How to Make the Choice to Recover from Addiction

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Addiction can feel impossible to break out of. Choosing to recover is the very first step in recovering from any addiction. This choice is extremely powerful, as you can't recover if you don't first make it. The fact that you are reading this article is an excellent sign that you do want to recover, even if you can't get yourself past the cognitive dissonance that all addictions will force you into before you choose to actively get better and seek help. Making the choice to recover is a pivotal moment in your life, showing that things can and will get better.

Section 1 of 3:

Acknowledging the need for change

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  1. All addictions have adverse effects on many aspects of your life. Jot down how your addiction has impacted you:
    • Financially. Many addictions, such as substance abuse, are very costly. Notice how much you spend weekly on your addiction. As well as taking up a large portion of your money, your reliability has likely fallen, leading to possible issues with your job.
    • Physically. Addictions almost all have many damaging physical effects. Remember your health before your addiction started to now. This can help give you some perspective on how much your addiction has impacted your health.
    • Psychologically. Every addiction will impact your well-being in some way. Some will make you more aggressive, irritable, moody, and just having an addiction will decrease your mental health. [1]
    • Time consumption-wise. How much time in your day does your addiction take up? Chances are, it takes up a lot of it weekly. Think of how much time you'd be freeing up by quitting.
    • Grades-wise. If you're still in schooling, your grades have likely taken a toll due to your addiction. Consider how much brighter you were able to act prior to your addiction, for some perspective.
    • In your family. How is your family impacted? If you have children or siblings, they can be negatively influenced by growing up around an addict. Your addiction probably makes you less reliable, leading to familial issues and distrust. Seeing a family member slowly decline is extremely difficult, so consider the impact you're having on your family.
    • Through your relationships. Your friends and partners care about you, and seeing you destroy yourself through your addiction puts them through pain. Even if they don't know about it, you will act differently, leading to distrust, aggression, and isolation.
  2. Listen to the worries of those who love you. They might perceive the impacts of addiction with greater clarity than you can. Their input can make a significant difference in how well you can see how impacted your life is by your addiction.
    • Ask for your loved ones' opinions on your addiction to gather the information that will help you make the final necessary decision to quit.
    • Friends and loved ones are often the greatest impacted by your addiction, after you, so their opinions are highly valuable.
    • Loved ones and friends can observe mood and behavioural changes you hadn't been able to notice.
    • Talking to loved ones can help you to face the reality of your addiction, rather than just pushing away the symptoms and changes which significantly affect much more than just yourself.
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  3. While addiction is a complex issue, and you don't have to beat yourself up for getting into it, it is ultimately your responsibility to fix it. [2] You shouldn't think of yourself as the victim in this scenario, as it only leads you to more usage. This harms those around you and yourself.
    • Accepting that it is your responsibility to recover is challenging; however, put simply, it is the truth.
      • The sooner you accept this fact, the closer you'll be to deciding to recover.
    • Be kind to yourself during this process. It's easy to fall into a spiral of self-loathing. However, it is counterproductive.
      • Being kind to yourself while deciding to recover is essential for your wellbeing.
      • The spiral of self-loathing you get led into often drags you back towards your addiction for comfort. This is why it is counterproductive to beat yourself up over your responsibilities.
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Section 2 of 3:

Overcoming fear

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  1. Find videos or interviews of people sharing their experiences overcoming your addiction, or find people you can talk to about it in real life. Join support forums and groups on the internet to see peoples' stories with overcoming your addiction.
    • Seeing others' success will help you accept that it is possible to recover; you just need to make the choice.
    • Listening to their stories and struggles can provide valuable insights and show that recovery is achievable.
  2. If you have a paralysing fear of failure, it can be challenging to start your recovery journey. Remember, perfectionism isn't the goal, and there is no such thing as failing if you continue to try. That's it; all you need to do. Try.
    • Worrying about failure is perfectly normal; remind yourself the fear of staying in your addiction without at least trying to quit should be higher on your priorities.
  3. Whatever your reasons are, financial, familial, or social, emphasise thinking about those instead of your fears. Your reasons for change are powerful in combatting your fear to begin your recovery.
    • Find reasons you are genuinely passionate about. These can be:
      • Social: is addiction messing up your connections? You aren't alone. This is a common side effect of addiction.
      • Mental: your mental health is taking a toll from your addiction.
      • Financial: your spending is likely all going toward something that doesn't benefit you currently.
      • Physical: you may want to achieve more physically or improve your general health.
      • Or any of the other things that addiction affects.
  4. Keep visual reminders of your goals in places you'll see them. Regularly revisit your goals so you can remember their importance to you. Don't allow yourself to fall into a depressive cycle where you decide nothing matters anyway; it does matter. Your life and goals matter.
  5. Feeling unsure about recovery is normal. Recognise that ambivalence is a normal part of the process, but don't let it derail your progress. Continue to remind yourself how much better your life will be without your addiction because it is the truth.
    • Write a pros and cons list of staying addicted vs choosing recovery. This will help you see your situation with more clarity. Keep going back to your reasons throughout all of this process.
  6. Your addiction thrives on your passivity and delay. The longer you stay in a state of inaction, the more control addiction will hold over your life. Acknowledge that taking any step towards recovery is a decisive action that leads down the right path for your future. Always prioritise your future.
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Section 3 of 3:

Committing to action

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  1. Look into inpatient and outpatient treatment. Accessing professional support is an essential first step to committing to action. Professional support greatly improves your odds of recovering as they can help with the following:
    • Creating a customised treatment plan. Your therapist or drug support worker can help create a plan suited to your needs. No two people with an addiction are identical, so getting tailored support for your addiction is crucial.
    • Providing comprehensive care. Addiction impacts not only your physical health but also your mental well-being. Professionals can assess and treat any physical and mental issues you may be facing following your addiction.
    • Offering medication-assisted treatment. Medications, in addition to behavioural therapy, have been shown to increase the outcome of your recovery. [3] You may be prescribed an antidepressant, antipsychotic, mood stabiliser or other similar psychological based medications, or if your addiction was to something like an opioid, perhaps methadone.
    • Providing ongoing support and accountability. Having someone there for you whenever you need them provides support you couldn't otherwise get. Additionally, knowing that someone cares about your recovery and is working with you toward it can create an additional air of accountability. [4]
  2. Developing coping strategies is urgent when quitting any addiction. This can help ensure you don't fall into your old patterns or new unhealthier patterns. Some coping strategies you should try include:
    • Engaging in a hobby. Hobbies can help your mental well-being and give you a sense of purpose while improving your skills and cognition.
    • Exercising. Exercise is essential for your physical and mental well-being. It is also a brilliant way of quitting addictions, as it has been proven to help in this area. [5]
    • Practising mindfulness. Mindfulness not only aids your well-being but gives you a sense of clarity. There are many forms of mindfulness including
      • Journalling: writing down your daily happenings and feelings is a great skill to have, and improves coherence and understanding of why you do certain things. Journals are also helpful tools for engaging in therapy more interactively.
      • Meditation: any form of meditation is proven to aid your wellbeing.
      • Mindful movement: practices such as yoga or martial arts.
  3. This is a very common side effect of quitting addictions. You are the most vulnerable to falling into another addiction after just quitting. [6] Common addiction substitutions include: [7]
    • Binge eating
    • Gambling
    • Overworking
    • Benzodiazepines
    • Nicotine
    • Sex
    • Pornography
    • Shopping
  4. Support groups have definite promise to help you cut down on your addiction. [8] Having peer support and a sense of community is vital for your recovery, as those two things are hard to find elsewhere.
    • These groups give you a sense of community you couldn't otherwise get, allowing you to share experiences and relate to others on a deeper level.
  5. Your addiction is likely intrinsically linked to your personality and self-worth if you've been in it for an extended time. While breaking out of these cycles can be challenging, it is essential. Remember, you are your own person, even without the addiction that you've grown into having as a part of your identity. You can do this by:
    • Rediscovering passions and interests. What did you enjoy doing before you got caught up in your addictive cycles? This could be years ago and could be anything, from a TV show you love to an interest in sports.
    • Building healthy relationships. As you slowly become more dependable, you will, in time, rebuild your relationships. Making new friends who you don't let down may be a good idea as there won't be lingering distrust from your past self.
    • Practising self-compassion. Remember, you are a human. You will make mistakes, and this will not discredit your efforts. You must be kind to yourself throughout embracing your new identity, as it may be difficult for your mind to cope with.
  6. Find others who are committed to avoiding your substance or addiction of choice. They may have never partaken, or they may be past addicts like yourself.
    • Having good surroundings of committed peers fosters a positive outlook for yourself, as you won't be tempted to follow your peers down the rabbit hole of addiction all over.
  7. If your addiction is severe, or has a prolonged or dangerous withdrawal (for example benzodiazepines or alcohol) it may be the best choice to check yourself into a rehab. Consider the pros and cons of rehab:
    • Pros of rehab
      • Structured environment
      • Professional guidance
      • Peer support
      • Skill development
      • Addressing underlying issues [9]
    • Cons of rehab
      • Cost
      • Time commitment
      • Isolation from the real world
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      Additional Resources

      Organization  Phone Number 
      Alcoholics Anonymous

      (212) 870-3400
      National Council on Problem Gambling

      (800) 522-4700
      SAMHSA (Substance Abuse)

      (800) 662-4357
      Sexual Addicts Anonymous

      (800) 477-8191
      Marijuana Anonymous

      (800) 766-6779
      S.A.F.E. Alternatives

       (800) DONT-CUT 

      Warnings

      • If you or a loved one are experiencing thoughts of suicide, call a suicide hotline or emergency services or go to a local emergency department.
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      • If you or a loved one is experiencing hallucinations or severe paranoid or psychotic symptoms, call emergency services or go down to your local emergency department.
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      Tips

      • Trust the process. A simple sentiment, but an important one. Be sure to understand that healing won't happen overnight; all you need is commitment.
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      • Visualise success. Imagine a life free from addiction and all the benefits that will come with recovery.
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      • Prepare for potential setbacks. Nobody is perfect, so don't go into recovery with unrealistic expectations of yourself. Develop a contingency plan for the possibility that your recovery will go otherwise than what you initially hoped for.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/substance-use-and-mental-health
      2. ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5486507/
      3. ↑ https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/3c65cc004fe3e9059facbf03541ce8ed/Medication+Treatment+Opioid+Dependence+for+HP+%2800510%29+Nov+2021.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE-3c65cc004fe3e9059facbf03541ce8ed-ohxKZSf
      4. ↑ https://greenacreswellness.com/2024/08/08/the-importance-of-professional-support-in-addiction-recovery/
      5. ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3276339/
      6. ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272735821001264
      7. ↑ https://www.addictioncenter.com/community/addiction-replacement/
      8. ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5047716/
      9. ↑ https://www.rayhaderclinic.com.au/resource-centre/rehab-pros-and-cons

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