Why It’s Never Too Late to Break Free of Addiction

So often, in cases of drug use, what starts out as an escape eventually becomes a prison. The longer addiction goes on, the deeper its roots grow and the stronger your conviction that there’s no way out.

Yet our understanding of addiction and its effect on the brain is evolving. We are starting to see that the brain can recover at any age. Even after decades of addiction, people have broken free and returned to sobriety.

The science of recovery later in life

Years of substance use slowly rewires the way the brain works. The brain’s natural reward system and the body’s management of dopamine are slowly damaged by substances. Yet research illustrates how it’s never too late to reverse those changes. The brain’s ability to adapt, known as “neuroplasticity,” can enable a person to break free from addictive behaviour, regardless of their age.

Renowned psychiatrist Norman Doidge’s influential book The Brain That Changes Itself highlights how neuroplasticity can enable recovery at any stage in life. His work carefully and concisely shows that brain patterns are not fixed and can be rewired despite age. It challenges the belief that an addiction’s effect on the brain is permanent.

Additionally, evidence-based therapies used in addiction recovery are shown to support recovery for people of any age. ​Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) is one such evidence-based therapy. Developed by Dr Eric Garland, clinical trials of the therapy showed sustained improvements in the quality of life for some older people with opioid disorders.

The insights that researchers continue to find are highlighting a powerful truth: no matter how long addiction has held you back, your brain is capable of healing and transformation in recovery.

3 reasons why it’s never too late to recover

One of the most damaging aspects of addiction is how it leads people to lose hope and convince themselves that help isn’t out there. This can happen to a person at any stage in life, though if they’ve been through years of negative self-talk, it can become harder to disavow the voice of inner doubt.

It is never too late to seek help for a substance use disorder and start your journey to recovery. Here are three reasons to help motivate you:

• Getting help is worth it for your loved ones: As you’ve battled with addiction over the years, you may have strained relationships with friends and family. Recognising the fact you need help can help you repair those relationships in the long-run.
• Recovering is worth it for your own sake: Aside from how addiction has damaged your relationships with others, long-term substance use also leads people to a worse relationship with themselves. Self-care is often neglected or forgotten after prolonged substance use. Recovery helps you return to taking better care of your physical, mental and emotional health.
• Once you’ve got the help you need, you can better help others: After overcoming addiction, there is a deeply rewarding feeling that stems from helping people battling the same forces you have overcome.

Inspirational figures who found recovery later in life

In the depths of addiction, there can come times when you feel that escape is impossible. After struggling for years, you may have convinced yourself your addiction has become a deep hole, too steep to climb out of.

There are a few famous cases of celebrities who show that it isn’t too late, recovery from addiction much later in life. Their stories may serve as inspiration for those struggling with an ongoing war with addiction:

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore rose to the heights of Hollywood early, being only 7 years old when she starred in E.T.: The Extraterrestrial. At only 13, her mother admitted her to a youth program for drug rehabilitation. She battled with addiction on and off throughout her life. In her 40s, she openly admitted facing challenges with alcohol but decided to get sober again. She expresses how recovery isn’t a one-time event but an ongoing journey that fluctuates between despair and elation.

Stephen King

Arguably the most famous author of the 21st century, Stephen King battled addictions throughout his prestigious career, regularly abusing alcohol, cocaine, Xanax and other addictive substances. His addictions became so consuming that he later admitted to barely remembering writing some of his work, including the renowned “Cujo”. His family formed an intervention for him in 1987, with his most famous works, Misery and Doctor Sleep, produced soon after. He has since given interviews on staying 30 sober, highlighting that no matter how lost a person feels, it’s never too late.

Eric Clapton

One of the most lauded guitarists of all time, Eric Clapton, spent confronting his heroin and alcohol addiction, convinced he could never escape it. After working his way out of heroin addiction in the 1970s, he eventually fell into severe alcoholism. It wasn’t until he reached his mid-40s when a near-fatal relapse and the tragic loss of his son led him to a commitment to sobriety. Since then, Clapton has dedicated his life to helping others, founding a rehab centre for addiction recovery. His story is a testament to reaching recovery later in life, regardless of setbacks.

Paul Merson

Former Arsenal and England footballer Paul Merson spent decades battling various addictions. These include not only alcohol and drugs, but notably struggling from a deep addiction to gambling. After multiple attempts at recovery, relapses continued to pull him back.

An inspirational insight from Merson came when he realised his view on addiction needed reframing. In interviews with both the BBC and The Guardian, Merson states:

“It’s been important for me to be able to see myself as a sick person trying to get well, rather than a terrible person trying to get good.”

Reframing drug addiction is a powerful tool, and Paul Merson’s story serves to remind us that breaking might take more than willpower alone. It often takes the right support system and a new way of looking at addiction recovery.

It’s never too late – find support today

Breaking free from addiction can be one of the biggest challenges you ever face, especially if you’ve suffered for years. If you or a loved one are worried about substance misuse, we want to reach out to you.

Here at UKAT, we specialise in addiction treatment for people at any stage of an addiction. Our tailored detox programmes help you manage physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. Specified therapy programmes, including CBT and DBT, help you develop tools to combat cravings and stay substance-free. Ongoing aftercare and support are in place for both you and your family, sustaining long-term recovery.

Regardless of how long you’ve suffered, today can mark the turning point to help you regain control of your life. Don’t let addiction define your future. Contact us today to start your journey.