Drugs and alcohol are widely abuse today. It’s a rising problem and many are acting trying to go through addiction recovery. Addiction is a challenging problem and has far-reaching impacts on the addict and everyone in the addict’s life. While it’s difficult, it’s not impossible to get sober. There are many steps an individual can take to quit drugs & alcohol, but the first step is always admitting there is a problem and taking responsibility for actions. Psychology Today talks about the difficulty of recovering from substance abuse and the importance of motivational support. It is easy for an addict to fall into negative thoughts like they are a failure or a bad person. They need encouraging people in their life to keep promoting positivity and moving forward, no matter how many times the addict has taken a step back.
Step One: Acknowledging the Problem
Recognizing that there is a problem is the most important step for an individual to quit drugs & alcohol. It is often the most difficult. Individuals often feel shame and guilt with their addiction and have a hard time admitting there is a problem. Addicts spend a lot of time covering up their addictive behaviors. If alcohol or drugs is impacting your life and ruining your relationships, it is time to admit you have a problem.
Step Two: Asking for Help, Treatment & Recovery
Once an individual admits he or she wants to quit drinking and drugs, detox is the next step. It needs to be handled by a professional because it’s incredibly dangerous. It should only be done in an appropriate facility, or rehab. There are inpatient and outpatient facilites available. Inpatient facilites require the individual to stay for a spcified period of time for intense treatment. Addicts do not have access to the outside world, and limited access to phones and visitors. Outpatient facilities help those recovering from substance abuse without the individual having to stay away from home.
In addition, there are other support groups available. Members in these groups face the same problems and offer support and guidance. Recovering addicts can talk through the difficulties they face on their addiction recovery journey. Meetings can happen anywhere, basements, coffee shops, libraries and even online. They can be face to face, on the phone, or electronically.
Another type of help is Self Management and Recovery Training (SMART) Recovery. It is based in abstinence and empowering the individual to focus on taking control over the addiction. They use motivational treatment and cognitive behavioral therapy to help individuals on their road to recovering from substance abuse.
Step Three: Setting Goals & Achieving Them
Another important step to addiction recovery is setting goals. They help an individual stay the course and promote positive feelings when goals are met. Short and long term goals should be set. A short term goal should be to get sober. Another one should be to stay sober. Goals should be centered around staying sober. Recovering from substance abuse means staying away from drugs, alcohol, and anything else addictive.
Step Four: Find New Hobbies & Passions
Medical News Today gives tips on how to get sober. Many benefit from finding new habits, or activities. These new activities give something for addicts to do instead of focusing on boredom, stress, or using drugs.
Meditation and mindfulness has been long been used by the Eastern world spirituality and is now being used across the US to help people focus on right now and calming the mind. It has also been used to help those battling with substance abuse.
Exercise is another healthy way to help with addiction recovery. It can keep the mind focused on something other than drugs and alcohol and fill the mind and body with positive thoughts by releasing endorphins. Endorphins create the same type of feeling in the body as drugs. Exercise can also help the individual lose weight, which could also create feel good feelings. Exercise is a positive way to deal with stress, unlike alcohol. Alcohol increases cortisol, which is often referred to as the stress hormone. Often when joining a gym, or some other class, an individual can meet new people focused on being healthy and new, positive friendships can develop.
Step Five: Stay the Course
Recovery is difficult and often the individual will have setbacks. It is important for addicts to be surrounded by positive influences and not let any missteps stop them from continuing forward. Addicts must take responsibility for their actions, but can’t let actions stand in their way of recovery.
Rise in Malibu offers clients the ability to escape the realities of addiction through our innovative treatment program. From meditation and holistic practices to traditional therapies and modern methods, Rise in Malibu offers each client a mix of evidence-based practices that will result in sustainable recovery. We address any co-occurring disorders through our dual-diagnosis program which aims to teach clients how to avoid relapse due to mental health issues. Contact us today to find out if your insurance will cover most of the costs associated with our luxurious treatment program in Malibu.
