Overcoming: Conquering. Surmounting. Rising above. If you are currently battling a substance addiction, these words may feel a bit idealistic. Pertaining to sobriety, they may feel especially impossible or out of reach. How can you overcome something that has already taken such a toll on you?
It is easy to feel discouraged when you’re struggling with a drug problem. But it is important for you to know that sobriety – that overcoming drug addiction – is in fact possible. With the right addiction treatment program, coping mechanisms, and positive support network behind you, recovery is in your reach. Turnbridge can help you get there. Here’s what you need to have to overcome drug addiction:
1. A Willingness to Change
People often say, “the first step to getting help is admitting you have a problem.” But at Turnbridge, we believe the initial step to recovery, more than anything, is a combination of recognition and readiness: not only do you need to be aware of your drug habit, you must also be ready (and willing) to address it.
The key to a successful recovery starts with the active decision to make a change – a change to better your mind, your body, your relationships, your outlook, and your sense of self. A change to move away from the drug-using lifestyle you’ve come to know so well. A change in your friend groups and what you do in your free time. A change in your mindset and attitude towards life.
For most people battling drug addiction, this first step is often the hardest. And it doesn’t always happen right away. For some, this willingness does not develop until weeks into a rehab program, and that is okay. We understand that change can be scary; it’s unfamiliar territory. If you are here, though, you have likely already decided that something has got to give. There are reasons you want to live sober. There is something inside telling you it’s time to take the leap. You don’t have to do it alone. A professional treatment center like Turnbridge can support you through the entire recovery process.
2. Professional Addiction Treatment
Addiction is a complicated and chronic disease that manipulates the brain. The more a person uses addictive substances, the more his or her brain chemistry gets disrupted by them – the user’s brain becomes dependent on drugs for pleasure; the user begins to think that he or she needs drugs to function. When that person stops using, the brain and body get upset. He or she may start feeling very sick, weak, and foster a compulsive need to use drugs again. Addiction, in this sense, becomes a cycle.
Overcoming drug addiction (and its vicious cycle), for this reason, requires professional addiction support. Experts recommend that long-term, continuing drug treatment gives users the best prospect for a successful recovery. And because addiction affects, as well as stems from, the mind, professionals also recommend that users seek out an integrated dual diagnosis program.
There are many different places you can turn to for drug addiction help, and the right treatment program will depend on your needs and unique situation: your age, gender, psychological needs, medical conditions, and history of drug use are some of the many factors you may take into account. No treatment program is one-size-fits-all. If you have previously been to rehab and have since relapsed, do not get discouraged. This only means that another treatment approach, such as extended care or behavioral therapy, may be more effective for your situation. Turnbridge can help you reevaluate your needs and create a treatment program that is fully tailored to those needs.
3. A Sober Support Network
Recovery is a journey, one with ups and downs and highs and lows. You should never have to walk it alone. While the right treatment program will have 24/7 support staff available to you, it is vital to grow other sober, supportive relationships throughout your recovery journey. Building positive relationships with people who bolster your recovery, who encourage you to stay sober, will be essential to your long-term success. These may be people in your treatment program, in your 12-step meetings, or on your sober baseball team. These may be family members or friends who have made an active choice to stay away from drugs. These may be people in your church, recovery support group, or sober living home. These are people who relate to you, who understand you, and who will be there to answer your call. These people will become your sober support network.
4. Healthy Coping Skills
In the process of overcoming drug addiction, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse (i.e. use drugs or drink during their recovery). Upon leaving treatment, people often return to the places where they used drugs; they revisit the people they partied with; they see things that are associated with former drug use. These are called relapse triggers, and can again create some persistent cravings in an ex-user.
In drug treatment, we use behavior therapy to teach clients exactly how to avoid these triggers – and to defeat the cravings even before they occur. Through comprehensive counseling sessions (group and one-to-one), clients develop new coping skills that will help them make healthy decisions and navigate the stresses that can arise in recovery. Some examples of coping skills include meditation, therapy, deep breathing, journaling, healthy activities like exercise, and 12-step or support group meeting attendance.
5. Continuing Care, Commitment, and Commitment to Continuing Care
Continuance is one of the most essential keys to overcoming drug addiction: Even after your treatment program has ended, you must continue to attend counseling sessions and support groups, continue working the 12-steps, and continue your commitment to sobriety. This continuance and commitment to continuance is at the heart of your recovery, and will keep you healthy for the long-haul. At Turnbridge, we highly encourage continuing care for the young adults graduating our rehab program, including:
- Ongoing communication with Turnbridge’s support staff
- Outpatient counseling (one-to-one, group, or family sessions)
- Regular attendance of 12-step meetings or other support groups
- Participation in sober, recreational activities
- Case coordination with their school and probation officers
To learn about Turnbridge’s young adult drug treatment or extended care programs, do not hesitate to reach out. Call us at 877-581-1793 to see how you or your loved one can overcome drug addiction.