From Heroine to Chess – Page 2 – What Happens When You Replace Substance Abuse with a Worthwhile Activity

Receiving Help With Addiction

Post author By Guest
Post date May 12, 2015

The idea of filling up your life with meaningful activities and purpose is sometimes easier said than done. When you are caught up in the throws of addiction and can barely manage the life you have, the thought of seeking out more meaning in your life is nearly impossible. Those who are ready to take their lives back from addiction but do not know where to start should seek professional addiction treatment for guidance. Through addiction treatment, you will receive the support you need to move past your addiction and avoid relapsing in the future.

The reason that addiction treatment, typically rehabilitation, works is because of how intensive it is. Residential inpatient addiction treatment houses you to physically keep you from your addiction, allowing you to recover in peace and in safety. While you are there, not only is your physical health restored to you, but your mental health is, too. Through counseling, therapy and other psychological exercises, you will come to understand the underlying reasons you are addicted and how to rewire your thinking and behavior to model healthier patterns. In addition, you will receive ongoing support even after the treatment is done, in the form of continued counseling, support groups, sponsorship and other addiction network services.

Do not let yourself believe that you should fight addiction alone. Many people are afraid to admit to weakness, even to themselves, so they try to manage their addiction tendencies in private. This regularly fails because an addict is the last person capable of holding themselves accountable for their addiction. Treatment is the only method that consistently proves successful because it is managed by mental health professionals and addiction specialists who have already helped treat many addiction cases. If you or someone in your life has fallen into the clutches of addiction, it is highly recommended that you reach out for help. Recovery is possible for those who are willing to work at it.

Things to Do Other than Abuse Substances

Post author By Guest
Post date November 7, 2014

For people who have become addicted to a substance or who are perpetually abusing a substance, thinking of things to do other than use the substance can be difficult. After all, addiction, by definition, is something that consumes your thoughts and desires. When you are addicted, your world revolves around indulging in your addiction. A majority of your thoughts, time, money and energy are devoted to your addiction. For this reason, it is not surprising that you cannot get your mind off of it long enough to imagine how else you could be spending your time. Below are some ideas of how to reconnect to more purposeful activities and pursuits that will be challenging enough to keep you occupied but that will be therapeutic enough to keep you happy.

Become involved in the arts. Addicts frequently have abilities that lend themselves to the arts. Not always, but often, the same personal qualities that lead a person to experiment with an addictive substance or activity are the same qualities that lead them to be experimental with their creativity and imagination, making them gifted in the arts.
Take up an enjoyable hobby. Finding the recreational activity you enjoy the most can be a very important tool to your addiction recovery. A rewarding hobby has numerous benefits for your mental health, and can even turn into a vocation or career.
Find a way of helping people. For those who love to connect with others, it can be very rewarding and meaningful to reach out to those in need, perhaps even to those who are not as far along in their own addiction recovery.
Return to school. Continuing in ongoing education or pursuing an education in a new field is very mentally invigorating and stimulating for many people. In addition, it creates many opportunities for the student.
Undergo a career change. Not everyone chooses the career that is most sustainable to them on the first go. If your work is leaving you unsatisfied, start over in a new field to keep life from becoming stagnant and to keep addiction at bay.
Exercise and do physical activities. Exercise will restore your health from the ravages of addiction and challenge you to meet fitness goals.

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Purpose as the Cornerstone of Sobriety

Post author By Guest
Post date July 16, 2014

Most stories of substance abuse begin in the same way: boredom and lack of direction. Even when someone abuses a prescription medication, there is much more beneath the surface of the substance abuse than meets the eye. And those who arrive at a full recovery from substance abuse often say the same thing: that they have regained the meaning in their life. Substance abuse is prompted by more than chemical addiction alone, although chemistry does play a part. All instances of substance abuse signify a piece of a person that is missing, and sobriety is the turning point for this trend.

When people begin abusing a substance, even if it is unconscious, it is because they do not feel complete. This may be in a deeply grievous way – someone is depressed because of a loss in their life and they abuse a substance in order to escape the pain. Or perhaps someone simply feels that their life is void of excitement so they turn to substance abuse to entertain themselves. In either instance, the person feels that there is something missing and attempts to fill the void with a substance.

Addiction counseling is more than simply a way of ending addiction. It is a way of treating the entire broken person and coaching them back to a purpose driven life. Many recovering substance abusers have claimed that they feel they were given a second chance at life through sobriety. This does not indicate that they stayed the same as a person but simply quit their substance abuse. This indicates an awakening in their life of purpose – the most sustainable reason for sobriety. When someone discovers their passion, whether it is for writing or chess or gardening, they are inspired to stay sober in order to pursue excellence in what they are passionate about.

If you or someone you love is a substance abuser, do not hesitate to reach out to a substance abuse counselor or mental health professional today. There is no shame in needing help in getting your life back on track, and there is no point in struggling and failing through it alone when there are professionals who know how to guide a person through the entire life process of reconnecting with their purpose.

A Fulfilling Life is the Key to Recovery

Post author By Guest
Post date May 21, 2014

There are many remedies offered to treat addiction, some of which work and some of which do not. Some root causes of addiction are best solved with professional treatment, but some truly depend on the personal choices the individual makes. Having a driving purpose or passion in life is proven to be one of the most effective ways of making recovery from addiction last. This is because purpose is the antidote to addiction, which is purposeless. Addiction is a harmful, watered down imitation of purpose that people stray to for initial pleasure feelings but become trapped and tormented in. Having a worthwhile purpose leads to personal fulfillment, which defeats addiction.

Finding purpose and rewarding ways of spending time can be a process, but everyone is capable of it, whether they know it or not. Every personality type has strengths and weaknesses, and no two people are exactly alike. Each one of us was created for a specific purpose that is meant to be accomplished by using our natural talents. Sometimes becoming aware of what our talents are is complicated. Our talents are not always obvious immediately but have to be discovered through experimentation. Whether your talent is for writing, working with children, playing chess, horseback riding, gymnastics or a great many other skills, it is certain that you have some unique talent.

It is possible for a person to become so immersed in their addiction that they cannot recall how to get back to a life of purpose. This is where addiction treatment comes in. For those who have become lost in their addiction and cannot find their way out, addiction treatment is a means of guiding people to recovery through tested methods and good mental health practices. Addiction treatment involves restoring your mental and physical health to its original state through counseling, therapy, readings, workbook exercises, a balanced diet, physical exercise and recreational activity. If you or someone you care about needs help beating their addiction and rediscovering their life’s purpose, reach out to a quality addiction rehab today.