Overcoming addiction is very tough and no approach is going to be easy. Drug addiction drains your wallet, changes your personality, harms your health, and ruins relationships. Quitting through natural methods seems like a simple solution, right?
Simple, maybe, but not easy. How to quit and by what method would be a good place to begin. Just realizing there is a problem and being willing to change are the first steps in overcoming the hardships.
It is not an easy task, and we are not blind to the negative impact of drug use. For many individuals, getting sober is a goal that seems to be always just out of reach. Staying determined to stop using, no matter what will aid in trying to find what method will work for you.
However, if you are struggling with the difficulties of addiction, we are here to help guide you to a successful recovery. Call us at 405-583-4390. We want to see you succeed.
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Are you looking for more natural ways to quit a drug addiction? Then continue reading below for more information. If you require additional help, please reach out to our professionals today.
Natural Methods of Overcoming Addiction
Quitting “Cold Turkey”
Quitting cold turkey, or simply stopping your substance use, may be the most difficult way to quit through natural methods. Stopping abruptly can lead to painful withdrawal symptoms and a powerful urge to start using the substance again. However, trying to quit cold turkey can be just like tightrope-walking without a net.
It is natural to want to try to quit independently. Many people think they can handle beating addiction alone, but quite often underestimate how powerful drug addiction really is.
Cold turkey may not be the most successful way to quit, but it does have certain advantages. It is less disruptive to your life than going to treatment programs, attending counseling, and digging deep into the emotional and mental issues behind your substance use. It is also free of charge!
In addition, the odds of successfully quitting cold turkey depend on your personality, daily habits, and the extent of your addiction. What works for one person does not necessarily work for another. If you have the courage and think you can tough it out, then give it a try, but use extreme caution. It will be relatively easy to relapse, and with many drugs, this comes with an increased risk of overdose.
Replacing the Habit
It can be useful to find a new hobby, challenge, or relationship to help fill the void left by the substance use.
Think about something new or something you liked to do before the addiction took over. Whatever you choose, a new positive hobby may start to give new meaning to your life helping you beat addiction through natural methods. Breaking a bad habit might take longer than forming a new one, but in the process of forming a new positive habit, you slowly break the bad habit along the way. Set a goal and take small steps to reach that goal. Stay away from temptations that remind you of using again. Above all, remember to love yourself.
Exercise
Exercise relieves stress and helps you think more clearly. It also prompts the body to release its own endorphins that trigger the brain’s reward pathway. This promotes a feeling of well-being not unlike that provided by certain drugs, although of course much healthier.
Exercise will help to distract you from cravings. Workouts add a routine to your day and can help to form positive social connections. This can also help to reduce depression and anxiety.
Yes, exercise can help to conquer addiction. Remember, however, no treatment is infallible. Frequently, people with substance use disorder find that a combination of strategies is best.
Spirituality
Whatever your beliefs may be, your spiritual life can be a source of comfort and strength. Having a higher power is a key component of recovery as practiced in AA and other programs. While organizers have noted that you do not have to be religious or even spiritual to benefit from this principle, it remains true that spirituality can serve as a template for personal growth and a fundamental reason to get better.
Celebrate Recovery (CR)
As noted, many recovery programs incorporate faith in some form, but one of the most overtly faith-based is Celebrate Recovery. This is a Christian organization for anyone struggling with hurt, pain, or addiction of any kind. Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to find community and freedom from the issues that are controlling your life.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
As the oldest and most famous of substance abuse support groups, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a worldwide, community-based program that helps problem drinkers with getting sober. This is done with the support of their peers through daily 12-step meetings and discussions surrounding addiction. AA gives individuals a place to come together and share their experiences, as well as the kind of accountability that is all too necessary in the course of overcoming addiction with natural methods.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
To aid in learning how to quit drugs, one can attend NA 12-step meetings. An offshoot of AA, this program is designed to help those in recovery strengthen their vow to stay clean and stay accountable for their behavior. Attending NA meetings will provide a group of like-minded friends who can help each other through the difficulties of recovery through natural methods. It can also help to spread the message that recovery is possible. Contact us today, and we can help you find the right treatment plan for you and your situation.
Tips For Overcoming Addiction
If you decide to quit without help, that does not mean you should not have a plan. One reason why unaided attempts fail so often is that trying to stop on the spur of the moment without an adequate plan can be very difficult. For example, quitting is a process that is more likely to succeed if one prepares ahead of time.
- Have a plan. Decide on a day. Get rid of any items associated with substance use ahead of time. Please inform your friends and family that you are going to quit and ask for their encouragement.
- Switch it up. Because substance use is a part of your routine, changing that way can reduce cravings and potential triggers during the first stage of getting sober. And of course, if you always use drugs when you go out with a particular group of friends, this is the time to distance yourself from them.
- Drink water. Aside from the benefits of hydration, sipping on the water can help alleviate cravings. Addiction is compulsive by nature, and having something healthy and straightforward to do with your hands and mouth is useful when those compulsions strike.
- Become active – Ease yourself into a light exercise routine. This will distract you from old habits and help motivate you to stay healthy. It also has the advantage of triggering the brain’s reward center and providing a mild all-natural high.
- Inspire yourself. Please make a list of all the reasons why you want to quit and keep it in your pocket. Look at it when you get discouraged.
If you require additional assistance with ways to overcome your addiction, then please call us today. Our experts will help you find the best route for you to take. You can start living your best life now.
Natural Methods May Not be Enough
Individuals with substance dependency are sometimes unable to control their behaviors no matter what they try. Simply saying “I want to stop” is not always enough.
Over time, drugs change how the brain works and interfere with a person’s ability to make choices. In addition, this can lead to intense cravings and more severe drug use.
Withdrawal symptoms can cause many to seek professional help. As a substance use disorder becomes more intense, drug use is the only thing that produces relief from the bad feelings associated with withdrawal. And like a vicious cycle, relief comes at the cost of a worsening addiction and increased distress when not using. The person no longer takes the drug to get high, but instead to avoid feeling low.
Individuals with drug addiction experience a reduced ability to control their impulses toward alcohol or drug use, despite awareness that stopping is in their best interest. While many drug users are aware that their use is chipping away at everything else that is important to them, they may still be unable to summon the will to quit.
Relapse is also a major concern. Even if one can resist drug or alcohol use for a while, at some point the cravings triggered by various prompts in their lifestyle may erode their resolve. This results in a return to substance use, or relapse.
Treatment Plus Exercise
All the above difficulties show the importance of formal treatment programs, which everyone looking to enter recovery should consider. But it is also true that programs work best when combined with some of the basic tips we have discussed.
For instance, those who exercise regularly have increased feelings of self-confidence and optimism and reduced feelings of depression and anxiety. This has to do with the body regulating itself during exercise, but also with feelings of accomplishment, pride, and self-worth. Along with a treatment plan that re-calibrates your mind, exercise transforms your body. You can begin to reach your goals both mentally and physically. As you reach certain benchmarks you feel more accomplished. Because this reinforces the goal of continued sobriety as attainable.
In addition, regular exercise promotes better sleep, greater energy, and enhanced feelings of well-being. These will make life much more manageable and enjoyable, thus helping sustain recovery as much as any medication or counseling regimen. Contact us today and we can help you decide what the best course of treatment is for you.
Quitting Is Only The Beginning
Because addiction can affect so many aspects of a person’s life, quitting the drug is only part of the recovery process. Treatment should address the needs of the whole person to be successful. Counselors may select from a menu of services that meet the specific medical, mental, social, occupational, family, or legal needs of their patients to help in their recovery.
People often wonder: can addiction be cured? Unfortunately, the short answer is no. It can be treated, it can be managed, but there will never be a day when someone with substance abuse disorder is completely free of it, any more than a diabetic can be free from needing insulin. Because addiction is a chronic disease, most patients need long-term or repeated care to stop using completely and recover their lives. Treatment facilities and mental health professionals have the tools to create a recovery plan that is as unique as the individual seeking help. There are many options that have been successful in treating drug addiction, for instance:
- Behavioral counseling
- Skills training
- Medication
- Long-term follow-up to prevent relapse
- Medical applications used to treat withdrawal symptoms
- Evaluation and treatment for additional mental health issues such as depression and anxiety
Remaining Drug-Free
Yes, people who get clean and stick with it can stop using drugs. You can change your life and not go back to taking drugs. However, you must try hard and stick to whatever method works for you. Recovery from addiction means you must stop using drugs and learn new ways of thinking. You will need to learn to feel difficult emotions and deal with problems without using.
For those deciding to get sober, there is a long and difficult road ahead. After you stop using drugs, you still have a lot to do:
- Re-learn how to live without using drugs.
- Work on problems your drug use caused with your family, friends, and finances.
- Stay away from people you used drugs with and places where you used.
- Learn what makes you want to take drugs, so you can avoid or work on those things.
You may also need treatment for deeper problems that led to your drug use, such as depression, anxiety, or other mental health problems. Contact us today if you would like help remaining drug free. Our professionals are here to help, because we care about you. Let us help you start your journey to a healthier life.
Choices and Chances
Your chances of success depend on several factors, not just relying on sheer willpower. They also depend on the extent of your addiction, your daily habits and routines, and the amount of support you get from friends and family. These factors all play a big role in your ability to succeed.
Most importantly, get support from friends and loved ones in your venture to quit. It is always easier when you are not alone. Your future and your life depend upon it.
Nobody is Perfect
We have all made mistakes in the past. Today we can learn from them. We must think about the consequences that bad choices cost us. Keep your goal in view and stick to achieving it one step at a time.
Once you learn to live without substance use, you may not feel the need for it in your life anymore. Take control of your mind and your body. You can do this.
Make your addiction a thing of the past by picking up the phone today. We are waiting to help you find a sober and happy future. Call us today, and we will help you get there.
Written by Susan Way
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Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430629/
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/criminal-justice/science-drug-use-discussion-points
- https://addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/executive-summary/report/neurobiology-substance-use-misuse-and-addiction
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/treatment-approaches-drug-addiction
- https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+26%3A41&version=NIV
