Overcoming Addiction Gently and Effectively

There are many ways you can approach overcoming addiction - some techniques work much better than others, while some are bound to fail in most cases, and identifying the best (or most adequate) technique for you is much more important than most people think.

For example, when trying to quit drinking, the focus is usually on the imperative of not drinking. But as long as one still desires to drink, abstaining from drinking can only lead to tension, frustration and a mix of negative emotions that make him question whether the stress is not actually more harmful than alcohol. This is one of the reasons most people struggle with overcoming addiction -- they focus on the negative aspects, on what they have to resist from doing, instead of focusing on what they should do. It is actually possible and also quite enjoyable to enjoy yourself while avoiding addictive habits, even in the presence of withdrawal effects. Sure there will be a degree of physical, mental and emotional discomfort, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it, with the right attitude.

The First Step Is Acknowledging the Alternatives

Most drugs, legal or not, are so seducing because they induce feelings of euphoria and relaxation, they lower inhibitions and produce various mood-altering effects. These are all good things in themselves, and any person who cares about her well-being would normally seek to attain them. However, this can be don by other, more healthy means, as well. It is therefore important to know what these means are, as well as a few tricks on how to apply them. The purpose of this article is to teach you how to overcome many of the difficulties in implementing any healthy habit and avoid the traps that lead to going back to previous harmful habits unnecessarily.

One of the most effective activities that promotes a happy mood is fitness training. The mild feelings of euphoria it produces are attributed to an increased release of endorphins. When this state is attained by running it is referred to as "the runner's high". Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise have similar effects.

However, some research indicates that lifting heavy weights has an even greater positive effect on the mood, lasting long after exercising. Apart from helping you maintain a positive mood, these activities also lower blood pressure, help you increase your lung capacity and cardiovascular health and promote better blood flow to the brain, thereby improving mental performance. Getting up early and going out for a walk in the sun is another powerful way of improving your mood. Adopting a better diet, taking up dance classes or enjoying a massage are just some of the countless ways you can improve your mood and fight stress.

Stress relief is another common benefit people seek through drinking, smoking or drug abuse. Some of the alternatives for relieving stress are well known to most people. Taking a hot shower or listening to relaxing music are just a few examples. However, there are many reasons why people tend to ignore this alternatives completely and go straight for what they know - pouring themselves a glass of whiskey, lighting up a cigar or turning on the TV. Here are a few tricks that make it easier to chose the alternatives, which is a necessity for effectively overcoming addiction.

Doing the Things You Want Before Needing the Things You "Need"

It is admittedly easier, faster and more effective to drink a glass of wine than it is to take a shower, get dressed and go for a walk outside or make yourself a cup of relaxing herbal tea. These natural remedies take more time and only combining several of them can match up to the immediate (even if short lasting) efficiency of a good drink. That is why it is important to rush and do as many of the "good" things as possible before you get into such a mood that you can barely restrain yourself from reaching for the object of your addiction. Go straight for the shower. Start making some Chamomile tea right away, don't wait.

Besides, some counter measures, such as regularly exercising to stay fit and positive, are simply not suitable for somebody who has just come home, tired after a stressful day at work. Maybe you can find the time to go to the gym in the morning, or install a pull-up bar in your house - working out is a wonderful way to start the day and especially recommended when you know for a fact you will not have another opportunity to exercise unless you do it in the morning. Think about it and com up with your own strategies.

Remembering Past Experiences

It is easy to overlook what you know from past experiences when you are not feeling right. Have you ever had a hot shower after a busy day, and not enjoyed it? The thing is, many times, when you are tired and tense, you simply cannot visualize or imagine how good it would feel to do such things, and even after you begin, it takes a few minutes to relax. But if you make an effort to remember that you have done those before and they worked, it gets much easier. On the other hand, it is easy to forget and not take into consideration the negative effects of drugs when you feel temped to use them. We usually tend to imagine the immediate, positive effects very easily. But because we are so in touch with those addictive habits, it's also pretty easy for us to visualize the subsequent, negative effects, if we try.

Avoid Drawing a Line Between Indulging and Not Indulging

Another example of limiting attitude is to think of our options in terms of either indulging in an addictive behavior or going without it. The reason this attitude is not useful is that, if we do chose to indulge, we eliminate the possibility of doing anything else to help us achieve the desired effects, and therefore, we feel obliged to continue indulging in our vice until we get enough of it or we fall asleep exhausted. Additionally, the choice for healthier alternatives becomes harder, since in our mind, such a choice implies refusing ourselves even the slightest enjoyment of our vice. Therefore, if we do not feel prepared to resist the object of our addiction altogether, we chose not to resist at all.

A more useful attitude is to be more tolerant towards ourselves so that even if we do drink a small glass of wine or smoke a few (or more) cigarettes, we still regard ourselves as being in control and having the option of doing a few healthy things, together with the unhealthy ones.