Is Your New Years Resolution Still Going Strong

It's three weeks into January -- by now, many of us who made New Year's Resolutions will have had at least one relapse ...

So should you just give in, and resign yourself to another year of addiction? No way! Relapse can be disappointing, and for some substances such as alcohol, heroin and painkillers, it can be downright dangerous to have a binge after you've gone cold turkey. But recovery does tend to include relapse stage, and people who are successful at overcoming addiction may cycle through the stages of change several times before quitting entirely.

If you've tried quitting alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes several times, and feel you always slip back, it is worth talking to your doctor about medications that might help. Sometimes this can be the missing piece that helps you to put your addiction behind you once and for all. And if you take illicit drugs, your doctor will still help, and won't report you to the police simply because you use drugs.

So if you've relapsed from your New Year's Resolution, take heart. You might be closer to quitting than you realize!