How to Overcome Addiction

What kind of addiction are you in? Whether you are dealing with an addiction to alcohol, tobacco, sex, drugs, lying or gambling, admitting that you have a problem is always the first step towards overcoming it, and This will be quite difficult. Now is the time to make a plan to end your addiction, and get ready to take on the obstacles you will inevitably face. If you want to learn how to break an addictive habit and start living a more fulfilling life, keep reading.

If you or someone you love is suffering from an addiction and need advice, you can refer to the Additional Resources at the end of this article to find organizations that can help.

Table of Contents

Deciding to Quit

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Write down the harmful effects of addiction you are facing. ^{[1] X Research Sources} It’s uncomfortable to think about the harm your addiction is doing to you, but reading through this list will help you make the decision to stop it as soon as possible. Good. Write down a list of the harms your addiction has caused you since they appeared.

Think about the effect your addiction has on your health. Does your addiction increase your risk of cancer, heart disease, and other conditions? Perhaps your addiction has caused noticeable physical damage to you.
Make a list of how your addiction affects your psyche. Do you feel ashamed about it? In many cases, addiction can cause shame and embarrassment, as well as frustration, anxiety, and other emotional problems.
How does addiction affect your relationships with other people? Does it stop you from spending time with someone you love, or stop you from forging new relationships?
Some addictions take a huge financial toll. Make a list of how much it costs you to feed your addiction every day, every week, and every month. Determine if addiction is affecting your work.
What troubles does your addiction cause you every day? For example, if you regularly smoke cigarettes, you’ll probably get tired of leaving the office every time you need to light a cigarette.

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Make a list of positive changes you want to make in your life. Once you’ve made a detailed list of the harmful effects of your addiction, you can think about the improvement in your life once you’ve been able to get rid of the addiction completely. You can picture your life after detox. How would you like it to look?

Perhaps you’ll get a sense of freedom that you haven’t been able to have for years.
You will be able to spend more time with people, hobbies and other interests.
You will be able to save money.
You know you’re doing whatever it takes to stay healthy. You will feel an immediate physical improvement.
You will also feel proud and confident.

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Write a promise to give up your addiction. Making a list of solid reasons to stop a bad habit can help you stick to your plan in the long run. The reason for giving up should be more important than the reason you want to continue your addictive behavior. This mental barrier will be quite difficult for you to overcome, but it is the first and necessary step for you to let go of any addiction. No one can make you stop it except yourself. ^{[2] X Research Source} Write down a solid, real reason to stop this harmful habit. Only you know them. Here are a few examples:

Decide that you want to give up because you need the energy to be able to enjoy your life.
Decide that you want to quit because you don’t have the money to continue the habit.
Decide that you want to quit because you want to be a better spouse to your partner.
Decide that you want to give up because you want to live long enough to see your children and grandchildren later.

Set Up a Plan

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Set a specific time to detox. You should not plan to do it the next day, unless you are sure that you can completely cut off all sources of addiction in just one day. You should also not plan to do this after 1 month, because you will probably forget your decision. You should set a detox period after a few days or a few weeks. This will give you enough time to prepare mentally and physically. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Consider choosing a time that is meaningful to you so that you can increase your motivation. You can choose your birthday, father’s day, your daughter’s graduation date, etc.
Mark that date on your calendar and let your loved ones know of the intention. Build momentum so you can’t falter when the time is near. Make a commitment to yourself that you will get to detox on the right day.

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Seek personal or professional support. While you may not think about it yet, you will need all the support you can find in your journey to overcoming addiction. Because so many people are struggling with their own addictions, there are many great organizations built to cater to the support system you need, help you stay motivated, provide advice so you can successfully detox, and encourage you to keep trying if you fail the first time.

Find out about individuals or online support groups designed to help people overcome a particular addiction. There are quite a few resources that provide completely free support.
See a therapist who specializes in helping patients with addiction. You should find someone who can bring you comfort so that you can count on them for the years to come. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, Gestalt techniques and life skills coaching are some of the proven methods that work for people wanting to quit smoking. addiction. The therapeutic environment will ensure your privacy and ensure that the treatment is based on your specific needs and goals.
Seek support from loved ones and friends. Let them know what rehab means to you. If you are addicted to a substance, you can ask them not to use it in front of you.

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Identify triggers. ^{[4] X Sources of Research} Any person has certain specific triggers that make them automatically want to indulge in their own harmful habits. For example, if you are addicted to alcohol, you will find it quite difficult to go to a restaurant without ordering a drink. If you are addicted to gambling, passing a casino on your way home from work can make you want to stop by. Recognizing your own triggers will help you cope with them during your detox.

Stress is often the trigger for almost any addiction.
Specific situations, such as parties or gatherings of friends, can also be triggers.
Certain people can also be triggers for you.

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Begin to gradually reduce your addiction. Instead of stopping right away, start by minimizing the dose you use. For most people, this will make it easier for them to quit. Use them less often, and gradually reduce the dosage as the detox day approaches.

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Set up the right environment. Get rid of addiction reminders around your home, in your car, and at work. Throw away items associated with that habit as well as objects that remind you of them. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

You can replace these items with something that can help you feel more positive and calm. Keep your fridge full of healthy foods. Treat yourself to a few good books or DVDs (as long as their content isn’t a trigger for you). Place candles and other aesthetic items in your home.
You can also redecorate your bedroom, rearrange your furniture, or buy some pillows. Changing your environment can give you a fresh start.

Breaking Bad Habits and Dealing With Addiction

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Carry out detoxification according to the set plan. When the big day arrives, keep your promises to yourself and give up your addiction. The first few days will be quite difficult. You should keep yourself busy and stay positive. You are on your way to a new life free of addictions.

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Fill your own time. If you want to distract yourself, you can exercise, pursue a new hobby, cook, or meet friends. Joining a new club, sports group, or organization will help you make friends and start a new chapter in your addiction-free life. Positive socializing can stimulate the release of neurochemicals that trigger feelings of happiness and fulfillment without the need for drugs.

Exercise releases endorphins similar to the chemicals released in addiction, which is also the reason for the phrase “runner’s high” you often hear. ^{[6] X Research Sources} Exercise can improve your health and help reduce the effects of withdrawal by giving you something that will make you feel better.

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Stay away from stimulants. Stay away from people, places, and things that make you want to go back to your old ways. You will probably need to build the new habit for a while until the addiction has subsided a bit.

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Do not seek to rationalize the situation. The emotional and physical pain of detox is a reality, and you may begin to allow yourself to return to old habits. Don’t listen to the voice in your soul telling you you can keep going and always remember not to give up when things are getting tough. In the end, every pain you’re going through will be totally worth it.

Common rationalizations include the idea that “this is a free country” or that “we all must die sooner or later”. Try to resist this defeatist attitude.
Reread your list of reasons you want to quit smoking to remember why you want to do it. Think about why giving up is more important than maintaining the addiction.
Visit a support group or therapist every time you feel the urge to relapse.

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Relapse should not be the end of your journey. Anyone can stumble. This doesn’t mean you should give up and go back to your old addiction completely. If you make a mistake, you should look back at that moment and determine what you can do to prevent it from happening again. Then get up and start over.

Don’t let guilt and shame control you when you stumble. You are trying your best and all you can do is keep trying.

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Celebrate your achievements. You can reward yourself with something when you accomplish a goal you’ve set, even if it’s just a small goal. Breaking the habit of addiction is extremely difficult work, and you absolutely deserve to be applauded.

Additional Sources

Organization	Phone number
Alcoholics Anonymous	(84) 093 636 4623
Neo Back Drug Addiction Center	(84) 473 003 888
Talking to Young People	1900599830
Nhi Xuan Social Foundation	(84) 862 730 203

Advice

Regularly form constructive thoughts.
Even if you’re having a bad day, don’t give in and think you can’t get over your addiction.
Take on a project that interests you.
Make a complete schedule of what you will do during the day.
Follow the instructions of others. You will likely receive a variety of instructions, but most therapists will ask you to do some exercises at home, and the traditional advice for those new to the 12-Step program is to find a support group. help, guide and follow the Steps.
Stay away from the elements that remind you of your addiction and think about the consequences instead of the immediate pleasure. If you follow it, you will only remember the pleasure it brought you.
Focus on what makes sense. You should not wallow in the thought of addiction. Go out with friends, enjoy a hobby, or do something else to distract yourself from thinking about your addiction too much.
Don’t stop fighting. This process will be quite difficult, but in the end, you will feel a whole new person that you worked so hard to achieve.
Tell yourself that using drugs as a way to get out of your addiction is just an excuse and that you are deceiving yourself.
Do the things you’re good at every time you feel tempted and want to go back to your old ways. (for example, if you’re a smoker but you love playing the guitar, you can strum your guitar every time you want to smoke).

Warning

Be careful when things are starting to turn out well. You can become one of the many self-destructive addicts when things are going pretty well.
Be on the lookout for signs that you may be in a danger zone. Be careful when you feel like giving in to your addiction. You need to stay strong to get through this period of intense desire.

Steps