Drug addiction is a serious disease, one that the general populace is starting to better understand, and thankfully, the shame and stigma attached to it have finally been deflated. The recovery process can be a long and brutal one, filled with many difficulties, temptations, and setbacks. If you are a recovering addict, then the following tips may help you stave off any cravings
Find a New Hobby
One piece of the puzzle is trying to figure out the reasons that drive you to drugs as a coping mechanism. In order to stave off the cravings, it helps to have a hobby you can fall back into, which provides a healthy way of keeping you occupied and managing your stress. Hobbies can expand your imagination, help you feel calm and engaged, and encourage creativity, all of which are the basis for an excellent crutch to fall into when having a craving. Boredom, anxiety, or an attempt to fill this vast emptiness are all ways in which the door could be opened to a great deal of anguish, making it easier to get into a bad habit. Try sports, painting, writing, arts and crafts, fishing, dancing, biking, or even video games and puzzles. These are all excellent ways to keep you feeling present without a need to have to escape in the haze of drugs.
Seek Support
It’s normal to need someone to talk you out of your cravings when self-talk isn’t enough. If you are having trouble and are located in LA, California, then these centers can definitely provide some guidance and much-needed counsel. No matter where you live, you can find a therapist or join a local support group in your area where you can find a safe space to talk with other recovering addicts about the difficulty you are facing. Many people have experienced the contradictory impulses of trying to stay sober while also resisting the temptation to use, so you’re not alone.
You can even find a sponsor at these groups whom you can call to help you work your way around these urges and cravings. In fact, finding a sponsor, someone with a similar history to yours and thus, understands your struggles, has been proven to be vital for long term recovery. Finding and continuing to build a support network is very important to help guide you through this difficult time.
Consider Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a form of therapy that provides different techniques to help you cope with different cravings as they come up. These can include anything from redirection, distraction – such as finding a hobby – and relying on visualization techniques. You can find a therapist who practices this healing technique to help you cultivate the tools required to move past your cravings. For example, they might recommend that you redirect your attention to something else so that you can focus on other emotions besides the craving for drugs. Or, teach you to be patient when distracting yourself so that you feel confident knowing that the desire to use will eventually subside, no matter how strong it may be.
Finally, visualization is a wonderful way of helping you to relax and envision a place or mood that is positive and can take you away from the current desire to find drugs, which may seem overwhelming at first. Essentially, CBT helps you to overcome anxiety-inducing feelings by helping you to switch gears and find a different way of managing your thinking. This is a tremendously powerful tool in helping you to overcome the desire for drug use, by having you reset your perspective and alter the ways in which you handle different situations over time.
Practice Self-Care
Forget all the products you find in fancy boutiques with sanguine motivational quotes dripping in millennial pink. Self-care is essential and is within everyone’s reach, rather than an Instagram friendly byline. Practicing self-care by establishing a healthy diet, giving yourself the time and opportunity to learn new things, get some exercise, and being kinder to yourself rather than harsh and judgemental are all important forms of self-care and can help you recover from your addiction over time.
The road to recovery can be long and hard, but you have to do your best to take care of yourself, be mindful, and avoid all triggers. It sounds like a tall order, but rest assured that many people have managed to move past their addictions and live complete and fulfilling lives. Hopefully, the tips listed above can help you achieve inner peace and put the days of drug use behind you.