Important Things To Consider On Your Journey To Addiction Recovery
If you have been struggling with any form of addiction in the recent past, you have probably encountered countless situations where people who have no experience with addiction have tried to give you advice on how to quit. People who don’t have a serious addiction problem simply don’t understand what it is like to be dependent on a drug, an activity, or to have a lifestyle in which you are dependent on an external stimulus.
It’s easy for them to say ‘Why don’t you just go cold turkey?’ Or say things that are ignorantly more derogatory and condescending than they are productive or helpful. Even if they genuinely want to help and want the best for you, the fact that they don’t know what you are dealing with limits their ability to provide any effective assistance. If you are on the road to recovery or hope to be soon, your best bet is seeking professional medical experts’ or recovered addicts’ guidance and help.
It’s extremely important and beneficial that you listen and learn from people who have walked the path you are on. Different addictions need to be treated very differently; not every piece of advice will work for you as it might have for others, so you need to spend some time and energy trying things out. Here are a few things that will help you start your addiction-free life a little more effectively.
1. Identify The Problem
The first step to solving the problem is identifying what the root cause of it is. Most addicts will think that their issue is the substance that they are addicted to, but in reality, it is a deeper-seated problem. This could be anything from childhood trauma, to disorienting and draining mental disorders. For patients who seek the help of a rehab service or a psychiatrist, the biggest challenge is not getting them off the drug but changing the way they think so that they are able to live without the drug after they leave. As long as you are plagued with that underlying problem, you are likely going to resort to drugs to deal with it, as you have always done before. This is why counseling is a big part of drug rehabilitation and any form or kind of addiction.
2. Prevent A Relapse
It is not uncommon to see people who have been off drugs for years suddenly relapse and go back into a streak of destructive behavior. In fact, many people actually relapse so severely that they find it much harder to control the addiction. This is why the team at Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Rehab Coverage suggests you work with a professional to understand why you have this issue, what your triggers are, why they’re so consistent, and how to deal with them once and for all.
In some cases, the triggers are physical, like being in a certain place or doing certain activities, while in other and more common cases, the triggers can be harder to identify and prevent. Things like certain thoughts, interactions with certain people, or facing certain social situations are also powerful triggers, ones that are hard to prevent. Working with a counselor will help you identify these things and develop solutions for facing them.
3. Get A Support Group
They say if you want to go fast then go alone, but if you want to go far, go with a team. Recovering from an addiction is definitely an endurance run and you need all the support you can get to reach your target. Working with a support group and interacting with people who are facing the same challenges as you often gives you the motivation that you lack. Seeing that you aren’t alone and having people who understand and listen to you can act as excellent motivators. They also help you stay more disciplined in your journey; as a team, you have something to look forward to collectively. You become part of a larger unit and this completely changes the way you view the situation and the approach you take at fighting your addiction.
It’s important that you don’t bite off more than you chew. When you first enroll in a rehab program or even decide to kick a habit on your own, you will be driven and motivated. With time that initial energy will wear off and that is when you need to stay strong; keep your head down and keep moving forward. No addiction, no matter how minor or severe it is, is going to be an overnight change.
For most people staying clean and keeping themselves clear of any relapse is a daily battle. Going back to your old habits is a decision that you need to make in one moment, but staying clean is a decision you need to make every day. Sooner or later you will face those triggers again, and relapsing might just be around the corner, but with the right training and a healthy and accepting perspective, you can help yourself get out of it, opting to live a happier, healthier life every day.
