiction (buprenorphine, naltrexone, methadone), alcohol use disorder (naltrexone, acamprosate, disulfiram), and nicotine dependence (varenicline, bupropion, NRT). MAT is not replacing one drug with another — it is evidence-based medical treatment that normalizes brain chemistry.

Step 6: Develop a Relapse Prevention Plan

Relapse rates for addiction are 40-60% — comparable to relapse rates for diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. Relapse is not a sign of failure but a signal that treatment needs adjustment.

Identify High-Risk Situations: Specific people, places, emotions, and times that trigger cravings. Plan specific responses for each trigger before they occur.

Develop Coping Strategies: Exercise, mindfulness, journaling, calling a sponsor, attending a meeting, engaging in a hobby — any healthy activity that can substitute for drug use when cravings hit.

Build Structure: Empty time and boredom are relapse triggers. Fill your schedule with productive activities, social connections, physical exercise, and recovery-related commitments.

Plan for Slips: If you do use again, it does not erase your progress. Contact your treatment team immediately, honestly report what happened, adjust your plan, and continue forward.

Step 7: Commit to Long-Term Recovery

Stopping drug use is the beginning, not the end. Sustained recovery requires ongoing effort:

• Continue therapy even when things are going well
• Maintain connections with your support network
• Address co-occurring mental health conditions
• Practice healthy lifestyle habits (sleep, nutrition, exercise)
• Find meaning and purpose beyond recovery itself
• Give back through mentoring, volunteering, or supporting others in early recovery

FAQ

How long does it take to stop craving drugs?

Acute physical cravings typically diminish significantly within 1-4 weeks of stopping, depending on the substance. However, psychological cravings — triggered by stress, emotions, environments, or associations — can recur for months or years. The intensity and frequency decrease over time with sustained sobriety and active recovery work. Most people in long-term recovery report that cravings become rare and manageable, though they may never disappear entirely.

Can I stop using drugs on my own without treatment?

Some people do achieve sobriety without formal treatment, particularly those with milder substance use disorders, strong social support, and no co-occurring mental health conditions. However, treatment dramatically improves success rates. For substances with dangerous withdrawal (alcohol, benzodiazepines), attempting to stop without medical supervision is genuinely dangerous. Even for substances with safer withdrawal profiles, professional treatment addresses the psychological and behavioral components that willpower alone often cannot.

What if I have tried to quit before and failed?

Previous quit attempts are not failures — they are learning experiences. Most people who ultimately achieve long-term recovery have multiple quit attempts behind them. Each attempt provides information: what worked, what did not, what triggers were not addressed, what support was missing. Use this knowledge to adjust your approach. Different treatment modalities, different medication options, more intensive programming, or addressing co-occurring conditions may make the difference.

References:

• National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2024). Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023). Treatment Improvement Protocol Series.
• McLellan, A.T. et al. (2000). Drug Dependence, a Chronic Medical Illness. JAMA.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Treatment for Substance Use Disorders.

Valley Spring Recovery Center Editorial Team

This article was reviewed by the Valley Spring Recovery Center editorial team, comprising licensed therapists, medical professionals, and addiction specialists dedicated to providing accurate, evidence-based information about substance use disorders and treatment options.