Getting Help for Addiction: 5 Things to Know

An estimated 21 million Americans suffer from addiction of some sort. Addiction is an especially insidious sort of disease that even those in the health care profession are only recently beginning to fully understand. Struggling with drug or alcohol dependency is one of the toughest things a person can go through.

But getting help for addiction is one of the bravest things a person can do. If you’re suffering from some sort of addiction at the moment and you’d like to get help then congratulations! Admitting you’re ready for addiction help is the first and often most difficult step.

To help you along your journey we’ve rounded up 5 addiction recovery tips. Read on to find out what they are now.

1. Addiction Is a Disease

The first thing you should know is that addiction is a disease. If you’ve got issues with addiction, there could be a number of different reasons for this.

Often it’s genetic or develops due to an adverse environment a person exists within. Sometimes it’s merely due to a chemical imbalance in the brain. The bottom line is that addiction is a disease and should be treated as such.

2. The People You Surround Yourself With Matter

If you want to give yourself the best chance at recovery then you’ve got to be very discerning about the people you surround yourself with. Associating with too many people who engage in your past behaviors can cause you to relapse more easily. Instead, try to prioritize spending time with sober friends or family and those who have your best interests at heart.

3. There Are Different Roads to Recovery

Different patients respond to different treatment options in different ways. This is the case for any disease and addiction is no different. You might find it easiest to go cold turkey, take prescribed medicine, or enroll in a rehab program.

4. You’ll Need to Have Support in Place

Addiction recovery is difficult, there’s no doubt about it. To give yourself the best chance of a full recovery you will need to be strategic about the supports you put in place for yourself.

As is stated above, you should try to surround yourself with friends and family with whom you’re able to share your thoughts and feelings. It can also be helpful to work with a professional like a recovery coach.

5. The Path to Recovery Isn’t Linear

One day at a time. This is a powerful sentiment that will ring true for many people who’ve been through the recovery process. What it means is that when you’re in recovery you need to take each day as it comes. 

You might have five progressively good days and then one negative one that takes you by surprise. It’s important to not become impatient with the process and to remember to just focus on making the most of each new sober day.

Think About Getting Help for Addiction

We hope these tips will help you in getting help for addiction. Everyone has the power to achieve addiction recovery. It will take support, self-belief, and willpower but it can be done.

If you’re looking for more tips on how to lead a more healthy life we’ve got you covered. See the rest of our content now.