Tips For Overcoming An Addiction
Quitting is a different experience for everyone. Some people find it empowering. Others find it painful, difficult, and frustrating, sometimes needing many attempts before achieving their goal. Still, others discover new sides to themselves during the quitting process .
There is no “right” way to feel while you are quitting. However, if you are feeling depressed or find yourself constantly wanting to return to the addictive behavior, you should seek support and treatment.
You Pass Up Social Situations Where You Can’t Partake
Addicts often find that they are less interested in activities and pastimes that they once loved, purely because they don’t involve the addiction. Alongside this shift in priorities, addicts also start todo something Medical News Today calls “social and recreational sacrifices,” where they actively opt out of social situations where they won’t have the chance to use. Addicts may also find that their attention to their need means they pay less attention to basic needs, like food and hygiene.
How Is Substance Use Disorder Treated
Effective treatments for substance use disorders are available.
The first step is recognition of the problem. The recovery process can be delayed when a person lacks awareness of problematic substance use. Although interventions by concerned friends and family often prompt treatment, self-referrals are always welcome and encouraged.
A medical professional should conduct a formal assessment of symptoms to identify if a substance use disorder is present. All patients can benefit from treatment, regardless of whether the disorder is mild, moderate, or severe. Unfortunately, many people who meet criteria for a substance use disorder and could benefit from treatment dont receive help.
Because SUDs affect many aspects of a persons life, multiple types of treatment are often required. For most, a combination of medication and individual or group therapy is most effective. Treatment approaches that address an individuals specific situation and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems is optimal for leading to sustained recovery.
Medications are used to control drug cravings, relieve symptoms of withdrawal, and to prevent relapses. Psychotherapy can help individuals with SUD better understand their behavior and motivations, develop higher self-esteem, cope with stress, and address other psychiatric problems.
A person’s recovery plan is unique to the person’s specific needs and may include strategies outside of formal treatment. These may include:
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Dont: Enable Your Loved One
There can be a fine line between helping someone with an addiction and enabling them. Sometimes when we think were protecting a loved one from the consequences of their addiction, we are actually enabling them to continue with potentially destructive behavior.
For example, if youre trying to figure out how to help an alcoholic, keeping them from drinking and driving is helpful, since that could put them and others in danger. However, consistently offering to drive them home whenever they get too intoxicated is enabling their actions, because its setting up a formula in which you are constantly available to rescue them.
Studies show that people with addictions are more likely to proactively seek treatment when they are forced to face the consequences of their actions. So, if you want to know how to help someone with an addiction, allow them to make mistakes without the promise of your rescue.
Its important to set up boundaries and rules, both for your well-being and the well-being of your loved one and its important to enforce those rules and boundaries. This is the only part of Recovery in which tough love is beneficial, since its done for both you and your loved ones protection.
How To Break An Addiction: A Guide To Overcoming Addiction
If you are struggling with addiction, its crucial to remember that addiction to drugs or alcohol is not a character flaw, a weakness, or a moral failing substance use disorders are chronic mental health conditions characterized by an inability to control your drug or alcohol use. While the decision to first use drugs or alcohol is often voluntary, repeated problematic use may be accompanied by brain changes that ultimately make it very difficult for some people to quit using the substance. Fighting addiction is not a matter of willpower or desire its a matter of recognizing a problem and seeking help.1
Just as every person is unique, the manner in which you go about recovering from addiction must be unique and tailored to your specific needs to be optimally effective. If you want to know how to heal from substance abuse issues, and co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, you should understand that it may take time and persistence to recover, but recovery is well worth the effort. Taking back control of your life and starting the path to recovery is one of the best things you can do for your overall health and wellbeing. If youve chosen to recover from substance abuse issues, weve prepared various methods and tips to assist you in your decision.
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See Your Specialist Alcohol And Other Drugs Service Or Local Doctor
Its important to talk to your specialist alcohol and other drugs service or doctor about reducing or quitting drugs. They can help you get appropriate help and support.
It takes courage for someone to admit they may have a problem with drugs or alcohol. Recognising you might have an issue and asking for help is an important first step to making a change.
For free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services, you can call the Alcohol and Other Drug hotline on 1800 250 015. It will automatically direct you to the Alcohol and Drug Information Service in your state and territory. These local alcohol and other drug telephone services offer support, information, counselling and referral to services. You can also visit a specialist alcohol and other drugs service or doctor directly.
If youve become addicted or dependent on drugs, it might be dangerous to quit on your own. Your AOD specialist or doctor can refer you to treatment such as detox, medication and counselling to help you manage withdrawal symptoms.
Remember, conversations with these services are private and confidential.
Tips For Finding The Best Drug Addiction Treatment For You
Remember that no treatment works for everyone. Everyones needs are different. Whether you have a problem with illegal or prescription drugs, addiction treatment should be customized to your unique situation. Its important that you find a program that feels right.
Treatment should address more than just your drug abuse. Addiction affects your whole life, including your relationships, career, health, and psychological well-being. Treatment success depends on developing a new way of living and addressing the reasons why you turned to drugs in the first place. For example, your drug dependency may have developed from a desire to manage pain or to cope with stress, in which case youll need to find a healthier way to relieve pain or to handle stressful situations.
Commitment and follow-through are key. Drug addiction treatment is not a quick and easy process. In general, the longer and more intense the drug use, the longer and more intense the treatment youll need. And in all cases, long-term follow-up care is crucial to recovery.
There are many places to turn for help. Not everybody requires medically supervised detox or an extended stint in rehab. The care you need depends on a variety of factors, including your age, drug-use history, medical or psychiatric conditions. In addition to doctors and psychologists, many clergy members, social workers, and counselors offer addiction treatment services.
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Is It Possible To Stop An Addiction
Yes, addiction and substance use disorders are treatable. Like other chronic, relapsing diseases, such as asthma or heart disease, addiction isnt curable but it can be successfully managed through proper treatment. Addiction has a relapse rate similar to other chronic diseases for example, the relapse rate for asthma or high blood pressure is 50-70%, while addiction has a relapse rate of around 40-60%. Addiction relapse is considered to be a normal part of the recovery process relapse does not mean that treatment has failed, but can mean that your treatment plan or treatment methods need to be re- evaluated.10
Effective treatment plans benefit from being individualized and constantly adjusted to your changing needstaking into account all of your biological, psychological, and social considerations. Your plan may involve a continuum of care, starting from the moment you enter detox, which focuses on treating withdrawal and helping you become medically stable. Once youve completed detox, youll be ready to transition to additional rehabilitation. Though treatment lengths vary, research supports relatively longer periods of treatment for optimal treatment outcomes. As a formal treatment program comes to an end, youll then move on to aftercare, which is designed to promote lifelong sobriety.5,8,13,14
You Attempt To Keep Your Use Secret
This actually tends to be a sign for others in your family or circle of friends, rather than one you may notice yourself. The Mayo Clinic lists being secretive about your space, activities and/or relationships as a problematic signal that may indicate some kind of addiction problem it’s quite common for an addict to sense that their usage is in some way shameful or excessive and attempt to keep it private or away from judgement or interference.
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Take Our Do I Have A Substance Use Disorder Self
Take our free, 5-minute Do I Have a Substance Misuse Disorder? self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with a substance use disorder . The evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are intended to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of an SUD. The test is free, confidential, and no personal information is needed to receive the result.
Have A Support System
Having a support network of family and friends will help you through recovery. Let your support system know that you are trying to quit smoking weed.
Voicing it out compels you to stick to your commitment because you wont want to disappoint them. When times get difficult, you can always lean on your support system.
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An Addicted Brain Causes Behavior Changes
Brain imaging studies from people with substance use disorders show changes in areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Scientists believe that these changes alter the way the brain works and may help explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of addiction.
A promising student might see his grades slip. A bubbly social butterfly might suddenly have trouble getting out of bed. A trustworthy sibling might start stealing or lying. Behavioral changes like these are directly linked to a changing brain.
Addiction also creates cravings. These cravings can be painful, constant, and distracting. Whats more, withdrawal from substances is a painful, whole-body experience. Once someone is addicted, responding to cravings and avoiding withdrawal become their most important needs.
Addiction can happen to anyone.
Its not about your background, where you grew up, or how much money you make. Addiction can happen to anyone. Still, researchers have identified what kinds of experiences and biological circumstances put some people at greater risk than others.
Why Overcoming Addiction Is So Difficult
According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, addiction is a “treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individuals life experiences.”
People continue to engage in harmful behaviors despite negative consequences because addiction changes the brain’s reward system, which increases the desire for the substances or experiences. These changes in the brain also affect impulse control and judgment, which makes quitting that much more challenging.
Though addiction recovery is challenging, addiction is treatable. With supportive resources and the right treatment approach, you can overcome the physical and mental challenges you face in order to recover.
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What Is A Standard Drink
Some people may be unaware that their regular amount of alcohol consumption may already be approaching problematic levels. Its feasible that some of these Issues with gauging drinking are added to by the fact that its somewhat difficult to understand what a standard drink is and how much drinking is considered moderate. In the United States, a standard drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol which is found in:5
- 12-ounces of beer .
- 8-ounces of malt liquor .
- 5-ounces of wine .
- 1.5-ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor .
What Is An Addictive Relationship
An addictive relationship typically has the same characteristics as any other addition. It is an experience that is increasingly unstable, where you start to lose sight of who you are and stop taking care of yourself in favor of what you are addicted to which in this case, is another person and the way you relate to each other.
Initial attraction stirs up neurotransmitters and hormones that create the excitement of infatuation and a strong desire to be close and sexual with the person. These chemicals plus our emotional & psychological makeup can cause us to confuse reality and idealize the object of our attraction. Time spent in fantasy fuels our craving to be with him or her. This is normal as long as it doesnt take over our lives.
When a relationship consists mainly of sex, there isnt as much of a risk of addiction . When its pure lust, were not too interested in spending time together without sex or the expectation of it. We dont want to discuss real-life problems and may not even want to spend the night. Fantasies are mostly sexual or about the persons appearance and body, and we arent interested in meeting the persons needs outside the bedroom or maybe even inside!
Now that weve taken a look at what is an addictive relationship, lets take a look at signs of being addicted to a person!
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How Phone Addictions Can Be Harmful:
Being addicted to your phone primarily comes from social media usage. Social media has a well-earned reputation of making people feel shitty about their own lives. We scroll and see the edited versions of the realities people want us to see. We compare our lives to what we see online, and our own situations almost always come up short. Our bodies dont compare to the edited insta-famous model.And our partners arent as good to us as other peoples partners are to them. Our lives arent as fun nor fulfilling.
Additionally, with the new algorithms in place with social media platforms, we are primarily being exposed to information we like or search for. For example, if you like a couple of vegetarian recipes on Facebook, their algorithm will show you more posts related to vegetarian recipes. Although this can be rather convenient, it is also problematic. This helps advertisers target us and flood our feed with ads.
Furthermore, this algorithm limits exposure to opinions opposite of ours- resulting in our views being challenged less. This might seem like a pleasing mechanism to have your beliefs continually be reinforced, but it is essential that our opinions are often challenged and put into question. Being able to see another persons perspective is one of the most important functions we have that keep our societies cohesive!
Find Support For Your Addiction Recovery
Dont try to go it alonereach out for support. Whatever treatment approach you choose, having positive influences and a solid support system is essential. The more people you can turn to for encouragement, guidance, and a listening ear, the better your chances for recovery.
Lean on close friends and family. Having the support of friends and family members is an invaluable asset in recovery. If youre reluctant to turn to your loved ones because youve let them down before, consider going to relationship counseling or family therapy.
Build a sober social network. If your previous social life revolved around drugs, you may need to make some new connections. Its important to have sober friends who will support your recovery. Try taking a class, joining a church or a civic group, volunteering, or attending events in your community.
Consider moving into a sober living home. Sober living homes provide a safe, supportive place to live while youre recovering from drug addiction. They are a good option if you dont have a stable home or a drug-free living environment.
Make meetings a priority. Join a 12-step recovery support group, such as Narcotics Anonymous , and attend meetings regularly. Spending time with people who understand exactly what youre going through can be very healing. You can also benefit from the shared experiences of the group members and learn what others have done to stay sober.
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Understanding How To Stop A Sex Addiction
The first step to treating sex addiction is admitting there is a problem. The next step is realizing that the lies and deceit associated with sex addiction must stop. You might think by erasing your browsing history of online porn or deleting emails and texts to perspective sexual partners that you are keeping it under control.
Concealing sex addiction is not protecting your partner in any way and every misdirection is a betrayal of your relationship. Lying is a choice that you make. Every lie. Every time. You must decide to be honest about your addiction from this point forward.
Wanting To Recover But Feeling Stuck
Most people with addiction struggle with a double life. You try to keep your addiction hidden from most people, most of the time, even when it is quite obvious to those around you.
You have a hard time admitting to yourself that you are a person with addiction because no matter how fleeting, it gives you that brief moment when everything feels okay. You want to free yourself from your addiction and not end up back where you started, with all the losses you have built up while you have been struggling.
Recovery is possible for every person with addiction. But facing the problems that caused the addiction in the first place is scary.
It’s difficult to cope with the deep dissatisfaction with your life and to take responsibility for how your behavior affects other people. It means learning how to experience a gentler sense of pleasure in the small things in life and coping with the many challenges and imperfections of life, without retreating back into your addiction. Which means accepting being human, just like everyone else.
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