It can be very daunting trying to cope with your addictions, sometimes it looks as if there is nothing you can do about them. It makes you feel disheartened and frustrated at yourself and may even rub shits on your self esteem...not that you don't want to overcome them but because you are finding it difficult to do so.
If this is your condition, do not feel demoralized anymore because you are about to meet some good news on how you can contain that terrible habits tearing your life apart. Keep reading and be ambitious to practice what you are about to learn because in no time, you are going to overcome your addictions and take full control of your life. However, the journey may be an excruciating one but it all worth it.
Part 1; Deciding to Quit
Accepting the fact that you have a problem is the first step into solving it. You must learn to accept your addictions and must be ready to do something about them. You must realize that nothing happens to you without your permission. So consider making that bold decision and be courageous enough to take the first step. The guides below might help you out;
Write down the harmful effects of your addiction. It may freak you out when you see the negative things that addiction had done to your life, but seeing them is very necessary, it may ginger you to take a bold and positive step. Take out a pen and a piece of paper and brainstorm a list that includes all the negative effects you've experienced since your addiction started. Make sure you are honest about them.
Make a list of positive changes you want in your life. After penning down those negative effects, also create another list of how you want your life to improve once you've contained the habit.
Part 2; Making a Plan
Life is all about planning. A careful planning brings about an outstanding results. If you must embark on this journey of breakthrough, you must have a layout. A wonderful game plan that will bring victory over your ugly addictions.
Set a date to quit. Don't let procrastination overwhelm you, set a date to start your exercise but be sure you don't wait for too long to start, because you may never do it again when you delay too much. You can plan to start in a week time or two, this will enable you to be mentally and emotionally prepared.
Seek for assistance. You must realize that a lot of people had gone through what you are going through and today they are in charge of their life and living happy... don't expect to do it yourself. Even if you can, but to make things easy, try to seek for support and advice from others including professionals when you get to meet one. There are several institutions that provide guidance and counseling for people with problems and addictions, you may want to consider going for their assistance during this journey.
Identify your triggers. There must be something that kept tempting you and fueling your addictions. Everyone has a certain set of triggers that make them automatically want to indulge their habits. Try to identify what those things are and handle them amicably. For example, if you're struggling with an alcohol addiction, you might find it difficult to attend a certain restaurant or party without feeling a strong urge to drink. If you're addicted to gambling, passing a casino on the way home from work might make you feel compelled to stop. Knowing your triggers will help you face them when the time comes for you to quit.
Start ramping down your addictive habit. Do not expect your habits to automatically stop because that is not how it works. Instead of quitting immediately, start by decreasing them one after the other. And try take away anything around you that might remind you of them.
Part 3; Quitting and Handling Withdrawal
Stop the addictive behavior as planned. When the big day arrives for you to start, make sure you embrace it. However, those first few days are going to be hard. Keep yourself busy and maintain a positive attitude. In no time you will be glad you did.
Fill your time. Engage in new hobbies and hang out with friends. Just do anything possible to start a new chapter in your life which addiction is not a part of. It has been proved that positive social interactions can stimulate the release of neurotransmitters which elicit feelings of happiness and satisfaction without the need for drugs. Just assume a new adventure and build a new you.
Keep clear of your triggers. Like we have mentioned earlier, identify you temptations and stir clear from them. Stay away from people, places and things that make you want to go back to your old habits.
Don't give in to rationalizations. Be aware that sometimes the thought of going back to your addictions will actually pop up in your mind. You mind might actually tell you to continue it again that it is normal but be very vigilant of that thought. Don't listen to the voice telling you to start back up and don't give up on yourself when it feels hard. Remember that every bit of pain is a touchstone of growth. At the end everything will all worth the pain.
Don't let a relapse be the end of your journey. Overcoming addictions take time and journey, that journey may sometimes be filled with hiccups and wrinkles. Sometimes you may feel tired and may want to quit and sometimes you may even find yourself going back to your addictions. But determination is going to be your drive. When you feel relapsed, go back over what happened and determine what changes you can make to avoid it from happening again. Then get back on your feet and start again.
Don't forget to celebrate your accomplishments. Overcoming addictions is a big victory that deserves celebration. Do something juicy for yourself when you meet the goals you've made, no matter how small it is. Fighting an addiction is an incredibly tough work to do, and when you are victorious over it, you deserve some accolades.
