How to Overcome Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is the use of illegal drugs or excessive use of drugs and alcohol for another purpose other than its prescribed purpose. There are two types of substance abuse; alcohol abuse and drug abuse.
Some people abuse both substances, while others are addicted to just one. When it becomes too much, substance use disorder sets in, affecting a lot of significant aspects of a person’s life.
Tips to Overcome Substance Abuse
Great things are not accomplished overnight; the same goes for overcoming substance abuse. Recovering can be difficult, but there are effective steps to bring you out of the hole. Here are seven tips to overcome substance abuse:
- Recognize the Problem and Decide to Change
The first step in recovering from substance abuse is recognizing the problem and being ready to deal with it. This way, you can focus on finding a solution to the addiction and switching to a healthy lifestyle. Drug or alcohol addiction is not a character flaw or weakness, it’s a bad decision that you can remedy. But, you have to be ready to become sober.
Research has shown that drug abuse hurts memory, learning ability, decision-making, and judgment. So you must be willing to make drastic changes to avoid other significant health challenges.
- Have a Good Support System
One thing you shouldn’t do if you want to overcome substance abuse is to surround yourself with other addicts who are unwilling to break loose.
Surrounding yourself with sober people or caring friends and family will help you overcome substance abuse faster. Their presence will motivate you to change your ways and see life from a better perspective.
- Stay Busy
Staying busy can erase the thought of using drugs or alcohol illegally. The use of illicit drugs releases a chemical called dopamine into your brain that can make you hyperactive enough to engage in unreasonable things.
You can find new hobbies that will keep your mind away from the desire to use illicit drugs. Don’t just pick wny activity. Instead, establish an interesting and rewarding hobby that will give you purpose and joy. Ultimately, you will do away with the old unhealthy habits and live a drug-free life.
- Eat Healthily
Another way to overcome substance abuse is by eating well. A lot of people turn to harmful substances because they desire a mood booster. However, if you have a healthy diet, your body system would be in great shape.
This will inevitably extinguish any thought of resorting to illegal drugs or excessive alcohol for satisfaction. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables as they help keep your body in shape – physically and mentally.
- Regular Exercise
One of the ways to overcome substance abuse is working out regularly to improve your physical health.
Exercising increases the amount of endorphins in your body, which elevates your mood. In addition, exercising gives your body a good structure and prevents you from falling into relapse.
- 6. Seek Professional Help
Recovery from drug abuse or excessive alcohol intake can be hard, but there is no shame in asking for help from health practitioners. Behavioral therapists and physicians can set you up with a successful recovery process through programs that provide a safe way to maintain sobriety and prevent relapse. The program can be in a substance use disorder center where you will meet people that share your problem and overcome it together as a team.
- Celebrate Your Victories
As mentioned, recovering from substance abuse is a gradual process that begins with baby steps. You can start by setting measurable goals for yourself which you should celebrate when you achieve.
For instance, you may decide not to take any alcohol for three days, and from there to a week until you are able to properly discipline yourself.
When you celebrate your win, it encourages you to keep practicing healthy living for a lengthier period. With this, you will overcome substance abuse and encourage others to do the same.
Final Words
Overcoming substance abuse is no small feat. As such, you should see it as a big step in your life. If you need professional help overcoming substance abuse, reach out to us here. We can share more healthy tips with you and start you on the best treatment for a smooth recovery.