As long as the circumstances are wrong, one can be an addict to almost anything imaginable – sex, food, electronics, drugs, alcohol, shopping, video game, social media, etc.
People get hooked because the activity fills the brain with an adrenaline rush and makes you feel good. As a result, one gets obsessed with the action in a bid to have that dopamine rush – a stimulant that effectively improves learning and memory.
It now gets to a point when the brain associates that activity with pleasure or a means of escape from life’s realities. As a result, the individual resorts to this activity to escape reality, shy away from responsibility or deal with stress.
One might think that an individual is helpless and cannot control the addiction due to the brain’s dopamine rush. This, however, is not so as one can overcome addiction with tested and proven methods that have helped thousands of people over the years.
Here are some tested ways to beat addiction:
1. Regular Exercise
According to a study, engaging in physical activity will improve your overall health; significantly reduce the risk of developing a terminal disease like stroke and diabetes. Physical exercises also trigger the release of dopamine, which makes you feel good about yourself. Working outwears you out so that you can enjoy a night of deep rest.
One such way to overcome any addiction is to live an active lifestyle. A lot of recovery addicts who exercise regularly will discover that their stress levels dropped. Also, social skills will improve, and they will be happier and content with life. The working out plan should not include something elaborate. It can be as simple as running or jogging down the park. You can even ride a bicycle to make it fun.
2. Distract Yourself
In overcoming addiction, one needs a list of activities that will serve as a distraction to get the source of addiction off the mind. You can simply perform activities like calling a friend, watching SITCOM or a favorite TV show, cleaning the house, listening to music, working in the garden, etc. Also, consider what you have to lose. For instance, consider the impact on your finances if you failed the alcohol testing in your new place of employment.
Distracting yourself even for a couple of minutes can go a long way in reducing the effect and potency of the urge till it dies down. Beware not to allow your thoughts to soak you in your addiction. Don’t take your thoughts lightly, as they will always change. All in all, make sure to consider the long term effect of any action before acting on the urge.
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3. Be Accountable to Someone
For people in the professional world, the strongest motivator for success is recognition, promotion, bonuses, and other perks that come with it. This is one of the methods used in recovery classes known as accountability. It is a tool to keep people sober and on the path to recovery. Moreover, such an action is also compulsory for everyone on the program to sponsor, teach, and help them attain physical and mental health.
The person you are accountable to will be responsible for many things, making you responsible for your actions. They can be your doctor, your therapists, your spouse, or loved ones.
4. Chose Healthy Ways to Relax
Many addicts wish they will never back to their substance of abuse. However, when the pressures and realities of life come knocking, they find themselves gravitating towards such substance of abuse as a means of escape. This calls for choosing healthy relaxation and coping mechanisms for stress and other life issues. While you cannot avoid stress, one can adopt a healthy coping mechanism. This is where addicts get it wrong, as their brain already associates pleasure and relaxation to their substance of abuse. As a result, one needs a healthy coping mechanism to alleviate tension when it builds up.
It is essential to have healthy ways to relax and beat stress. It can be as simple as having a warm shower, massage, getting acupuncture, meditation, etc. The idea is to subscribe to a healthy habit every day to relax. That is because research says that it can help reduce heavy dependence on an abusive substance.
5. Adjust Old Routines
The first and most critical step you need to overcome addiction is to adjust to old routines. This involves taking inventory of your lifestyle and choices and filtering out those that will not help your target. There are some noticeable changes you will have to make. For instance, an alcohol addict in recovery will need to get rid of every bottle of alcohol from the house. Someone hooked on heroin will have to cut ties with friends that supply and consume.
Some changes might be drastic – for instance, you could have a bar on the route. This provides a perfect opportunity to have a bottle and let go of the day’s job stress. To overcome addiction, you will need to find an alternative route that does not tempt you with your substance of abuse.
Conclusion
While overcoming addiction might seem hard, it is not impossible to break. It takes more than robust willpower to overcome addiction, as many want to break free but could not. These are essential tips that can guide and keep you straight on the path to recovery while you desire to break free from the shackles of addiction.
