Ready to cope with your drug problem? These procedural steps can assist you to cope with cravings and deal with relapse.

Drug Addiction Treatment: Choose to make a change

Attaining an addiction to drugs isn’t a character flaw or a show of weakness, and it takes more than willpower to conquer the problem. Abusing prohibited or certain prescription drugs can conceive changes in the brain, causing strong cravings and an obsession to use that makes sobriety seem like an impossible goal. But recovery is never out of scope, no matter how desperate your situation seems or how many times you’ve tried and failed before. With the correct treatment and support, change is achievable.

For many people coping with addiction, the hardest step toward recovery is the very first one: acknowledging that you have a problem and deciding to reform. It’s normal to feel unclear about whether you’re prepared to begin recovery, or if you have what it takes to quit. If you’re addicted to a prescription drug, you may be troubled about how you’re going to find an alternate way to treat a medical condition. It’s okay to feel broken. Drug addiction treatment requires changing many things, including:

• The way you cope with stress
• Who you grant access to your life
• What you do in your alone time
• How you think about yourself
• The prescription and over-the-counter medications you take

It’s also normal to feel disturbed about giving up your drug of choice, even when you know it’s creating problems in your life. Recovery requires time, encouragement, and support, but by making a pledge to change, you can overcome your addiction and recapture control of your life.

Think about change

• Keep record of your drug use, including when and how much you use. This will give you a better impression of the role the addiction is playing in your life.
• List the pros and cons of quitting, as well as the costs and benefits of progressing your drug use.
• Consider the things that are meaningful to you, such as your partner, your kids, your pets, your career, or your health. How does your drug use affect those things?
• Ask someone you trust about their perception on your drug use.
• Ask yourself if there’s anything forbidding you from changing. What could assist you make the change?