People do drugs for many reasons. Some do it to feel good, overcome a particular emotion, or perform better.
Teenagers take drugs to perform better, cater to unrealistic expectations, seek satisfaction, or fight depression. With time, they become addicts.
Drugs are strong enough to excite a part of your brain that, in return, changes your mood. However, the pleasure is temporary, and your body demands more drugs to reach the same level of excitement again and again.
And when you don’t fulfill the demand, you start feeling anxious, awful, nervous, and irritable. Hence, once an individual engages in such pleasurable experiences, it’s challenging to live without them.
So, transitioning from an addictive life to a sober life can be difficult. It takes a lot of time, hard work, and passion for facing those challenges with bravery.
However, with proper treatment and determination, it is possible to overcome drug addiction in Chicago.
But, despite leaving drugs and going through treatment, the chances for relapse are always high, which is why psychologists recommend rehabilitation centers and a tailored treatment approach.
In a rehabilitation center, experts bring years of experience in treating addicts with all kinds of drug addictions. You’ll also find customized plans, support groups, and guidance to live a drug-free, healthy life.
There are many rehab centers you can find in your area. One of the most evident is the Delphi Health Group in Florida, which brings decades of experience treating different kinds of drug addictions with excellent success stories.
With that said, here are a few ways to help you be more resilient towards drug addiction.
1. Accepting reality:
The first step towards living a drug-free life and developing resilience is to accept reality. Since change is constant and inevitable, it is better to get accustomed to the current state.
The reality states that you have to break free from the chains of addiction and live a sober life. For that, you have to leave your old-bad habits and embrace a healthy lifestyle.
So, when you accept reality, you spend every ounce of your energy on living a healthy life, thus developing resilience.
2. Strong willpower:
One of the common reasons for relapse is the lack of willpower. People easily fall back into drugs as they cannot cope with the challenges that come along.
Prepare yourself for the obstacles that may come your way by making a mental note not to get overwhelmed by any emotional trigger.
It is easier said than done, so if you encounter any instance where you crave drugs, prepare yourself to say No and move away instead of moving towards.
3. Make sober connections and take actions:
Even if you’ve learned ways to tackle triggering factors that may impact your journey, you may come across times when you won’t be able to implement them.
Some of these stressors will trigger you to a level where you’ll question your approach to a sober life. One such instance is when you hang out with friends, and they keep on asking you to join them for a drink.
So don’t be afraid to say No to such tempting offers. Instead, make new friends who have healthy habits and live a sober life, to help you develop stronger resilience.
4. Set small goals and achieve them:
The easiest way to develop resilience is to set goals and work on them. It is a practical approach that has always worked for addicts planning to live a sober life.
Even if they are small, setting up goals boosts motivation towards a sober life when you achieve them. Suppose you plan to make your bed every morning, meditate for 10 minutes, or have a session with your coach once a week. After following the plan at the end of the week, you’ll feel that sense of achievement and satisfaction. Afterward, celebrate every achievement.
5. Take small steps and appreciate the progress:
Human beings are greedy for love and appreciation, so start appreciating and celebrating every time you overcome expectations.
By practicing self-appreciation, you build a strong fort around yourself that makes it difficult to fall back into addictive habits.
Similarly, be confident in your ability to live a sober life by surrounding yourself with strong and supportive people who help you gain confidence in your abilities.
6. Never dwell in the past:
Regret and sorrow are ingredients of relapse. As an emotion, regret makes you feel horrible and shatters your hard-earned confidence. And, if you keep regretting past mistakes, it will delay recovery.
If your confidence breaks and you lose trust, your progress will fall to zero. There is no point dwelling in the past because what’s happened has happened, and no one can change facts.
Learn from the past and be more resilient in the present for a better future.
A take-home message:
Long-term recovery is a challenge, yet it is not the final destination. Instead, it is a long process that prepares you to cope with life and face difficulties.
In addition to that, it demands a firm commitment that may fade at any point in life. So, if you ever feel you’re falling back into addiction, don’t feel shy to seek help. It is never too late to seek support and get back on track towards living a drug-free life.
I am Jones Smith and I am here to share my experience and expertise in writing. I’ve been writing articles for different publications for more than 6 years. I have a varied range of interests and that’s why I love blogging about different topics. In my opinion, blogging is a lot like acting, and I consider writing blog posts as an acting job. I am an entrepreneur by heart and there is nothing big or small when it comes to starting a business.