Dealing with and overcoming an alcohol or drug addiction can be a long and winding road. There is no single treatment program that works for everyone and at times it might feel like an overwhelming and impossible task. For some, the hardest part can just be admitting that you have a problem. It may not be an extreme situation that leaves you hung over and late for work each day. Many people have difficulty on a less frequent scale, but just as troubling. For example, it might just be that on the rare occasion that you do drink, you can’t stop and it becomes excessive and embarrassing. The good news is that however the level of abuse presents, with perseverance and desire you can recover from alcohol and/or drug abuse and addiction.
Some people decide to go cold turkey and completely abstain from the substance while others choose to slowly cut back. Either way, once you’ve made the decision to make this life change, there are certain things you can do right from the start to support yourself in sobriety.
1. Tell your goal to loved ones and friends. This gives you ownership and let’s others around you know that they shouldn’t offer you alcohol or drugs. It explains your behavior and your desire for their support.
2. Set limits. Let people know that they can’t drink in your house and that you may not be able to attend all the events that you did in the past if they revolved around drinking.
3. Eliminate all the alcohol and drugs from your home and office.
4. Stop hanging out with your “drinking buddies”. This might mean changing your social network to surround yourself with people who are supportive in your endeavor.
Once you have your house cleaned out and the support group you need, it will be important to also change the way you’ve been leading your life. Utilize this time of your life to focus on taking care of yourself. The hours you previously spent in the bar or at home drinking should be filled with new hobbies, volunteer activities that you enjoy and exercise to help you relieve stress in a healthy way.
One increasingly popular way of getting the ball rolling is to take an online alcohol and drug awareness class. A high quality program can often be used to fulfill court requirements as well as for self-improvement purposes. These courses are designed with the intent to change your thinking and approach to drinking or taking drugs. Clients are taught the differences between use, abuse and dependence and how these patterns affect those around them. They also learn the short and long-term risks and repercussions to physical and emotional health. Skills are taught in stress management, increased social awareness and empathy, as well as ways to effectively and successfully communicate with others. The end game is to develop a plan for realistic and sustainable positive change.
The benefit of learning this material online is that the client has complete flexibility. Once enrolled in a class, it is available on any Internet computer 24/7. This alleviates the additional stress of trying to get to a weekly class. We have many clients who don’t want to share their story with a crowd they don’t know, or are shy. They tell us that they love the privacy of learning from home.
In the end, your commitment, your support network and a strong alcohol and drug program will encourage and support you on this possibly bumpy road. Try an online alcohol and drug awareness class today!