Mental Health And Addiction – Find Some Control

Mental health and addiction are not mutually exclusive. And the moment you start taking care of yourself, that’s when you start taking control. So, if you are struggling with addiction, or you want to helps someone else who does, here are some basics to help you get started.

Fighting Addiction

Even this article quickly summarizes some of the fundamentals of fighting addiction, there is no minimizing the challenge ahead. But if you are determined enough, these are some of the things you have to face.

– It needs to be a conscious decision to stop

First off, wanting to change has to be genuine and personal desire. If a person is not getting clean for themselves, expect a relapse to linger somewhere in the future. Because respecting and loving yourself form big parts of successful recovery. But when rehabilitation is forced in some way, the outcome will automatically be accompanied by a higher risk to relapse.

– Seek professional help

Once the decision has been made to fight the addiction, it is best to seek a professional. Even though it sounds easier to ask friends or family, these are not people who are trained to cope with the journey ahead. Sure, they can be there for moral support. But they shouldn’t be in charge of the detoxing process.

– Learn to recognize the triggers

A good way to curb relapse is to identify and recognize triggers. For example, if you stopped drinking then don’t hang around at bars. And once you have a better handle on what triggers your addiction, the better you are able to avoid it altogether.

– Accept that fighting addiction never stops

Yes, addiction never really goes away. Instead, it is a daily battle that does get easier with every month you stay clean. And sometimes the temptation to fall back into bad habits will surface, which is when you need to remind yourself of the progress you’ve made.

Promoting Mental Health

There is another way to approach the connection between mental health and addiction. In other words, you should actively change your habits and lifestyle.

– Surround yourself with positive and healthy people

You might not realize it now, but the people you surround yourself with can be very influential. For instance, if they constantly talk about negative aspects and elements that bring you down, they are adding fuel to the fire. The reality is you should be among people who believe in being positive and happy.

– Replace bad habits with good ones

Instead of entertaining bad habits, replace them with good ones. Want an example? Develop a regular gym routine or doing something else that is positive in nature.

– Develop your spiritual side

Nobody is saying you should get religious. But taking the time to know your mind and thoughts better can provide an easier way to deal with addiction. Because it is ultimately the subconscious mind that powers the addiction, and spirituality tends to focus on making healthy changes in this regard.

Whatever you do, don’t let your addiction get the better of you.

Tim

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