4 Steps to Break Addiction
4 Steps to Break Addiction
Do you often wonder what it would be like to live a life clean and free of drugs? Learning how to break an addiction is difficult to do on your own. When you do, you set yourself up for possible relapses and further sinking into using more. We have provided a few guidelines to help stop your addiction and point you in the right direction.
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What is Addiction?
Addiction is serious and should not be ignored. Many of us who start off using drugs recreationally or occasionally think to ourselves that we will not get addicted. However, we fail to realize that by merely using drugs, we open the door to addiction. Some drugs are so powerful that one use hooks you.
Trying to figure out how to break an addiction once you are hooked is hard. Addiction presents itself with distinct symptoms, such as:
- You are unable to go long periods without the drug.
- You crave the drug.
- You become secretive when using.
- You resort to illicit and dishonest ways of getting the drug.
- You tell yourself and others you do not have a drug problem, but you continue to use it.
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4 Steps on How to End an Addiction
If you are using drugs and want to break the chains of drugs that keep you imprisoned, we have a few things to consider and implement. Ultimately, you need treatment, which is one of the steps to living a clean life.
Step #1: Change Your Mindset
This is perhaps the most crucial step towards recovery. Your body may physically crave the drug, but you have the power to assert a certain mindset. Negative thinking leads to spiraling further downwards. Positivity can fuel your resilience, which causes you to rise above.
Your mind is like driving a car. You are driving that car, and you can choose whether to take detours, run off the road, turn left or right, or go forward. Forget using the rearview mirror because when you are busy looking at things behind you, you lose sight of what lies ahead.
For your “car” to run, you must have the right fuel. That fuel is love. Loving yourself gets that car moving! If you stand in front of a mirror and gaze at yourself, what do you see? Other than a person staring back, you should see a human being with value and worth regardless of mistakes. Can you find five positive things about the person in the mirror?
There are hundreds of great things in you.
- Be willing and open to learning how to break an addiction you are struggling with.
- Decide you WILL and CAN take back your life and get clean and sober.
- Agree with yourself that you are going to stop using.
- LOVE the heck out of yourself. Every morning use the mirror to find five more positive things about yourself.
- Love yourself enough to get treatment. You are essentially giving yourself a gift of life. Continuing to use drugs ends in a short life full of turmoil.
Step #2: Avoid Temptation and Be Aware of Triggers
Part of figuring out how to break an addiction is understanding what triggers you to use. Certain environments trigger us to want to use drugs. Avoid these places. Instead, replace the bad with the good. Find a creative outlet that you can escape to when you feel the urge to use.
Environmental Triggers to Avoid
- highly charged places such as concerts, nightclubs, and parties
- illicit areas where drugs and drug dealers are present
- any gathering or meetups with users present
- people that encourage you to use
Other Triggers
An important part of learning how to break an addiction is based on tangible items related to drugs. Develop an awareness of things that make you want to use. Get rid of what you can. Replace these things with positive, affirming things that give you good vibes.
- drug paraphernalia laying around (get rid of.)
- music (choose something else to listen to, change the station, or turn it off.)
- pill containers (get rid of.)
- magazines, books, posters, signs, etc. (get rid of.)
Internal Triggers
Our emotions fuel certain behaviors, one of which is addiction. Understand which of your emotions makes you want to use. Understanding emotional triggers are essential when learning how to break an addiction. Have a plan in place for when these emotions come up.
- stress
- anxiety
- loneliness
- sadness
- anger
- shame
- jealousy
- boredom
Find a creative outlet such as journaling, painting, writing, or photography to be your go-to plan when an internal trigger presents itself making you want to use it.
Step #3: Out With the Old, In With the New
Do a little housekeeping with your habits. Bad habits should be replaced with new ones. The more you practice this, the better you get.
Old habits and how you can replace them with a new habit.
- Get rid of all drug-related things. Instead, replace those with artwork, books, crafts, etc.
- When you feel like using, stop, and figure out what is fueling the desire to use. Use a journal to keep track of your emotions. You will have a great tool to find a pattern in your desire, emotion, and how you can shift your thinking to something positive. Journaling allows you to objectively explore what is going on in your mind.
- Do away with associations with people who encourage you to use.
- Do not watch the clock, instead engage in physical exercise or an activity that keeps you busy.
Healthy habits and activities to use as replacements.
- Creative expression: Journaling, painting, sculpting, writing, gardening, cooking, and talking.
- Awareness practice: as soon as a negative thought pops up, acknowledge it, and switch your thinking.
- Get physical: physical activity causes your brain to release dopamine. Go swimming, bike riding, walking, or to the gym.
Step #4: Placing One Foot in Front of the Other
Understand that recovery is not going to happen overnight. The main thing you need to do is be patient. You will make mistakes along the way while learning how to break an addiction. You will find your “groove” in figuring out what works best for you.
Admit you need professional help with treatment to overcome your addiction. By gaining the right kind of support, you set yourself up for success.
Payment Options
Do you want treatment but are worried about how you can pay for it? We have a team of financial professionals who provide free insurance verification. We will work with you to determine how to move forward with the treatment in a way that works for you and your financial situation.
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How to Get Help
Love yourself enough to take the first step to recovery and make that phone call. We know you can do this! Resurgence Behavioral Health understands the dynamics of addiction. We have a team of professionals who are waiting to embrace you the moment you call and who will be by your side the entire time.
We will be your biggest cheerleaders to get you from start to finish. Call 855-458-0050 to schedule your consultation.
