Overcoming drug addiction is challenging, but possible. Most people believe addiction is a life sentence, but that is not the case. You can overcome addictions, as long as you are willing to make the change. Accepting that you have an addiction issue is the first step to recovery.

Here are additional steps to help you on your sobriety voyage.

Decide to Quit

It would be best to mentally accept quitting your addiction before physically stopping. You can do this by assessing the unfavorable impacts the addiction has caused in your life. Then, you can list down a few objectives you wish to accomplish after you quit. These can help you stay motivated and on track.

A few examples you can consider are; mending broken relationships, improving your health, saving money, or focusing on building your career.

Change Your Environment

Where possible, you need to change your surroundings. This is because your environment plays a pivotal role in influencing your behavior. For example, if you live in a neighborhood where you can easily access drugs, it is best to relocate to a different area. If you are a shopping addict, stay out of the stores except for essentials, and delete the accounts of your most used websites.

Make a Plan

Set a date when you intend to quit. Share this date with family and friends for accountability purposes. One of the reasons you may relapse could be pressure from your peers. It is best to give yourself enough time to physically and mentally prepare yourself. 

Quitting an addiction may come with adverse effects, depending on your addiction, and it is best to be well prepared. Avoid setting your quit date months from now; you may easily change your mind. One to two weeks is adequate time.

Seek Professional Support

Overcoming addiction alone can be challenging. However, it would help to seek professional support to tread through the journey. Professional support is better, since they have handled similar situations. In addition, they are well experienced in walking people through addiction recovery.

Many institutions offer such professional support. A quick internet search will show the various institutions providing alcohol treatment around you.

If you cannot find professional support, you can also seek personal support from friends or loved ones.

Find Out What Triggers You

You probably have an array of triggers that lead you to indulge in the habit. By identifying what they are, you can substitute them with healthy coping habits. For example, if depression leads to you drowning in alcohol, you can decide to exercise and drink water to ease the tension. This way, you avoid indulgence.

You may also want to understand the root cause of your triggers and avoid them altogether. For example, if a toxic relationship is the reason for your depression, it would be best to quit the relationship. Consequently, you’ll find yourself dropping the addiction. 

It would be best to avoid social situations until you can control your addiction.

Find Distractions

Withdrawals are never suitable for drug users. The experience can easily lead to your relapse. It is best to fill up your time to distract your mind from the withdrawals. Exercise is the most common recommendation. This is because your body releases endorphin chemicals when exercising-similar to chemicals released with drug use.

You can also take up a new hobby, such as dancing, painting, playing an instrument, etc.

Make the Change Today

You can only overcome addiction by being ready for the change. In addition, you also need to be nice to yourself. Set goals and reward yourself for your small accomplishments. Getting rid of an addiction is not easy, so don’t be hard on yourself if you relapse. Pick yourself up and get back on track. You got this!