Image result for How Millions of people deal with addiction

Millions of people deal with addictions. Some addictions are more severe than others. However, dealing with any addiction for a long time can feel debilitating. If you’ve found that you’re in a position where you can’t seem to shake an addiction, consider implementing these five tactics.

1. Tell someone.
When someone is dealing with depression, the first thing most professional suggest is to tell someone. It’s important to tell someone because there’s a level of freedom that comes in telling the truth. The same concept applies with addiction. When you’re dealing with an addiction, it’s not uncommon for it to remain a secret battle. Most people aren’t proud of their addictions so they hide them. Depending on what the addiction is, the people around them might be able to tell things are bad. However, there are many people who hid drug addictions from spouses before. You can hide what you don’t want people to know. If you’re looking for ways to deal with an addiction, it’s important to open up and tell someone you can trust.

2. Find outlets.
When a person is dealing with a significant level of stress, it’s wise to have an outlet to release it all. With an addiction, there’s an amount of stress that comes along with not having the choice substance available. When you’re taking one thing away, you’ll need to replace it with something else. For example, if you’re going to quit smoking, take the cigarette money and place it in a jar. After a week passes, take the saved money and purchase something that can make you feel good like a spa package or a new dress. Consider investing that money into a stock purchase. When you see the positive you can do with the same amount of cash, this can help you remain motivated to beat your addiction.

3. Notice your triggers.
It’s important to take note of when you crave your addiction. When you get to the root of the pattern, you’ll be able to reexamine your habits and what you need to do in order to change. If you find yourself always needing an entire bottle of alcohol after work, it’s time to look at why. Is this job driving you to drink? Perhaps this is an indicator that you need a new job and a better outlet outside of drinking. If you need to have a cigarette after every fight with a family member, this might be an indicator that some distance between you and that family member is necessary. When it comes to an addiction, you’ve got to take some drastic measures to protect your health and sanity.

4. Get professional assistance.
When you’re dealing with an addiction and don’t see how you can beat it on your own, it’s such a wise idea to go and find a rehab center. Many people mistakenly believe that rehab programs are only for celebrities in the spotlight. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Programs like the Austin 60 Day Rehab program are in place to put you in touch with professionals that will guide you to freedom over your addiction. It can be wildly humbling and difficult to make the first move. However, it’s one of the best decisions you can make in your entire life. You never want to be in a position where an addiction has power over you. Getting professional help will allow you to experience a new lease on life.

5. Eliminate temptations.
If you struggle with alcohol, it’s not a good idea to go to the happy hour after work. You might think you’d be strong enough to just order some water or juice. However, if alcohol is an addiction, it’s best to completely avoid your temptation. One of the most important steps in dealing with an addiction involves overcoming denial and avoidance. You have to look at the issue straight-on and understand that it’s your choice to put yourself in environments that help you win or encourage you to fail. When you’re in situations where you’ll have to fight temptation, it’s important to maintain a game plan and an escape route. When you prepare, you’ll never get caught off-guard. As a result, you’ll have a better time remaining successful.

The journey to recovery is often a long one. It’s also important to remember that the journey usually isn’t linear. You’ll fail, relapse and have moments where you feel like giving up. This is all normal. Understand that you can and will beat your addiction. As long as you take the necessary steps and surround yourself with the right people, you can experience victory over your addiction.