Samantha Torrence - Many people battle addiction in the world. You may be addicted to something as significant as heroin, or maybe it is just that video game you play. No matter what your addiction is it is important to remember that once it reaches to the level of addiction it is not healthy. Beating the addiction in your life that is holding you back from health, happiness, and prosperity is difficult in this age of stress, but it is not impossible.There is nothing like waking up in the morning to a cold glass of Dr. Pepper. The ice clinking in the glass, the coldness, the fizziness, and let’s not forget the caffeine. Pop/Soda was the alternative morning caffeine drink of my desire since I didn’t really enjoy hot drinks and I certainly did not enjoy the taste of any kind of regular coffee. Tea presented the problem of not only being warm, if it wasn’t iced tea, but also not having the same caffeine kick to it that helped me start moving in the morning. My morning pop addiction extended to almost all the drinks of the day and as a way to relax at night. When it dawned on me that I was drinking pop to relax as well as get going I then realized it wasn’t just the caffeine that I needed, it had become a habit formed addiction. I needed the ice, the fizzy, and the sweet taste. I have battled with this addiction for years now going yo-yoing in my resolve, but I have never really accomplishing my goal to just quit craving it.
People do not realize how powerful an addiction is until they are caught up in one. It could be pop, like me, or cigarettes, or even MMORPGs. Each of these items has an addictive part of a routine that helps you calm down and alleviate stress. Some accomplish this through a chemical means and by helping to establish a control in their routine, while others reshape reality for a short time to something that is a little more tolerable. Some addictions start of as simply benign hobbies, while others are harmful from inception. All addictions are like a weed, unless you get the root out it is going to come back.
When I was younger and used to bite my fingernails I read that to make a habit it only takes a week, but to break a habit it takes 21 days (3 weeks). If it takes that long for a simple habit then an addiction is only going to be more difficult. The breaking of an addiction is the wall that many people crash against. It is the mountain that is insurmountable without the correct tools. So what are the best tools for breaking an addiction?
Dr. Phil has listed his opinion on the best way to break addiction on his website.
The Summary:
- Acknowledge the purpose – each addiction starts from a need for fulfillment in a part of your life
- Think rational thoughts instead of denial – admit you have an addiction and that it is serious
- Use alternative coping skills – find some other way to fulfill your need that is positive
- Identify your danger zones – who, what, where, when, or why do you begin to feel the need for your addiction?
- Make lifestyle changes – Plan your life away from your danger zones and towards your health
- Be accountable and have a support system –You can’t do this alone. Have someone you trust hold you accountable and be there to help you before or even after you slip up.
- Reward yourself – Changing your life away from addiction is difficult. Be kind to yourself; pat yourself on the back when you make progress.
Dr. Phil has very good insight into how to break an addiction. For me personally I could not get past the “Think rational thoughts” part until I realized that almost all of my conditions are exacerbated by drinking soda. When this realization dawned on me I was ready to move forward in my progress. Now I have switched from Soda to green tea with ginseng and honey. My drink is still in a glass with ice, still has some caffeine although not as much, but far less harmful to my body.
If you need support while you break a habit, find a group in your area or even an online forum of fellow travelers where you can find people to hold you accountable and give you the emotional support that you need.
