The First Four Steps in Stopping Your Drug Use

The First Four Steps in Stopping Your Drug Use

Unless a series of bad events occur, addicts often are unable to see the damage of their addiction, both on how it affects their lives and those who they love. Addiction can cause a series of negative consequences that can plague an addict and those they love the most for years down the road, even if the addict has achieved sobriety. Each addiction is unique and because of this, each addict will take similar yet different steps in stopping their drug abuse.

Each addict became addicted to their substance of choice for different reasons, some may have experienced a traumatic event while others may have had both drug use and paraphernalia in their immediate environment.

No matter the reasons behind an addict’s use, each will go through similar steps to stop their drug use. These steps may include treatment, counseling sessions, learning better communication skills, as well as individualized programs for the addict’s personal goals.

Knowing Where to Begin to Stop Addiction in its Tracks

Putting a stop to an addict’s drug use does not occur over night, just like their addiction did not develop overnight. Recovery is a lifelong process and with that there will be triumphs and setbacks, each highly important during this stage. Included in the following are four highly important steps in stopping your drug use: [1]

  • Find a purpose
  • Identify danger zones
  • Make lifestyle changes
  • Be accountable and have a support system

When an addict finally comes to the conclusion that he is ready to seek treatment, he has taken the first and most important step in stopping his drug use. This step of realizing the negative impact of his addiction can leave an addict feeling embarrassed, ashamed and depressed about the activities he engaged in and how his actions hurt his loved ones. During this time, many addicts identify why they want to seek sobriety. Some cite loved ones while others cite their health to help them stay motivated to make the changes necessary to support their new lifestyle of sobriety.

Knowing what may trigger an addict’s cravings or even lead him to temptation is a great asset to stopping drug abuse. These temptations can be anything from familiar smells and sounds to specific individuals or environments, each unique to the addict. What may be a trigger for one addict may not affect another. Understanding why these specific triggers have this effect on the addict could help him better understand just how important it is that he either avoid these danger zones at all costs or find a healthy ways to respond to them.

Recovery requires a lifestyle overhaul for each addict, which means addicts must be willing to make the sacrifices to support it. This could include changing social circles and no longer having contact with past friends and family who supported their addiction or used drugs. Additionally this could also lead the recovering addict to relocate to a new city or even a new state for a fresh start. Regardless of the changes the recovering addict has made since treatment, he may feel judged and overwhelmed by others in the community, so for some recovering addicts, relocating may be the best option.

At their darkest times, addicts often push the blame of their addiction on others rather than taking responsibility for their actions. This can be difficult for many addicts to change because they have to acknowledge and be accountability for their past actions as well as be prepared to address the issues they may have in the future. This may take practice and some lessons in humility, but maintaining sobriety, repairing relationships, and getting healthier mentally, physically and emotionally should be the recovering addict’s main priority.