How To Beat The Cycle of Addiction

If you’re among those wondering how to beat the cycle of addiction, then you’ve come to the right place. Overcoming addiction is tough. But you probably already know that. The good news though, is it can be done. Equipped with the knowledge of proven techniques for defeating addiction, you will have a better chance to win your battle.

At Rehab Clinics Group, we treat people from all over the country for a wide variety of addictions, at our residential treatment centres. We understand, first-hand, how to beat the cycle of addiction.

In this article you’ll learn how to:

• Examine the causes of your addiction
• Create goals for overcoming your addiction
• Treatments and techniques which can help you win your battle

Going through these 3 stages will improve your chances of success.

 

What are the the causes of your addiction?

Before you start tackling your addiction, it helps to understand the causes. Only then can you tackle the issues that lie at the root of your addiction and set yourself up for long term success.

Ask yourself: what caused me to become addicted? Whether it’s alcohol, drug, or some other addiction; there is likely a reason why you started in the first place.

Among the possibilities include:

• Traumatic events (either as a child or adult)
• Relationship breakdowns
• Financial hardship
• Workplace stress
• Worries about the future
• Pre-existing health problems (either mental or physical)

By listing the reasons that drove you to addiction, you can start understanding your use. There are also likely to be ongoing factors or situations which are more likely to drive you towards taking the addictive substance. Indeed, substances, including alcohol are often used as a crutch. In other words, they are used to cope with other issues.

For example, if you have a bad day work and it drives you to drink, can you have a plan of action which circumvents the stress? Can you find an alternative means of coping?

Remember: addiction is very hard to tackle alone. For that reason, you should consider speaking to a qualified professional. An addiction specialist can help you to better understand your situation and ensure you move in the right direction.

There are potential downsides of exploring the roots of your addiction alone. It may take you on a downward spiral – after all these can be difficult issues you’re bringing to the surface. Getting the right support will guide you away from self-destructive thoughts and take you on the path to finding solutions.

 

What are your goals?

Understanding your goals is a helpful way of keeping you motivated. If an addiction sufferer only wants to stop taking drugs in order to avoid the side effects and the health impacts; then they might not have a strong enough ‘why’.

So, if anyone wants to know how to beat the cycle of addiction they also need to why they want to beat addiction. Ask yourself this question:

What is addiction stopping me from doing in my life? What would I like to achieve but currently can’t? What situation would I like to resolve?

These questions can stir strong emotions (as in the previous section). The fact that it provokes powerful emotions is sending a message in itself. It may stir feelings of regret and frustration. When these feelings are particularly powerful then it’s likely you will need to get professional help. Consider contacting your GP, a self-help group or a professional addiction therapy service like ours.

Nonetheless, writing goals down is a useful exercise for clarifying your thoughts and may help prompt you to start on the road to recovery.

 

How to beat the cycle of addiction

Defeating addiction doesn’t happen overnight. Indeed, taking a ‘cold turkey’ approach where you try to quit the substance instantly, is not just unlikely to succeed, it can also be dangerous. Here are a range of methods which, when used together, can help you beat the cycle of addiction:

Exercise

Getting exercise helps boost endorphins and generally gets you feeling happier and healthier. The body is hardwired to feel a sense of achievement post-exercise. Start off gently and gradual increase the amount and/or intensity.

Good nutrition

A healthy diet combined with exercise will further boost your sense of wellbeing. However, this can very difficult to achieve when you’re in the depths of an addiction. For that reason, it’s best used in combination with a guided detox programme.

Guided detox

Doing a detox by yourself can be dangerous if you have a serious substance addiction. Withdrawal symptoms can be sever, even fatal. For that reason, we recommend a gradual detox programme guided by medical professionals.

CBT

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a technique by which you can learn to understand and manage your thoughts. It helps you disrupt the process by which you would usually return to your addiction.

Meditation/relaxation

Creates a sense of mental stillness through simple breathing exercises. There are a variety of different types of meditation but all are designed to calm racing thoughts.

One-to-one counselling

A professional counsellor will allow you to open up about your issues and offer advice on the most helpful route forward. The inner turmoil of addiction often requires outside intervention.

Group therapy

A range of self-help groups are available online and offline. It’s a useful opportunity to hear from others in similar situations as well as discuss your own addiction issues.

 

We’re experts in how to beat the cycle of addiction

Hopefully this guide has given you some inspiration on how to beat the cycle of addiction. If you need any support from a rehab clinic then get in touch. Whether you need to know:

• How to beat cocaine addiction
• How to beat alcohol addiction
• How to beat drug addiction

Or

• How to beat gambling addiction

…Then check out our residential rehab centres in the UK. We’re here to help people beat their addictions and progress towards a happier, healthier future.