Kindling is a condition that is not talked about as much as other issues people face in recovery. During treatment, many people suffer withdrawal symptoms like headaches and nausea, among other symptoms. Oftentimes, people try multiple times to get sober before it sticks. When people make multiple attempts at recovery, withdrawal symptoms may get worse each time. This is the effect known as kindling.

What is Kindling

Kindling is a material that helps get a fire going. It speeds up the process and gets a fire bigger and hotter. In addiction and recover, the term is used in a similar fashion. When a person goes through detox and withdrawal several times, the symptoms get more severe each time. The cycle of drinking or using drugs, then abstaining can have a detrimental effect on the person’s body chemistry. The chemistry provides ‘kindling’ for the symptoms – making them grow and become more intense, like a fire with kindling.

How Kindling Works

When a person drinks, the alcohol can affect the nervous system. This acts as a depressant. The brain chemical, GABA, slows down the brain. When the alcohol leaves the system, the GABA effects cease. The brain will compensate for the depressant absence with excessive excitability. The brain can suddenly ‘speed up,’ an the effect is manifested in alcohol withdrawal symptoms. With recovery and relapse, when it happens multiple times, the kindling effect can occur, getting more severe each time.

Kindling and Recovery

The effects of kindling can have severe implications for addiction and treatment. This may include:

  • Increased severity of withdrawal  can make recovery after relapse more challenging. The discomfort is amplified, making it harder to resist relapse.
  • The potential for kindling makes effective treatment even more important in working at root causes for addiction to support an individual’s recovery
  • Kindling makes medical supervision essential for detox from alcohol. Medical professionals can monitor a person and help reduce their symptoms, minimizing the danger.

Before attempting recovery without support, it is important to consider all the options and risks. Finding a quality rehab center can be a great way to give you a boost in the recovery journey.

The Springboard Center’s addiction treatment programs are tailored to meet the needs of each client. We support people in their recovery, no matter where they find themselves. By utilizing a set of diverse methods of addiction treatment, we are able to deal with your addiction from all angles and concentrate on every aspect of your healing process. It is important to recognize that many of our services offer a group setting and environment, so that the client spends time with other people affected by the same chronic disease and problems. 432-620-0255