Treating Addiction

Treating Addiction

Addiction can destroy your life.  Worse, addiction may cause you to destroy the lives of your loved ones and commit acts for which you may never forgive yourself.  There is no easy way off of a substance or act on which you’ve grown dependent, but continuing the cycle of abuse will only compound your problems and quitting will never get easier.  So, if you’re committed to improving the quality of your life, it’s time to put on your boots and begin the long march.  The best first step to engaging in any battle is to attempt to understand your enemy.

Addiction

Addiction can occur at both a mental and physical level.  A person may become mentally dependent on any substance or act (shopping, eating chocolate, smoking crack), but some substances may cause your body to become physically dependent on receiving that substance.  When a person is physically addicted to something, a change has occurred in the body at a cellular level and that change has caused the body to depend on receiving that chemical.  If the body does not receive that substance, then it may have violent physical reactions.  When the body withdraws from heroin, for example, the user may become horrifically sick.  Someone who is physically dependent on alcohol may die if they slowly remove the toxins from their system.  Physical addiction is a very serious problem that will require professional care to properly treat, but many addictions occur solely at a mental level, where dependency is manifested in the mind of the abuser.  But just because the addiction only occurs within the mind does not mean that mental addiction is easier to deal with than physical addiction.  Make no mistake: the mind can be startlingly powerful.  Mental addiction can last a lifetime if not confronted. 

Steps to Recovery

If your addiction is interfering with your ability to live a life with which you are at peace, then it’s time to improve the quality of your life.  Though it will not be easy, know that you, and only you, have the key.  There is no promise that you will ever be “cured” of your addiction, and the battle may last your whole life.  But isn’t your life worth fighting for? 

1. Recognize that you have a problem:  If the quality of your life is deteriorating because of your physical or mental dependency on a substance or act, it’s time to acknowledge that you have a problem.  Once you recognize this, you can begin treatment.
2. Find Help: McHenry counseling expert, Dan Blair, encourages you to seek professional help from someone trained to help you deal with your addiction.  But you will need more help then a counselor can provide.  It’s time to establish a social network free from your addiction.
3. Rebuild Your Life: You will need to reorganize your life in a way conducive to recovery.  If you have a set of friend with whom you engage in your addictive behavior, it’s time to find new friends.  While it may be difficult for you to leave certain people behind, it is worth the sacrifice to get your “old” self back.  Rebuilding your social network will take work, but finding this support network is a necessary step in your recovery.
4. Continue Treatment: Often times, addiction is our way of self medicating.  In other words, the addictive behavior may be a symptom of a deeper psychological problem.  Continuing treatment will not only reinforce your resolve to recover, but it may help you identify and confront the source of your addictive behavior.   

The road to recovery is not easy, but the first steps may be the hardest to take.  Remember, there was a time in your life when you were not addicted.  You can find your peace again.  The time to seek treatment is now.  Your life is worth fighting for.