Whether you will gain weight when quitting drugs depends on a variety of factors, including the type of substance that you were abusing and the way you deal with your recovery. There are a few things that you should consider before you end your substance abuse, but gaining weight is usually not something that you should be concerned about at this juncture. Even if you gain a tremendous amount of weight, you will still find that you are far healthier and happier once you have left your addiction behind you.
How Alcohol Treatment Will Affect Weight
Most people who decide to quit drinking will actually experience a loss of weight. This is due to a lower amount of empty calories entering the system through the abuse of beer and hard liquors, noted by
Medicine Net. In addition to this, going into rehab for drinking can take a physical toll depending on how addicted the person was. Many people who are going through withdrawal from drinking, especially if they go cold turkey, will lose their appetite entirely, which will quickly burn off excess fat.
How Other Drugs Affect Weight
Hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine are known appetite suppressants, as noted in the
Whole Health Source Blog. This means that many people who stop the use of these substances following long-term use will find themselves gaining weight. However, it's very important to remember that most of the people on these drugs are underweight. Gaining weight under these circumstances will usually mean that the person's body is returning to health, and that they are on the appropriate path to recovery.
Other Ways Rehab Could Affect Weight
There is one other component that could cause weight gain throughout the recovery procedure. Some people will replace one addiction with another, and in some rare cases a patient could potentially replace a substance abuse problem with a food addiction. This means that you could begin eating to distract yourself from the urge to abuse substances, or simply as a coping mechanism for other issues in your life. If you find yourself with these urges, it may be important for you to consult with your rehabilitation center or with your therapist.