How to Handle Addictions

An addiction is an incredibly intense attachment to something, without which a person’s ability to function optimally is impaired. Some people learn to handle addictions while others become slaves to their urges and cravings. I’m not a psychic, so I can’t tell where you fall into. However, considering you’re here, it’s safe to assume that you want to learn how to handle addictions.In all honesty, considering how much a person has built his existence on the tangible/intangible object of addiction, the journey is a tough one. Depending on the level of addiction, it requires a lot of discipline. However, it’s not unachievable. As such, we’ll be walking you through five ways through which you can handle addictions.

1. Genuinely make up your mind to stop

Now, we’re willing to admit that thinking about stopping it does not, in any way, equal stopping it. However, it is the first step, and it goes a ridiculously long way. Without first wanting to stop, all efforts may be wasted on you. Either that or they’ll be too intense for you to handle. As such, you must want to stop. If you currently don’t want to quit yet, think of all the things this addiction has taken from you. All the opportunities you’ve missed because you decided to indulge yourself. These thoughts should spur you in the right direction.

2. Talk to a friend

An addiction is more than just a bad habit. As such, you might not even be able to do it on your own. So, in the process, talk to a friend. Now, we understand the difficulty in this. For addictions that are largely sexual, you might not feel comfortable just telling someone. But, that’s even more reason you should. The friend should be a trusted one. They’ll become your accountability partner and will remind you of your promise to stop every time you slip back into your old ways.

3. Quit systematically

For most addictions, it is nearly impossible for you to just wake up one morning and stop. As such, you have to do it in bits and pieces. Along with your friend, choose times when you’re absolutely not allowed to indulge in your guilty pleasures. As time goes on, increase those times so that you have to indulge yourself less and less. Keep doing that until you can control the urges and there’s no space left for you to do the deed.

4. Talk to a professional

If you are very addicted, perhaps to drugs, the chances are that all these efforts would be futile. At that point, go to a professional and talk to them about your problem. Be cooperative and provide as much information as they need from you. Alongside that, adhere to your therapy sessions and miss as much as none of them.

Before you go

Dealing with an addiction, especially a full-blown one, is never easy. It takes guts, multiple hours of trials, and external help. However, as we said earlier, it’s not unachievable. If you stay at it, you’ll soon find yourself free of your “shackles.”