Are there quick solutions for addiction? When dealing with addictive behaviors, this is a question (or hope) that, in many cases, will inevitably and sometimes involuntarily emerge. And the sentence could be completed with: and will it go away forever?
Rolling drums- the answer is: Yes. There are things that can be dealt with quickly. And yes, some things will go away forever along the way in recovery. …Of course, not all of them.
5 Starting Points
A few quick solutions you can start implementing immediately are:
- Start ACTING – Thinking is great, but it’s not enough. Start bringing thoughts to life. And start with the easy ones. Next time you have an idea about recovering, also think about a concrete and simple action you could extract from that idea. What can you do now?
- Keep it SIMPLE – it is very tempting to “take the bull by the horns” once and for all, but unfortunately, very often, this turns out to be frustrating and inefficient. Whereas good will to do what it takes is very important, wanting to solve it all at once will actually slow you down. For example, follow the doctor’s indications, go to meetings, tell someone you trust about your problem, and make (and keep) an appointment with a professional. Try to get back to those simpler things when you catch yourself going for bigger fishes, like wanting to “solve your family’s problems,” “fix your life,” or “never drink again.” It can happen, but you’ll have to take the time…
- STOP FIGHTING – recovery is not about winning a battle. It’s about letting go. Letting go of the illusion of control, of the control over the effect of the substance or behavior, control of what others do, or sometimes over the course of treatment. Often, great relief is found after an honest acceptance of the reality of the situation. Your mind and spirit could now have the lightness necessary so that you can invest your energy in a more productive direction.
- Ask for HELP – said otherwise: reach out for help. Isolation and self-sufficiency, in the context of recovery, are a perfect fit for addiction. Pick up the phone, tell someone you trust, and get around other people in recovery. Although shame or fear, among other things, might be part of the equation, the benefits of recovering outdo, by far, the costs of “protecting” addiction.
- Just for TODAY – it is a highly effective stance in relation to the characteristics of addiction. When in its full-blown manifestation, addiction is chronic, but focusing on living in recovery for the day being will be unmeasurably more effective than focusing on the immensity of the “never again”. Staying in the present will ironically be your best chance to make it through tomorrow.
- STOP further DAMAGE – choosing to start recovering today will consequently stop the path of destruction for you and possibly for others. Not everybody needs to “hit rock bottom”. Remember, addiction is also preventable.
Ripple Effect
The benefit of these starting points:
It will put you and those around you in an instantly different dynamic in the face of the addiction. It will have a ripple effect, often in somewhat unexpected ways. Think that recovery is for everybody. Not only for the person using drugs or behaving addictively but also for those touched by that person’s use.
Instant gratification is one of the main traits present in an addictive personality profile. In other words, wanting immediate solutions to how I am feeling or what I am going through, could be one of the very things that led to the present situation.
But what if the underlying reason behind this hope for a quick solution was fear? Or just a need for further information on the multidimensional nature of addiction? Or even denial over the severity of the situation? And could it be excruciating pain that urgently needs to be taken away? If any of this is the case, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Your life can start changing now.
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