Addictions and how to overcome them safely and Effectively

“I got sober. I stopped killing myself with alcohol. I began to think: ‘Wait a minute – if I can stop doing this, what are the possibilities?’ And slowly it dawned on me that it was maybe worth the risk.” 

― Craig Ferguson

Addictions affect nearly every part of your life. Unfortunately, addictions also become progressively worse the longer you have them.

Some of the most common addictions include addictions to alcohol, drugs, food, smoking, shopping, and gambling.

Here’s a more detailed list of some of the addictions that threaten to enslave us:

Physical addictions

• Alcohol
• Tobacco/Vape/E-cigarettes
• Opioids and Prescription drugs
• Coffee/caffeine
• Cocaine
• Marijuana
• Amphetamines
• Hallucinogens
• Inhalants
• PCP

Lesser known but equally important addictions

• Food Addiction
• Gambling Addiction
• Sex Addiction
• Information addiction (Addicted to watching/listening/reading news)
• Internet Addiction
• Pornography Addiction
• Using computers and/or cell phones
• Video Game Addiction
• Work Addiction
• Exercise Addiction
• Shopping Addiction

No matter what addiction you’re dealing with, you’re trapped, and that addiction will continue to control your life until you learn how to overcome it.

What are some of the signs that you are actually addicted to something?

PHYSICAL SIGNS

• Insomnia
• Loss of weight, poor nutrition, and decrease in appetite
• Unkempt appearance
• Slurred speech
• Falls and bruises without explanations
• Incontinence
• Headaches and dizziness
• Sensory issues

MENTAL HEALTH SIGNS

• Forgetfulness that seems to be increasing
• Being disoriented
• Trouble making decisions
• Moodiness and irritability
• Depression and anxiety

SOCIAL SIGNS

• Problems with family or relationships
• Difficulty maintaining jobs
• Legal issues
• Financial problems
• Social isolation

OTHER SIGNS

• Lying about drinking/tobacco or drugs
• Reckless behaviors/self-endangerment
• Hiding drinking or pills

• Significant amount of time spent using substance or engaging in the behavior
• Inability to quit using
• Inability to fulfill obligations at school, work, or home
• Relationship problems
• Withdrawal symptoms upon quitting
• Abandoning previously enjoyed hobbies and interests

• Filling prescriptions frequently at different places
• Talking about the benefits of the drug or drinking
• Increased drinking frequency and/or amounts

Even though there are many different addictions, they’re all similar in one respect: they control you instead of the other way around. When you’re addicted to something, you may actually feel like a slave to the addiction, but you are the one who should be controlling your life!

If you’re suffering from an addiction, it’s good to know that there are techniques that can enable you to safely and effectively overcome it.

Here are several key tips that can help you effectively overcome an addiction:

Commit yourself to change.

Firstly, if you’re tired of living the erratic life of an addict, make a commitment to yourself to change your life. Yes, it’s a difficult road, but you are worth the effort! You deserve to have a better life.

Admit There Is A Problem.

The hardest part to recovery is admitting you have an addiction. …

• Look at all the benefits of beating the addiction to see clearly how much better your life will be without it. Write these benefits down on paper.

• Set a short-term goal.  Set a date when you will be totally free.  Start working on your goal today.
  
  
• Choose the better life! Commit to making this positive change. Make a solemn contract with yourself to do everything in your power to overcome your addiction.

Designate your life as your top priority.

Be patient and persevere.

Patience and perseverance will help carry you through the long journey to recovery. It takes time to overcome an addiction, but it can be done.

Recovery is not a race. You don’t have to feel guilty if it takes you longer than you thought it would.

Take things one day at a time and fully believe that things will get better.

Keep your end goal in mind and persist in your efforts to get there.

If you can’t take it one day at a time, then begin with one hour at a time. Hours will become days, days will become weeks, and before you know it, you’re cured of the addiction that plagued you.

Request the support of family and friends.

One of the most important things you can do to succeed in your goal is to get support. If you try to do this all on your own, you’re more likely to fail. You need all the support your friends and family can offer.

• They can keep you accountable for your actions.
• They can guide you to any help you need.
• Furthermore, they can provide emotional support to bolster your resolve.

If you find that your family and friends aren’t giving you the support you need, either distance yourself from the negative attitudes, or explain what you need from them for you to succeed.

Consider joining a good support group

Joining a local support group can be helpful as well, especially if your friends and family don’t fully understand the challenges you’re facing. There are likely many support groups – both online and in-person – that focus on your particular addiction. Find a self-help group that suits you, attend meetings regularly, and actively participate. Studies have shown that individuals who received help and participated in a peer support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) were less likely to relapse. Be completely honest with those in your recovery circle, including loved ones, family, doctors, therapists, other self-help group participants, and other positive influencers. You’ll find specialists in overcoming your specific addiction, as well as those who’ve experienced your pain, when you enroll in self-help groups.

It’s enlightening to speak with others going through the same experience as you. It helps to give you a better perspective on what’s happening in your life and shows you that if others can do it, you can do it too.

Here is a true story of a real-time person who conquered her addictions through patience, perseverance and support

A Road to Recovery-Free from Drugs – Nursing with Anitha

• Don’t be afraid to speak up and tell your story, struggles, or fears to the group. Most support groups require their members to maintain privacy, so the participants will feel comfortable sharing.
• Don’t forget to support yourself! Give yourself rewards at different milestones of your recovery.

• Look for professional help. Seeking professional help is an excellent choice, and for some serious addictions, it may be the only way to recover.

• Medications are available that can help with certain addictions, but to use them, you’ll need to have a doctor prescribe them and oversee your treatment as you progress.
  
  
• Even if you’re not using medications, having a professional guide you through a treatment and therapy plan can ensure your success.

• Many insurance companies will now pay for addiction treatment. In addition, some doctors and clinics offer their rates on a sliding scale, so your payments are based on your income. Don’t let a lack of funds prevent you from getting the treatment you need!

• Don’t quit when you make a mistake. You may stumble from time to time, but this doesn’t mean you should throw up your hands and quit. Remember it’s a step in the process, and if you fall, you need to get up and keep on going.

It is possible for you to overcome your addictions safely and effectively! Using these techniques can help you conquer your demon once and for all and bring you a better, happier life.

Avoid Relapse.

You can’t let your failures define you. You have to let your failures teach you

– Barack Obama

A relapse is a return to drinking or drug use after attempts have previously been made to stop.  Although not ideal, it is not the ultimate failure.

Rather than viewing a brief relapse back to inactivity as a failure, treat it as a challenge and try to get back on track as soon as possible.

 Jimmy Connors

Avoid triggering situations and people. 

Avoid spending time with people who will not support your recovery.  People who use substances, are likely to trigger a desire to use. It may be difficult to sever relationships with “friends,” but one of the most important steps in recovery is getting rid of any toxic people in your life that may hinder your recovery.

Don’t get bored; keep busy.

The goal of recovery from substance abuse is to move you from being an active user to living a healthy life in sobriety. You may not know or recall how to live a life that does not include drug or alcohol use. Participating in activities that do not include illicit substances either individually, with friends or family allows you to have a rich, full life and fills up the time that used to be spent feeding your addiction.

Here are some ideas to help you brainstorm:

Ask yourself this:

What did you enjoy before your addiction?  Are there any activities that you always wanted to try but never got to?  What were your childhood interests?  What made you give up on them?  Is there anywhere you would like to volunteer?  Do you like cooking, gardening, exercising, listening to music or playing musical instruments?  Have you wanted to take up meditation or yoga?  How about painting, art, pottery or photography?  Is there a team sport you enjoyed in school?

• Develop a positive support network.  If you ever thought you were quite social when you were using, you are wrong.  Sitting beside someone who is using the same substance as you does not make you social. It’s not the same as participating in an activity together and really sharing the experience when sober. There are a number of groups and organizations that offer indoor activities for those trying to stay on the straight and narrow. Or get together with a group of friends and go to a sporting event together. If no big-league team plays in your city, look for minor league teams near you.
• Take your medications.  Depending on the substance you are trying to recover from, you may be prescribed medications to help you minimize cravings, block some of the rewarding properties of certain substances, and ultimately decrease drinking and continued substance use behavior.  Some of these medications may include drugs to avoid alcohol use like acamprosate, disulfiram or medication that block some of the rewarding or reinforcing alcohol or substance use like naltrexone.  These medications may be given with different behavioral interventions, such as therapies or groups that provide psycho-educational, skills development, cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal process, or support.

• Sweat it out. Exercise helps in preventing relapse because it releases endorphins which make you feel better, and it changes your bodily sensations, making it easier to distract your attention away from physical cues to take more drugs or alcohol. There is no one-size-fits-all for exercise. Everyone enjoys different methods of getting their sweat on, and there truly is no right or wrong way to being more active. However, start gently, particularly if you are also experiencing fatigue and/or muscle weakness, or not used to exercising.

• Avoid cravings: Cravings are strong urges to use or engage in addictive behavior, and they are common during withdrawal.

 They can also creep up suddenly and unexpectedly weeks, months, or years after quitting.

If you will be at a place where alcohol or other substances are likely to be served, know what you’ll eat or drink, know how you’ll leave the situation, and whom to call if you need support.

Final words

  Take back control of your life today.  Take the first step and start the path to recovery for your overall health and wellbeing. This first step can help you reclaim your life and embody your full potential. What are your thoughts and experiences with addiction?  Have a story to tell?  We are here to listen…….