Substance addiction not only affects an individual and his family, but it can also have serious consequences on the country’s economy. In fact, alcohol and drug addiction cost the United States’ economy more than 600 billion dollars annually. If you or your loved one is among those people who have developed a dependency on drugs, alcohol or any other substance, know that the road to recovery is very much possible. Start cleansing yourself out of addiction with the help of the following tips:
Find support.
Addiction is a serious disease. It only ruins your health. It also ruins your whole life. Luckily, there are ways to prevent addiction from causing further damage to you. The best thing about it is that you don’t have to go through the recovery process all alone. Statistics reveal that almost 21 million individuals in the U.S. suffer from addiction. However, only 10 percent of them were able to receive treatment. Don’t let yourself be among the 10 percent. Get yourself treated, help is available in many ways. There are many support groups that you can join. Richard Gallagher a Licensed Professional Counselor in Greenbranch Recovery states that an intensive rehabilitation process would be very helpful to help you overcome your addiction. With the help of a support group, navigating through the daily obstacles and challenges of the recovery process will significantly become less daunting.
Change your mindset.
The adverse effects of addiction include having a negative mindset. But, if you want to truly cleanse yourself out of addiction, you’d better trust the entire process of rehabilitation and treatment. It’s because no treatment would be considered best for an individual who does not believe that it will work. Have faith in your support groups. Do not be afraid to share your story. It is only when you change your mindset by being a pessimist to one who is full of hope, honesty, and positivity in life you will be able to find yourself free from the cudgels of addiction in no time.
Make new healthy relationships.
Like many other people who suffer from addiction, the closest relationship you have is probably with the substance that caused your addiction. If you want to rise up and free yourself from addiction, steer clear from the people who influenced you to get into substance abuse or any other form of addiction. Instead, broaden your network of support by making friends with people who have a positive outlook in life. Make an effort to regain family relationships that were ruined because of your addiction. Visit a friend whom you haven’t visited for a long time since you started becoming so hooked with addiction. Studies have already proven the fact that maintaining positive relationships with people who are willing to provide you different forms of support will help increase your chances of relapsing.
Find a good job.
Gate yourself employed. This will help make you become financially productive. Financial woes can greatly impact someone’s chances of recovering from addiction. Some people are just not good at handling financial problems. They tend to become easily depressed and then turn to substance abuse as a coping mechanism. Unfortunately, such a move only worsens their problems. This is why getting a good job will prove to be helpful in keeping you clean. Besides, when you have a job, you will also be able to meet new friends who can help you create positive relationships.
Be sure to avoid risky situations.
Making new friends is a good way to build a new positive life. To make this possible, you also need to avoid people whom you know are also having an addiction. Be quick to come up with good excuses when a “risky” invitation comes. If someone invites you to a party and you know that they will be having lots of booze, it is best to politely refuse the invitation. If the road to your new-found job entails going past the exact place where you used to indulge in your addiction, better take a different route. Spending a few more money on gasoline costs is a lot better than increasing your risk of going back to your old self once again.
People who went through a rehab center can tell you that the most difficult part of the recovery process starts when you step out of the rehab center. So, muster your courage and determination and believe that you have the capability to regain your life. Just make sure to adhere to the abovementioned tips so you will find recovery much easier.
