The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
When it comes to addiction, the stories can get real ugly real fast. There’s often no easy way out, and you are left stuck to your vices and pain. If you ever want to overcome your problem, it takes a hell of a lot of work and sacrifice. The doorway is thin and long, but at some point, you will squeeze through. It can leave you with broken arms and ruptured aortas; however, you can always come out alive. These are the 10 ways to deal with addiction right.
You can always give up, although there’s always that one small step you can take to make it right. Every single one of us will have to suffer through some kind of addiction, and many of us are lucky. If we even had the time to worry, we would not struggle this much when thinking about it to begin with. With enough strength and adjustment, you can overcome anything.
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This is here to help the loved ones of those who are personally struggling with addiction. If you happen to be struggling now or have suffered before, this is for you as well. It honestly does not matter what the addiction happens to be, but the focus is on drugs and alcohol. There are plenty of abstract addictions out there that seem almost too asinine to mention. This does not mean that they are not worth discussing, and much of them can be addressed in the same exact ways. Although everything can be considered a drug, the kind that alter your perception are the ones worth noting. We are in a game of addictions, but we have to learn to balance them with enough moderation. The same can be said for compulsions of mental illness to sex addiction and consumption.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
1. Go to Rehab
Everyone understands that the idea of going through rehabilitation is provoked in every good drug story. In real life, this is not necessarily the case; people struggle to even get right. It happens to be the most common solution to severe drug addiction, and it serves as a warning to those on their way. There are plenty of people who miraculously get clean without the need of drug rehab, but they are the lucky ones. The unfortunate truth tends to also reveal that most people do not get that addicted. A drug reconciliation center is there for those who need it most; however, plenty of people go there anyway. It provides all of the amenities you need, albeit at the cost of some of your usual freedom. This is the cost of getting better, and you have to be willing to let go.
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Not every single place provides the same kind or quality of care, although it often does not matter. The quality is often good enough, and the worst you can expect is less room to change. If you happened to fall into the clutches of addiction, someone may have even called a correctional facility for you. This would lead you to go through the NA meetings that you probably wanted to avoid altogether. Most people understand that rehab is an option, but they often forego it as last resort. There are plenty of programs that involve AA or someone struggling with loneliness. If anything, you are best off going to a facility that gives you the constructive help you need. Even if it seems daunting at first, there are reasons why most people consider going if all else fails.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
2. Take Medication
Humans can become addicted to just about anything, and it doesn’t end there. There is no shame in taking a doctor prescribed medication to get off of another “drug.” An example of this is someone with anxiety trying to wean themselves off of benzodiazepines by taking lower doses. The issue with taking a drug to beat an addiction is the likelihood of another addiction.
It obviously depends on the addiction, medication, and how often it requires another drug in your system. This also means that if you are trying to come off of something, you should understand if there is an actual addiction. People love to claim a sickness, and they can often get away. A doctor will likely make sure of this, i.e., therapy, but some people will find the cracks in the door. Unfortunately, most people care little about this, but a doctor can also prescribe you a smaller dose.
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While some people can walk away after just a few months, it may take years for the surrogate to take its place. There is then a long incubation period where you will have to take this to avoid suffering from withdrawal symptoms. If you are struggling from a non-drug related addiction, then the outcome may be a little less strenuous. One major problem with mental health issues is that you may end up having to take the drug for the rest of your life. The outcome for drug related addiction tends to go away faster, albeit by force. Even if a mental addiction to something seems difficult, the symptoms typically go away faster. There are plenty of over-the-counter alternatives that can also be sold illegally, but this is not recommended. If you happen to struggle with something like methamphetamine, then ask a doctor for a reasonable alternative.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
3. Wean Yourself off
If you are truly addicted to something, weaning yourself off of it is probably the last thing you should do. There is significant room for failure, and it can even end with a hospital visit or death. It really depends on the drug, but most drugs require careful consideration and are best done in a group. If you have someone helping you, i.e., a doctor or rehabilitation counselor, you will be fine. On your own though, you can easily fall right back into the addiction without anyone ever realizing it. When somebody does, it is often too late and you are stuck out in the cold once again. Although lowering your tolerance through drug treating is somewhat common in facilities, it is not the main course of action.
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If you are one of those special people who never gets addicted, then that is fantastic. This probably means that you are able to walk away before the drug takes ahold of you. If not, then you are endowed with the ability to evade addiction altogether. For some, addiction can take one time, and for others, the amount of times exceeds double digits. We can all walk away from a drug if it does not addict us to it, but we are better off avoiding a drug entirely at this point. Unfortunately, being addicted offers little in the way of options when trying to get better. The reason you will not see too many good options on this list is dictated by this fact. If you are looking for the best possible options, there are not many, but some do tend to work better than others.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
4. Talk to a Therapist
Some of the recommendations on this list are not fix-all solutions. Many of them are there to help you along the way, making the process just a little bit easier during the long haul. Going to therapy is one of these options, but do not expect it to work on its own. Having a therapist is there when you need someone to talk you through your problems while you do the real work. The hard work involves working on your self-esteem and other issues you may have parallel to your drug problem. It is never a direct solution to drug addiction, although nothing ever really is. The most challenging part of putting in your effort is maintaining the motivation to keep going. This is where a therapist can help the most, and it often comes at little cost if you have the right insurance.
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Therapy is also an option you have when going to rehab, but some people do not want or need the full treatment. You will have the benefits of freedom, but you will have to make sure you set your feet to the fire. There is nothing wrong with trying to make your recovery work outside of a strict regimen, but there are rules. Much of what happens during rehab is expensive, but you get the benefits of a controlled environment. Things like this can cost a lot of money, although if your life is on the line, you may find it worth the cost. No one ever said that getting off of a drug would be easy, and there are few options at your disposal. There are plenty of solutions, but the solutions are very specific to certain addictions. just in case they can help.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
5. Support Groups
Just like therapy, support groups are there for those falling into the stinky toes of addiction. The addiction can be to the smelling of feet or to something as tame as alcohol and drugs. Regardless of what makes you click against your inner demons, it still deserves help. If you drink too much ethanol, you have Alcoholics Anonymous, be it speaker or open meetings. The same thing can be said for narcotics, but the meetings here are generally less specific. You will often find very likeminded people who share many of the same challenges as you. It does not matter the drug as long as you all are on the same page. This is what makes these meetings so special, as no one will judge you.
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There are other less intensive meetings that involve therapy support groups, i.e., online or over the phone. Most of these meetings are free, and they can even guarantee that your identity remains a secret. You can even indulge in some one on one meetings that involve sponsors or chat servers. Even people who desire to quit smoking can go to support groups related to nicotine addiction. If you struggle with an excruciating fetish, then you go to Reddit or 4chan for guides. It really does not matter, and no matter what, you will get some sort of help. Just be sure to understand that the largest goal is to maintain awareness and a willingness to get better. It usually feels really good, even if the process is arduous and painful.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
6. Supplemental Help
If you did not already have a clue, then the tracks are right there in front of you. You see, there are plenty of supplements on the market that are veered towards people struggling with addiction. It does not matter the addiction, but they can set you straight long enough to get the right help. If you need help recovering from meth or nicotine, you can take a stimulant like velvet beans to help with withdrawal. People struggling with a mental MDMA addiction can take 5-HTP to help increase their serotonin yields. Since caffeine is considered a supplement, you can even take this in place of amphetamines. There are no end to the alternatives you can consume to help with those unbeatable cravings.
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Although the alternatives can be somewhat addictive, they are always easier to kick. They can give you the motivation to quit while continuing to satisfy your intense urges. There are no significant downsides to taking them, but there are always things to consider when going clean. You are not going to feel perfect, as it is not the strong intoxicant you were drowning yourself in to begin with. If you are trying to go natural anyway, it gives you a great segue to do it. This is exactly what you must do if you want to keep yourself above ground. You must remain careful; however, as you can still end up causing damage in the long run. Some of the combinations can be deadly, and you need to be careful. Every single supplement can aid you along the way, and the help from a stack can offer great benefits.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
7. Psychedelics
There are illegal drugs you can consume to help with issues of addiction, but they come at a cost. With consumables such as LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, and even mescaline, you can see the so-called light. There may be nothing truly enlightening about their psychoactive effects; however, many do not see it that way. Most people take these drugs to enjoy the tie-dye color scheme with a tiny hint of realization. Although they can come in handy, there are still risks in involved when taking these drugs. The average consumer can struggle with anxiety, depression, or even schizophrenia if dabbling too much. There is nothing inherently good about these drugs, but they have been known to help with cravings. Unfortunately, these drugs are currently illegal, and this can contribute to the negative side-effects.
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To start, psychedelics are considered hallucinogens, a class of drug that induces hallucinations and an altered perception. They have been known to help with mental illness, but they can also worsen preexisting issues. You must always be careful when taking them, as people have been known to lace these compounds. There is no way to obtain a tested version of these drugs unless you do it yourself. If you decide to take one, you are risking a bad trip by simply being uncertain of death. The downsides are knowingly severe, but if you decide to take them, you can have a good time. There are many positives involved, e.g., ibogaine for heroin addiction, acid and psilocybin for nicotine and alcohol, and DMT for OCD compulsions. Just be sure that you prepare yourself before indulging too much.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
8. Substitutions
While this is very similar to taking a medication, there are some distinct differences worth noting. It mostly pertains to drugs that require little in the way of tolerance. If you are addicted and the downsides of going clean are minimal, this is a great option. Some drugs may require a more invasive substitute, but as long as you can avoid the drudge, you are fine. As long as you replace it with something you like less addicted to, there is no harm. One of the best examples of this is cannabis, which is often used to help those struggling with alcohol or nicotine addiction. While you should not obtain this drug illegally, you can move to a state that allows legal use. We know that most people who smoke weed will not do this, and an addiction would make this more difficult.
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There are other substitutions you can indulge in that do not involve drugs whatsoever. You can decide to walk and improve your lifestyle or find a compulsion to take its place. Instead of smoking that cigarette, indulge in a drink of wine instead. If you are struggling to avoid snorting cocaine, you can decide to intranasally ingest nootropics. While the examples seem borderline useless, they can make a major difference over time. The options are endless, but it takes a lot of effort to keep that train going once you are addicted. Although you may struggle to keep the train on the track, the little victories are what should count. There is ultimately little to accomplish here anyway, so you might as well look at bright side.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
9. Lifestyle Changes
Usually, the lifestyle changes happen after you have made the biggest choice in life to quit your addiction. You learn a lot in the process, and in the end, you turn to better outcomes. As mentioned above, you can always start early without sacrificing too much of what makes you miserable. Although, there is always that something that happens to get in the way because of impulse. If we decide to take a little bit of control, then we can learn to create better habits that do the work for us. This in turn makes the pattern more second nature without feeling a need to sacrifice too much. It will always take a little bit of practice, but with enough routine, we can become more accustomed to it.
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Some of the best lifestyle choices you can make involve diet, exercise, and planning. You can even make sure that you do not faulter by creating a schedule. A solid routine can help you keep yourself from dipping your toes too deep into whimsy. It will keep you busy, and you can kill multiple birds with one stone in the process. If you decide to go out for a run, you can distract yourself enough to thoroughly destroy that second wind desire. Putting your time towards health conscious choices also allows you to maneuver and gain better coping mechanisms. The more you give it a shot, the easier it will become in the long run. Keeping your will to go through means of fasting or going to the gym are other great ways to keep yourself from sinking, too.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
10. Going Cold Turkey
While this recommendation sounds exceptionally sophomoric, it’s still something worth considering. Many of the drugs we get addicted to are only enticing because of their availability. It entirely depends on the person and the addiction, but there is no doubting that it works. Every person reacts to withdrawal differently, and some are lucky enough to avoid it. Although it may sound like going cold turkey is painful, there are plenty of good sides to complete abstinence. Not only does it end quickly, you can waste less resources in the process. You will have to have a strong will to quit, and it ultimately requires a mixture of every other item on this list. If it means that you have to ask others to keep you in line, then do it. There’s no point in fighting it, and you may as well give them the keys.
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Depending on the drug, going cold turkey can be a good or bad idea. If you are struggling with a heroin or anxiolytic addiction, you may find that quitting will create problems. Some of these complications can even lead to death, i.e., hypertension and stroke. The same can be said for addictions to alcohol and stimulants, as panic attacks and other symptoms of strain are common. If you are struggling with nicotine, weed, or caffeine, you will have an easier time. It may in fact come naturally if you end up changing around your routine enough. While it may sound daunting, the vast majority of drugs have little addictive potential, i.e., DXM or MDMA. You may find that you gain a mental attachment to them, but this is barely anything to worry about.
The 10 Best Ways to Deal With Addiction
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