Nobody ever said Addiction Recovery is Easy, but it is Possible and it's Worth it!
Being new in drug addiction recovery
is not easy. Everything seems to take forever. We often wonder if we're ever going to make it.
However the 10 proactive action steps bellow can help things along. These steps, if completed will really help out and increase your chances for success. They helped me with an addiction of over 30 years!
Here are the 10 steps that saved me:
1. Determination; Finding the determination within myself to get clean no matter what it took, was for me by far the most important part of my recovery. Even after 35 years of drugs, 20 of which were heroin addiction, I told myself that I was not going to get high come hell or high water no matter what, and did it. Of course it wasn't as easy as it sounds, but together with the other 9 steps bellow, I managed to get and stay clean. I've been drug-free for almost 3 years now. I couldn't be happier.
2. Staying away from Using Friends; Perhaps the second most important factor for me staying clean was to distance myself from my using "buddies". I figured, if they were real friends, they wouldn't have been using with me anyway. They would have asked me to ask for help and get clean.
3. Detox; If you are addicted to anything physically addictive, particularly alcohol and heroin, you may need to enter a detox clinic for the duration your body is still physically addicted and going through withdrawal symptoms.
4. Get Counseling; For many, counseling outside of the addiction detox center may be required. Your therapists and counselors will be the main ones to keep you right on track in your recovery efforts!
5. Remember Time; After you have gotten out of the addiction and recovery center you may be frustrated with the thoughts of alcohol or drugs that are plaguing your mind. However, you must remember that recovery is a process that takes time and there is nothing you can do to speed up the process of time, no matter how dismal or depressing that thought seems.
6. Keep yourself Occupied; Many recovering addicts often find it hard not to go back to their old lifestyles, but the one thing that can help greatly is to keep yourself productively occupied. Get new interests, find new friends who are happy and pleasant, avoid boredom and isolation may prevent you from re-engaging in destructive behavior.
7. Take One Day at a Time; If you are becoming so frustrated that you're feeling like you just want to have some more alcohol or that one last taste of drugs, stop before you get there! Take a deep breath and realize that your recovery will only go one day at a time! Sometimes day by day is tough, we have to take it minute by minute or hour by hour.
8. Find New Behaviors; This is something that many addiction counselors will focus on, but what are you going to do when it should have been the time for your daily dose of alcohol, heroin, cocaine, even marijuana, or some other drug? If you can find different things to do with that time of day, it will be better for you in the long run.
9. Let your Family Know; Difficult as it may be, your family should be the first to know. They will give you emotional support and help you stay steady and focused!
10. Never Give Up!; This concept is as old as the hills but it has been proved to work! A recovering addict is an individual who cannot afford to give up. The substances that you quit will show up to tempt you, just remember never to give in.
Remembering all of these 10 steps for drug addiction recovery is crucial to getting past the first days, weeks, and months following your decision to stop the substance abuse in your life. By following all of these steps and surrounding yourself with positive influences will help you now and in the future when you absolutely need it.
Written By: Tom Retterbush
Health Magazine
