4 Tips for Overcoming Addiction

Updated on July 18, 2019

Overcoming addiction can be difficult even for those who are incredibly strong. Family therapy, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy are typically the first things health care professionals use as treatment options. That being said, those treatments alone might not be enough for someone to recover fully from their addictions. They might need a combination of additional support and drug therapy strategies. Here’s a quick look at a few effective support strategies that may help those trying to recover from an addiction.

Motivational Rewards and Incentives

Motivational incentives are things like rewarding people for showing good behavior, like passing their drug screens. If you replace the biological reward of something like using alcohol mixed with antidepressants or engaging in some type of compulsive behavior with rewards for behaviors that are desired, it’s possible to reach sobriety milestones and curb addiction. 

Some might be able to utilize this strategy alone. That said, it’s generally more effective when progress is tracked, and incentives are given by someone else. Rewards could also take a number of forms that can include things like money, privileges, and benefits. Typically, the larger or more important to the addict the incentives are, the more effective this strategy is.

Support Networks

Addiction can be difficult to overcome alone… especially for youths and young adults. Group and individual counseling can be effective strategies for treatment due to the fact that they provide support from understanding and knowledgeable therapists or even other addicts who’re at various stages of recovery. Many addicts find it beneficial to attend these groups because it helps them know that there are others struggling with similar issues and they’re overcoming them. Family therapy is also helpful when it comes to creating a strong support system within the family. 

Listening to Therapists and Doctors

It’s critical to listen to the advice given by counselors, therapists, and doctors. They don’t just want to help; they’re trained to help. Even famous people who’ve struggled with addictions, like Demi Lovato, have found that these professionals can be helpful. Their advice comes from a combination of experience with helping people recover from their addictions and their education in the field of addiction studies. 

If these professionals suggest a particular medication, it’s critical that it’s taken exactly as prescribed. Even if the first option is ineffectual, the doctor can always prescribe a different one so that the treatment is tailored to the addict’s needs. Additionally, it’s critical to go to every single health care appointment so that the therapists and doctors can monitor your progress and make any treatment adjustments that might be necessary. 

Make Changes Elsewhere

If you’re dying to be free from your addiction, another effective strategy is to change everything else in your life. Addiction is a neurological compulsion and this makes it difficult to change. Some of the other aspects of your life might be easier to make alterations to. Because of this, it’s possible to overcome an addiction simply by setting a new routine that doesn’t involve your addiction and sticking to it. This might include things like exercising on a daily basis, starting a strict diet and making sure to go to all of your medical appointments. Negative habits are easier to break when they’re embedded in a lifestyle that’s positive. There are also quite a few self-help programs out there that can assist addicts with changing their habits and lifestyle to beat their addiction. 

Yes, there are more things you can do to overcome your addiction, but the four you’ve read here today will give you a good start.

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