What is White Knuckling Sobriety?
White knuckling. Willpower. These terms are seldom used when referring to substance use disorder treatment. It is often a controversial topic regarding methods and treatments of recovery. Can sheer willpower and personal strength help a person overcome a substance use disorder or alcohol addiction? Can sheer willpower help a person maintain long-term sobriety? There are many different types of recovery methods including 12-step programs, support groups, individual counseling and medication management. White knuckling is another unique approach to addiction and recovery.
Addiction to drugs and alcohol physically and psychologically impacts the brain. Many believe it is caused by the failure of self-control and character. But in fact, addiction is a result of one or a combination of biological, environmental and social factors. In addiction, the brain’s reward system is hijacked resulting in brain chemistry changes, cravings for drug-induced stimuli and believing in distorted thoughts.
This happens in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. This area is responsible for many functions of the body including decision-making, impulse control and response to stressful situations. When these aspects of brain function have been tampered with, it can cause the development of an addiction. With White Knuckling, tapping into willpower can be helpful to users who want to take back control of their lives. However, it does require consistent effort. This can be especially difficult for a person who does not have professional support.
While willpower helps users gain more self-confidence in controlling their lives, it does not work on treating the root causes of the addiction. The users will not be equipped with the skills or techniques to deal with and manage the emotional baggage that comes with addiction, treatment and recovery. This puts them at a much higher risk for relapse.
What is White Knuckling?
The white knuckling sobriety approach is described as the process of fighting or powering past addiction through individual willingness and determination. Staying sober through sheer willpower. This type of sobriety technique emphasizes a person’s own ability to resist temptations and avoid triggers that lead to drug use, all without any medical or professional help. White knuckling is a slang term. The concept comes from the action of a person gripping so tightly onto a physical object that it causes their knuckles to turn white. It is a metaphor for a person’s ability to hold on so tightly to their sobriety through sheer mindful strength.
With this type of sobriety treatment, a person learns to cope and manage their fears and anxieties on their own. It allows them to practice self-control. A trait often lost to those who suffer from substance use disorder and alcohol addiction. Advocates for white knuckling say the method emphasizes personal control and ownership of their own recovery journey. It can help build mental resilience. It can help build self-confidence. And it can help build a sense of self-worth.
Benefits and Criticism of White Knuckling Sobriety
Benefits
- Increases feelings of self-control. Often in addiction, users feel out of control when they are unable to stop using their drug of choice. White knuckling gives them back the feeling of being in control of their choices, urges and emotions. White knuckling practices self-discipline and self-restraint. It gives them back control of their mind and their willingness to get sober and stay sober. This aspect of addiction can be very challenging but at the same time can help a user develop greater self-efficiency and belief in their abilities.
- Build a sense of mental resilience. White knuckling is a self-directed approach to sobriety. As users begin to take control of their lives, it can help build a stronger mental state of being by learning to endure and self-cope with the emotional and psychological challenges that arise when quitting addictive drugs.
- Practicing the power of personal determination. Many people choose this path of recovery to help them develop and practice personal strategies to cope with drug cravings. This can come in the form of physical activity and exercise, practicing meditation, learning a new hobby or craft and engaging in mentally stimulating activities.
Criticisms
- Not sustainable for long-term sobriety
- Higher risk of relapse due to a lack of external and professional support
- Can overlook and ignore root causes and underlying mental health factors that contribute to addiction
- Not a universal treatment method
- No clinical evidence of treatment success
- Addiction is influenced by other factors such as genetics, environment and mental well-being, all of which cannot always be controlled through willpower
- The development of untreated extreme mood swings such as irritability and aggression
- Risk of developing or worsening anxiety and depression
- Users can fail to cut back or quit drugs
- Worsening withdrawal symptoms that can affect personal and professional relationships
- Having a balance between self-empowerment combined with medical and psychological assistance creates a more effective recovery outcome
- The risk of running out of willpower
- It can be difficult without professional support that provides clinically proven tools and resources to maintain sobriety
Why do people turn to White Knuckling Sobriety?
There are many reasons why people turn to white knuckling sobriety over traditional evidence-based treatments. These clinically proven methods include medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and individual and group cognitive behavioral therapies such as CBT, DBT and EMDR therapy.
Some people believe they can rely solely on the power of self-control and a strong mindset to manage and control their substance addiction. Others believe their addiction is not serious, they do not need professional treatment and can stop cold turkey. Oftentimes these people aren’t aware of how severe their addiction has become and therefore do not seek help. These users are also unaware of the severity of withdrawal symptoms.
Some users are in denial and believe their problems are unique and cannot be helped through traditional means. Other users just do not have access to traditional support systems such as behavioral health treatment programs or other medically forward treatments. In these cases, people turn to white knuckling to help them in their recovery.
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If you are considering White Knuckling Sobriety, here are some tips to help you
- Exercise forms of self-discipline a little bit at a time. This can help avoid triggers and high-risk situations all at once.
- Make conscious choices
- Practice delaying instant gratification
- Get adequate rest. A rested mind and body can also help heal from addiction.
- Remain mindful of your emotions
- Challenge negative thought patterns
- Practice self-forgiveness and be compassionate to yourself
- Establish a healthy routine mentally, physically and socially
- Accept that healing and sobriety are a process
- Choose to stop avoiding discomfort and anxiety. Be willing to expose yourself to fear and panic.
Reach out to Hotel California by the Sea
We specialize in treating addiction and other co-occurring disorders, such as PTSD. Our Admissions specialists are available to walk you through the best options for treating your addiction.
Treatment for Substance Use Disorders
Substance and alcohol addiction is a mental disease that can make a user feel out of control of their own mind and body. Professional behavioral health programs can provide clinical and evidence-proven tools and resources to help a user overcome their addiction and maintain sobriety. For most, this path of treatment has yielded the most successful outcomes. For others, white knuckling and willpower help bring control back to the user bringing on a sense of self-empowerment over their addiction.
At Hotel California by the Sea, we treat substance use disorders through a combination of pharmacological techniques as well as clinical and psychological methods. We also encourage our clients to seek out peer support groups that practice the theories of willpower and self-control. However, this is in addition to evidence-proven treatments such as CBT, DBT, and family and marriage counseling.
Hotel California by the Sea provides all levels of care including detox, inpatient residential and outpatient programs. Relying completely on self-determination to overcome a mental health condition can lead to setbacks if not paired with evidence-proven treatments. We believe in a well-rounded approach that will target the physical, emotional and behavioral aspects of addiction.
References:
https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/white-knuckling-all-pain-no-gain#:~:text=What%20is%20white%20knuckling%3F,that%20sits%20on%20your%20lap
https://joinmonument.com/resources/white-knuckling-meaning-risks/
https://alcoholrehabhelp.org/treatment/white-knuckling/
https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/willpower/the-role-of-willpower-in-overcoming-addictions-strategies-for-recovery/
https://zinniahealth.com/substance-use/alcohol/white-knuckle-sobriety