Beating addiction is hard. There’s no question about it. Those who are living with addiction to drugs or alcohol may feel that overcoming their addiction is impossible. The reality is that anyone, regardless of the length, type, or severity of drug or alcohol use, can overcome addiction. 

Let’s take a look at how recovery from substance abuse is possible with some proven strategies for recovery. 

Understanding Why Overcoming Addiction Is So Hard 

Why is breaking addiction so hard? Those on the outside often think that beating addiction is as simple as no longer using drugs or alcohol. In reality, addiction is a disease that requires treatment and a strong commitment to overcoming it. 

Addiction has a profound effect on the body and mind. There are very real physical and mental challenges in addiction recovery. 

It’s common for those working through recovery to feel unsure about how they fit into the world around them. Their daily routines, friends, and environment may have all centered on drug or alcohol use. The fear and uncertainty of this transition may leave an individual uncomfortable enough to hesitate in seeking help. 

Strategies to Stop Addiction Safely

The most effective methods to quit addiction are found with the help of an addiction treatment center. If you need addiction treatment and aren’t sure where to go for help, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers an online directory of addiction providers based on location. 

When facing the challenges of overcoming addiction, it can feel like you’re trying to travel to an unknown destination without a map. These 7 strategies make a good starting point for recovery. 

Admit the Need for Help 

This is a challenging step for many addicts, but it’s also very important. It’s difficult to seek and accept the help you need when you haven’t fully admitted to yourself that your drug or alcohol use has become a problem. 

The simple fact that you recognize the need for treatment signals that you’re on the path to recovery. 

Seek Help For Addiction and Mental Health 

Is it possible to overcome addiction on your own? Yes, but it’s not an easy path and the risk of relapse is significantly higher without the therapies and support offered by a qualified addiction treatment center. 

Seeking help for addiction allows you to connect with compassionate, experienced professionals who will work with you to help identify the types of treatments that will be most effective for your case. 

Addiction recovery looks different for each person, making it important to understand all of the options available and have guidance in building a long-term addiction care plan that considers your unique situation and needs. 

Forgive Yourself 

During recovery, you are likely to find yourself in the position to ask for forgiveness from others and come face to face with the hurt, damage, and trauma that drug or alcohol use has caused. It’s important to own up to the consequences of your behavior and to work towards healing. 

However, this can’t happen until you’re able to forgive yourself. 

Self-forgiveness is difficult, but you’re worthy of treating yourself with grace, compassion, and forgiveness during this time. You’ll grow and transition through addiction recovery, and it’s important to forgive the person you once were so that you can move on and embrace your future self. 

Set a Start Date 

Setting a start date is like painting a start line for a race. It provides you with a clear point of where to begin. It also offers you the opportunity to make arrangements for time off of work or school or arrange for childcare if you have children at home, along with taking care of the everyday details of life that you won’t be able to focus on, especially during the first few weeks of recovery. 

Find Support

This is a journey that you shouldn’t travel alone. Enlist the support of those who care about you, including family, friends, and peers who have also overcome addiction. 

If family relationships are strained, a Family Therapy Program, such as the one offered at the Massachusetts Center for Addiction, can help everyone begin to heal. Our program can help your loved ones learn how best to support you in a healthy way with respectful boundaries. 

If you’re in a position where you don’t have a support network, it’s important to reach out and find one. Group therapies for addiction recovery, including 12-step programs, are a great starting point for connecting with others and developing supportive relationships. 

Identify Your Triggers 

Long-term addiction recovery requires understanding the people, places, emotions, or situations that trigger drug or alcohol use. You might find that you’re more likely to use addictive substances when spending time with certain people or in a specific environment. You might be struggling with a mental health issue that triggers use or dealing with pain that you feel unable to manage any other way. 

Each person going through recovery has a set of triggers that are unique to them. Working with an addiction counselor and attending therapy sessions can help you better identify addiction triggers and learn how to avoid them. 

Types of Effective Addiction Treatments in Massachusetts 

• Detox and Inpatient Treatment: The first step to recovery from substance abuse involves detoxing, often followed by a stay in an inpatient addiction treatment center. This residential program offers the highest level of structure, treatment, and 24-hour support. 
• Partial Hospitalization Programs: For those who have completed inpatient treatment or can begin their addiction recovery journey through outpatient treatment, partial hospitalization programs offer a bridge between inpatient and traditional outpatient treatments. These are day programs with a residential feel. However, individuals can return to their homes in the evenings. 
• Intensive Outpatient Programs: These are partial day programs, typically requiring a commitment of four hours a day, several days a week. During this type, individuals will continue working on their addiction cessation techniques, attend therapy, and engage in group therapy as outlined by their addiction recovery plan. 
• Traditional Outpatient Programs: These programs offer the least structure and support for those living independently without requiring daily treatment. 12-step programs, other types of group therapies, and individual counseling sessions are all examples of outpatient programs. 

How to Stop an Addiction – Recovery Plans for the Future 

Recovery from substance abuse is possible. You just need to take the first step. At Massachusetts Center for Addiction, we believe each person is entitled to compassionate and effective addiction treatment and that addiction can be overcome, regardless of the challenges. 

If you’d like to know more about our addiction treatment programs, we’re here to answer your questions and schedule a consultation. Contact the Massachusetts Center for Addiction at 844-486-0671 today.