The Timeline for Resetting Brain Chemicals in Addiction Recovery
Life in early recovery can feel very gray. While you are finally breaking free from the chaos that addiction invites into your life, it can also feel like you don’t have a lot of satisfaction without drugs or alcohol. You may find yourself wondering if life will ever feel pleasurable again or if it was really worth getting sober.
The good news? This gray period isn’t going to last forever. What you are going through is a very typical experience following drug or alcohol addiction. Long-term substance abuse affects dopamine levels and how it is processed in the brain. And, just like your body, your mind also needs time to heal.
But, how long does it take for dopamine receptors to recover? Keep reading to learn more about navigating the downs of early sobriety and how Purpose Healing can help you along this journey.
The Role of Dopamine in Addiction
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, meaning it sends messages between the brain, brain cells, and the body. It also plays a big role in pleasure and reward, emotional regulation, and being able to reduce stress.
In early humans, dopamine is believed to help with conditioning, learning, and even human intelligence. It affects mood levels, motivation, attention, motor movement, decision-making, learning, and memory.
When you use drugs, eat your favorite foods, gamble, shop, or do other things that make you happy, it releases dopamine in your brain. Dopamine sends a jolt of pleasure, encouraging this activity.
While it can be a good thing, dopamine also plays a big role in addiction. Drugs like opioids and stimulants release as much as 10x the amount of dopamine as normal pleasurable activities, making it hard to ignore that urge to use again.
How Addiction Affects Brain Cells and Dopamine Production
Many people who become addicted to drugs end up chasing the feeling because of the pleasurable feelings they experience at the drug’s peak. Using drugs causes an intense dopamine rush in the brain’s reward center.
If you continue using drugs or alcohol, your brain will crave these higher dopamine levels. Things like good food, physical activity, and being outdoors won’t trigger dopamine production because they produce the same level of satisfaction. Over time, your dopamine receptors also function less as they adjust to major increases in your brain’s dopamine levels.
How Long Does It Take Dopamine Receptors to Recover?
Various factors affect how long it’s going to take for your dopamine receptors to recover following struggles with addiction. The amount of time that you struggle with addiction, substances used, overall brain health, and other individual differences all play a role.
Some receptor sensitivity might come back after a few weeks. There will likely be a noticeable difference by 90 days of recovery. For some people, though, it takes several months to a few years for your dopamine to return to its normal and natural levels and functioning.
Remember that your receptors didn’t suddenly experience these changes – they happened following long-term substance use. It took time for these changes to happen, but it also takes time for your brain to heal. You can’t expect improved dopamine levels overnight.
If the Brain Naturally Releases Dopamine, Why Does it Take Time to Heal?
With repeated drug use behavior, your brain starts to associate this dopamine release as the norm. You won’t experience pleasure in healthy activities like enjoying good food, spending time with loved ones, or doing fun activities you once enjoyed because they don’t provide instant, intense satisfaction as substance abuse. Prolonged drug and alcohol use disrupts the brain’s reward system over time.
Managing the Grays During Addiction Recovery
Before your brain function returns to normal, it can be challenging to feel excited about recovery. Life outside of addiction is much calmer, so your nervous system is stimulated all the time. It also takes time for you to achieve normal dopamine levels responsible for happiness and pleasure.
Unfortunately, before dopamine levels return to normal, you may experience depression and anxiety that occur secondary to addiction. Some people also experience dysphoria, a condition where you have extreme loss of pleasure in life and a risk of suicidal ideations.
The best way to navigate the grays during drug and alcohol recovery is with support. You’ll find that support in our residential and outpatient programs at Purpose Healing Center. Our holistic approach will help your body, spirit, and mind heal after addiction. We also specialize in dual diagnosis, the ideal treatment approach for co-occurring disorders.
Dual Diagnosis
Dual diagnosis treatment is for people who struggle with mental illness in addition to a substance use disorder. If addiction is treated without addressing mental health symptoms, there’s a greater risk of turning to drugs or alcohol when things get hard.
These struggles can be worse for someone who has a pre-existing mental health condition like unresolved trauma, depression, or anxiety. Medication may be prescribed to help manage mental illness, too.
Habits That Can Increase Dopamine Levels
While it will take time to overcome dopamine deficiencies and for normal functioning of the brain to return, these habits can support dopamine production during the recovery process.
Following a Routine
A daily routine that makes time for sleep, self-care, and things you enjoy helps form habits that can help restore dopamine levels. Structure also provides a sense of guidance during the recovery process, when you’re adapting to a life that is much calmer than what you are used to.
Making Time for Self-Care and Fun
During early recovery, a lot of your time might be dedicated to mental health appointments, support groups, and your responsibilities. However, it’s also important to make time for yourself and the things that you enjoy.
Self-care might look like having a routine first thing when you wake up in the morning or before bed at night, regular exercise, and eating a balanced diet. You should also try to do at least one activity you enjoy during the day, whether it’s doing a hobby, being in nature, seeing a friend, or reading a book.
Make an effort to find sober ways that you can find pleasure in life, without turning to unhealthy habits like alcohol or drug use.
Getting Enough Sleep
Sufficient sleep has many health benefits. It is a time of healing, which is beneficial when trying to heal brain chemistry and improve dopamine levels. It also improves mood and your general sense of well-being.
Spending Time Outdoors
Being in nature is proven to have positive effects on mood. Getting enough sunlight is another way to help your dopamine levels reset.
Proper Nutrition
Many of us have seen how addictive substances affect mental and physical health. When you eat well and properly hydrate, you provide your body with the nourishment it needs to heal. You also replenish essential vitamins and nutrients lost during active addiction.
While a balanced diet is important, it can also be helpful to incorporate foods with tyrosine and magnesium into your diet because they help balance your brain’s dopamine levels. Tyrosine-rich foods include eggs, lean meats including fish, chicken, and turkey, seeds, nuts, and dairy products. Some foods rich in magnesium include bananas, avocados, dark chocolate, and dark, leafy green vegetables.
Keep in mind that proper nutrition doesn’t mean avoiding the foods you like. In fact, treating yourself to a food you love is a great way to encourage natural dopamine production.
Healthy Habits Like Gratitude and Mindfulness
Mindset is everything when you are trying to achieve long-term recovery. Practicing gratitude highlights the good things in your life and what you are working toward. It is a reminder that there are positives, even when you are experiencing the normal ‘blues’ that can happen in early recovery.
Mindfulness practices can also be helpful as the brain resets. When you practice mindfulness, you experience the current moment. It offers a chance to manage difficult emotions and practice self-reflection.
Spending Time with Others
Having the right people around you is going to make a significant difference in finding encouragement and avoiding the temptation of relapse in early recovery. When your old circle participated in using substances, you may even have to find a new group. This can lead to difficulties in socializing and feelings of loneliness.
The good news is that there are many others in recovery who are also looking to build healthy friendships. You’ll find this connection through group therapy and participating in programs like Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous. It can also be helpful to nourish old relationships and make plans.
Find Support Navigating the Grays at Purpose Healing
Even with the positive changes you are making in life, early recovery can feel a little gray. But with the right tools and support, even these grays become easy to navigate. You’ll find this support at Purpose Healing Center.
Reach out to learn more about our treatment options, insurance coverage, or creating your individualized recovery plan. Together, we can navigate the challenges of early sobriety and build the foundation for lasting full recovery.
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