Summary:
This article will review what it takes to rewire the brain after addiction and what to expect from that timeline.
Figuring out how long to rewire brain from addiction varies from person to person, in large part due to individual neuroplasticity. The brain has a unique ability to regularly build new connections which means that it can learn maladaptive habits from addiction, but undo those habits during recovery. At East Coast Recovery, we provide our clients with structured outpatient programs to leverage this neuroplasticity, replacing addictive behaviors with healthy ones.
This is achieved through clinical and experiential therapies as well as our holistic programs, with treatment plans ranging from full day (PHP) to partial day (Partial Day Treatment Program). Through these measures, we can help each client build new neural connections via CBT, DBT, and holistic activities like yoga and community connection.
Rewiring the Brain After Recovery: The Timeline
The timeline for rewiring the brain after addiction will vary from one person to the next, but everyone goes through four distinct phases.
Phase #1: Detox
The first phase is detox, where the brain flushes any remaining toxins so that it can better function. This is something that is typically done at a detox center or part of an inpatient, residential program. This can take anywhere between a few days and a few weeks.
Phase #2: Dopamine Normalization
The second phase is when the dopamine starts to adjust to pre-addiction levels. This is something that starts to take place as part of an inpatient or outpatient program, where individuals focus on building healthy habits and coping skills, developing proper nutrition to support physical health, and good sleeping routines.
This is often between the first 3 months of a recovery process.
Phase #3: Neuron Growth
From there, the third phase is the next several months, where the long-term growth starts to happen. This phase is when neural growth starts to accelerate, rebuilding damaged neural connections and pathways, improving cognitive function, emotional regulation, and long-term stability.
Phase #4: Long-Term Stability
Finally, the fourth phase is that of long-term stability, achieved after someone has maintained their sobriety for several years. During this part of the recovery timeline, the brain has regrown new neural pathways and is able to communicate more effectively, process higher executive functions like impulse control and emotional regulation. These coping skills and healthy choices are second nature, reducing the risk of relapse and encouraging long-term sobriety.
Rewiring the Brain with East Coast Recovery
At East Coast Recovery, we help individuals figure out how long it takes to rewire their brains after addiction by incorporating evidence-based therapies and holistic practices that strengthen areas like the prefrontal cortex and the dopamine reward system.
With our outpatient model, we focus on helping clients develop neural pathways, create a daily routine, and leverage the neuroplasticity of the brain to replace addictive behaviors with new coping mechanisms.
We achieve this with several forms of treatment.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The first is cognitive behavioral therapy, which is one of the most common forms of therapy to help with symptoms of depression or anxiety, as well as addiction. This evidence-based therapy helps our clients identify harmful thought patterns, things they might not realize are automatic, and modify them to build new neural loops away from addiction.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
The second is dialectical behavioral therapy, a subset of cognitive behavioral therapy that is used for emotional regulation and impulse control. With this form of treatment, clients can learn how to accept their reality, responding to things from a more rational standpoint, and not giving in to the impulse to do something harmful.
Trauma-Informed Care
We understand how trauma and addiction are strongly linked, which is why the third form of treatment we offer is trauma-informed care. This level of treatment focuses on addressing the root causes of addiction, making sure that the stress response system in the brain doesn’t get overwhelmed during treatment and that people are able to avoid retraumatization while they are recovering and rewiring away.
With our flexible day and partial day programs, we make it possible to get help no matter your other obligations or schedule.
Learn more about how long to rewire brain from addiction by contacting East Coast Recovery today.
FAQ
How Long to Rewire the Brain?
The timeline for rewiring the brain after addiction is often between 90 days and 14 months, during which time the chemicals of the brain start to normalize, cognitive function improves, and new neural pathways are grown.
What Are the Stages of Brain Recovery?
Your brain struggles with acute withdrawal initially, then early recovery, rewiring of the neural pathways, and then long-term stability. The first withdrawal stage is when your brain flushes out any remaining toxins from the substances that were abused, and this can take between one and two weeks. Over the next few months, your dopamine receptors start to adjust, relieving the brain fog that might have been experienced during addiction. Between months 3 and 12, new neural pathways start to grow, improving emotional regulation and impulse control, and within the first few years, healthy habits become more automatic, decreasing the risk of relapse.
Does the Brain Ever Recover From Addiction?
The brain is very adaptive and can recover at least partially from damage done by addiction. There might be certain triggers that remain long-term, but in general, the brain recovers its ability to regulate emotions, manage impulsivity, and make healthy decisions.
Does the Substance I Used Affect My Brain Rewiring Process?
Yes, different substances have unique impacts on the brain chemistry, which can affect how long it takes to rewire the brain after addiction. Nicotine, for example, might take between 3 and 6 months to rewire the brain, but cocaine or methamphetamines can take between 14 and 12 months to bring things like dopamine levels back to normal. Alcohol, on the other hand, might damage cognition, but improvements are often seen within a few weeks.
Will My Dopamine Go Back to Normal After Addiction?
Addiction changes the dopamine system, flooding your brain with dopamine levels that are higher than would be achieved normally, but this can be reversed. During recovery, your brain has to retrain itself on how to produce natural levels of dopamine and how to respond to those dopamine levels, levels that you get from everyday activities like socializing or exercise. This part of the process can take several months, but it is possible.
How Does Age Influence Brain Healing in Recovery?
For those who are in recovery, age can play a role in how long the timeline is for rewiring your brain from addiction, with younger brains exhibiting higher levels of neuroplasticity, leading to faster recovery, and older brains taking a bit longer. However, no matter your age, structural changes and long-term rewiring of your brain can happen successfully with the right type of support system, therapeutic modalities, and sustained sobriety.
Are There Lifestyle Habits That Accelerate Brain Healing?
Yes, there are many lifestyle habits that can accelerate brain healing in recovery, particularly things like mindfulness and meditation, a healthy diet, and regular exercise. At East Coast Recovery, we offer mindfulness and breath work as a way to help strengthen the prefrontal cortex, improving clients’ ability to control their impulsivity and make smarter decisions. We also offer nutritional coaching for those in need to help improve neurotransmitters that strengthen the brain and the healing process, and physical activity to help bolster the growth of new neurons.
Does a Relapse Erase Progress Rewiring the Brain After Addiction?
No, a single relapse will not undo the neurological progress that has been made during recovery. In fact, skills learned and changes made to the brain during any sober time frame are cumulative, meaning that each day that healthy behavior is reinforced builds those positive pathways in the brain, making recovery faster each time.
