Tolerance levels can play a significant role in the effects of addiction. As the cycle of addiction plays out, your body’s tolerance to the substance will slowly increase with each time through the cycle. It can be easy to overlook the minor tolerance increases at the moment; however, looking back, you may find that you need a much greater amount of the substance to feel the same effects you experienced at first.
Overdose Awareness
One question that arises regarding the relationship between addiction and tolerance is the potential effects of overdosing. If your tolerance level is lower, the likelihood of reaching the point of overdose is increased. This is especially true if an individual previously had a high tolerance but has begun to recover and decreased their tolerance level. When someone relapses, they are likely to not realize their tolerance level is lower and will therefore take more than their new tolerance allows. This can lead to overdose.
When working through recovery, you may find it helpful to remember that your tolerance level is likely changing. If you do relapse, do not indulge in the same amount of the substance you were most recently using, as you will not need as much to feel the same results. Being aware of this can greatly decrease your chances of overdosing. While they are not recommended, relapses are a common occurrence within recovery, and it is possible to come back from these setbacks if you avoid reaching a point of overdose.
Health and Tolerance Levels
While working through the process of recovery, you will likely experience a variety of changes in your mental state and your physical body. By implementing positive habits to help you work through recovery, you are promoting the health of your body. During the recovery process, it is common for individuals to maintain a healthy weight, improve their diet, and increase levels of physical activity.
When these adjustments occur, your tolerance levels can be affected. When your body is healthy, it may have a harder time processing the toxic components of many substances and may react quickly in a negative way if reintroduced to the substance. This can cause tolerance levels to decrease alongside the weakening desire for the substance. Implementing healthy habits can be extremely helpful in overcoming withdrawal symptoms and pushing your body to function again without the substance.
If you are in treatment and relapse, the substance may cause a negative reaction due to your body’s healthy state. This can sometimes discourage the use of the substance on future occasions by promoting an alternative response. It is important to be mindful of these side effects moving forward to ensure you are providing your body with the essentials it needs to overcome the addiction. If you relapse, take the necessary precautions and use it as a learning experience moving forward. To avoid relapsing in the first place, focus on continuing to improve your physical health and practice moderation.
Tolerance Rates and Recovery Outcomes
When you are beginning treatment, understanding your tolerance level can help you or your treatment team determine the severity of your addiction. If you have developed an extremely high tolerance to a substance, working through recovery may be more challenging. As your tolerance increases, your dependency on the drug increases as well. If your use of a substance took up a majority of your day and was continuously used in excessive amounts, the act of using has become a habit that will need to be broken.
Along with overcoming your body’s dependency on the substance and the withdrawal effects, you also have to work to implement new habits to engage in during the times of day you would typically dedicate to the use of the substance. The substance itself is addicting, but the actions and habits we create for ourselves are also hard to change. Finding a healthy alternative activity to engage in and getting your mind off of the withdrawal symptoms can be very beneficial.
It may take longer to complete the recovery process if your tolerance levels are extremely high. The rate of recovery can differ drastically between individuals and is impacted by a variety of external factors; however, beginning the recovery process with a lower tolerance will often lead to a faster recovery time. If you find that you have a high tolerance level when beginning recovery, don’t let the fear of time make you delay beginning the process. Recovery is a difficult obstacle for everyone and takes commitment to achieve regardless of your tolerance level coming into it, and if you wait, your tolerance level will likely continue to increase.
There are a variety of negative side effects that can occur from your decreased tolerance levels if you relapse during recovery. While relapsing is never a good thing, experiencing these negative side effects can be a sign that you are on the right track. Your body struggling to manage the same amount of a substance that you previously used means that you are adjusting to a lifestyle without the use of the substance. If you experience this, use it as a sign that you are heading in the right direction.
Being aware of your tolerance level when starting recovery can help you determine the severity of your addiction. As you work through recovery, your tolerance to the substance you are working to avoid is likely to decrease. Understanding the adjustment in tolerance levels is essential if you experience a relapse during your recovery. Using the same amount of a substance you used previously could be extremely dangerous because your body is no longer used to using that amount. Disregarding changes in tolerance levels can increase your likelihood of experiencing an overdose during a relapse. Many negative consequences can occur if you choose to disregard your tolerance levels and their adjustment throughout recovery. As your body begins to improve its overall health, your tolerance levels will continue to decrease. To learn more about tolerance levels and their effects on the rate of recovery, contact Dream Recovery at (949) 732-1960.
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