Diet and substance abuse recovery

STIMULANTS

Stimulant use, including use of crack, cocaine, and methamphetamine, results in a significant decrease in appetite, weight loss, and eventual malnutrition. Abusers of these drugs may stay up for days at a time and suffer dehydration and electrolyte imbalances during these prolonged episodes. Return to normal diet can be difficult if there has been profound weight loss.

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MARIJUANA

Marijuana can increase appetite, so some long-term users may be overweight and need to cut back on fat, sugar, and total caloric intake.

Nutrition and psychological aspects of substance abuse

When people feel better, they are less likely to relapse. Since balanced nutrition helps improve mood and health, it is important to encourage an improved diet in people recovering from alcohol and other drug problems.

However, people who have just given up an important source of pleasure may not be ready to make other drastic lifestyle changes. It is more important that people avoid returning to substance abuse than that they stick to a strict diet.

General guidelines and assessment

Regular mealtimes are recommended daily. A meal plan that focuses on a low-fat diet, with increased intake of protein, complex carbohydrates, and dietary fiber is recommended. Due to deficiencies in vitamins caused by irregular eating habits during the period of substance abuse, supplementation with vitamins and minerals during recovery may be helpful.

Specific vitamins supplementation may include B-complex, zinc, and vitamins A and C.

Relapse to using the drug of choice is also more likely when blood sugar levels fluctuate due to the irregular intake of food, which is why regular meals are so important. Addicts and alcoholics often forget what it's like to be hungry and instead interpret this feeling as a drug craving, so they should be encouraged to consider the possibility that they may be hungry when cravings become strong.

During recovery from substance abuse, dehydration is common and it is important to emphasize adequate intake of fluids during and in between meals. Appetite usually returns during recovery, which may cause a tendency to overeat, particularly for people who were taking stimulants. The person should be instructed to consume healthy meals and snacks and to avoid high-calorie foods with low nutritive value, if possible.

The following principles can help improve the odds of lasting and healthy recovery: