Addiction Substitution

After addiction treatment, individuals return to normal life and begin the next step of their recovery journey. Recovery is a difficult process, and life after addiction often involves new challenges, triggers, and stressors. During recovery, it’s common for individuals to turn to other addictive outlets while they’re battling their prior addictions.

Sometimes, those in recovery can find it easier to turn to other addictions rather than replacing them with healthy habits. This can be because healthy habits take longer to develop, and they don’t provide the immediate satisfaction that addictions do.

Let’s take a look at what addiction substitution looks like, why it happens, and how it can be overcome with healthier alternatives.

Transfer Addiction—Replacing One Addiction With Another

When someone is addicted to a particular substance or behavior, it makes them more likely to develop an addiction to another substance or behavior. The development of a new addiction goes by many names, and it can be referred to as transfer addiction, addiction substitution, or cross addiction.

Transfer addictions aren’t limited to active addiction, and they often carry over into the recovery process. This is because addictions create deeply ingrained habits that disrupt the brain’s reward system. It takes a lot of time and effort to rewire the brain to favor healthy habits rather than addictive substances or behaviors.

Take a look at our Addiction Resources to discover how Sequoia Behavioral Health can help you or a loved one achieve a successful recovery from addiction.

Image: a view from above of a therapist sitting across a small glass table from his client, a notepad, pair of glasses and two glasses sit on the table. Text: Addictions create deeply ingrained habits that disrupt the brain's reward system.

Addiction Replacement Substances

People that were previously addicted to a particular substance often find themselves looking for a replacement substance to fill the void. Some people look to new substances to cope with stress or unresolved emotional pain. Others will pick up a new substance addiction to manage their withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

Substance addiction replacements can come in many forms. Sometimes, recovering individuals will fall back into their old life of addiction and pick up a new drug or alcohol addiction. Other times, they will develop addictions to less nefarious substances like caffeine, nicotine, or sugar.

Even when recovering individuals develop transfer addictions to less harmful substances, it is still problematic and harmful to their recovery. When any substance is used excessively, it can lead to negative health effects and an increased risk for relapse. Individuals in recovery should also be aware that new addictions are often a sign of unresolved issues that led to their original addiction.

Read our related article to identify why addicts relapse when things are good.

No image. Text: New addictions are often a sign of unresolved issues that led to their original addiction.

Addiction Replacement Behaviors

Certain behaviors are known to be highly addictive, and they are often used to replace prior substance addictions or other behavioral addictions. Some of the most common behavioral addictions include:

Gambling
Shopping
Overeating
Gaming
Adrenaline-seeking

Although some addictive behaviors carry a higher immediate risk than others, they can all negatively affect an individual’s wellbeing and reinforce addictive dependencies.

Individuals recovering from substance addiction may seek unhealthy behaviors to achieve a similar emotional boost that their substance once provided. Although they might think it’s healthier than substance addiction, it often leads to a new set of unforeseen challenges and it ignores the underlying issues that lead to addiction in the first place.

Read our related guide to understand the cycles of addiction.

Psychological Dependence and Addiction Replacement

Psychological dependence is the perception of needing a substance or behavior for its positive effects. This form of dependence plays a large role in replacing one addiction for another.

When individuals begin their recovery journey, they have to live a new life that’s free from their addiction. Psychological dependence makes them feel incomplete without their addiction, and it creates a void that needs to be filled.

This void often consumes someone’s thoughts while they’re in recovery, and it can cause them to look for a quick solution in the form of a new addiction. Rather than turning to a new addiction, it’s better to fill the void with healthy habits that promote wellness and long-term recovery.

Read our related guide for more information on psychological dependence.

Image: A blonde woman in a red hoodie taking pictures with a very nice camera in a forest at golden hour. Text: Rather than turning to a new addiction, you should replace bad habits with healthy and productive ones.

Healthy Habits to Replace Addiction

Replacing addictions with healthy habits is crucial to the recovery process. Although they don’t provide an immediate mental boost like addictions do, healthy habits foster physical and mental wellness while ensuring a successful recovery.

Some healthy habits that can be used to replace addictive substances and behaviors include:

Physical Activity—Exercising and playing sports releases endorphins and fortifies the body after a life of addiction
Healthy Eating—Maintaining a healthy diet can heal the body and mind while providing a healthier alternative to foods that induce cravings
Hobbies—Reading, gardening, and creating art or music can stimulate the mind while reduce stress and boredom
Meditation—Mindfulness and meditation enhances self-awareness, emotional regulation, and concentration
Journaling—Keeping a recovery journal helps you set goals, monitor progress, and express your thoughts and emotions
Support Group—group therapy and support groups provides you with a sense of community, an opportunity for socialization, and effective strategies for recovery

While each healthy habit is beneficial on its own, they work best when combined with others. hIntroducing as many healthy habits as you can will ease your transition from a life of addiction to a life of wellness and recovery.

Read our related article to discover the difference between habits vs addiction.

No image. Text: Healthy habits to replace addictions can include physical activity, healthy eating, hobbies, meditation, journaling, and support groups.

Sequoia Behavioral Health – Helping You Achieve a Successful Recovery

At Sequoia Behavioral Health, we offer the treatments and guidance you need to achieve a successful recovery from addiction. Our team of mental health professionals provide compassionate care that’s tailored to you and your recovery journey.

Clients that come through our doors will not only go through different kinds of talk therapies to resolve trauma and mental health concerns that are at the root of their addiction, they’ll be able to learn new healthy habits that can be carried on after their time here. Experiential therapy and recreational therapy both involve experiences like hiking and creating art that are easily doable outside of treatment.

If you or a loved one is ready to begin a successful recovery journey, reach out to our mental health experts today.