Getting treated for drug addiction is an extremely hard process that takes immense amount of a person’s determination. But when treatment is finished, people face another significant challenge, challenge of living without drugs. And while there are things to know about relapse and ways to prevent it, it is also necessary for one to know what they are fighting for and why it is worth doing.
After major aspects of treatment are done, one is left with new blank page of life which is often more terrifying than hopeful for them. Necessity to occupy an amount of time that big with something productive is quite stressful for many people. Also, the issue of finding a new life purpose is extremely pressing. What positive and meaningful things can one do in order to stay out of drug abuse and what are the benefits these things will bring?
- Reestablishing/forming new emotional connections. As one of the major reasons of drug abuse is lack or absence of those, it is vital to fill this part of one’s life with worthy relationship that will be more valuable for a person than getting back to drugs and will also fill the emptiness that drove them to drug use in the first place. Family and friends as well as people one dad met during recovery process may be the ones to start with.
- (Re)defining what kind of person one is, what their true values, wishes and beliefs are. Either one’s confusion about those before starting drug use, or the need to revise them afterwards almost always results into personal crises that are absolutely necessary to be resolved. In this case sources for finding peace are psychotherapy, talking to close people or spiritual advisor(s), learning to meditate in order to take a deeper look at oneself, etc. The thing to bear in mind here is that no pressure should be put on a person on the way to new themselves. Encouragement and support, however, are perfectly welcomed.
- Occupying one’s spare time with things other than drugs. Finding a job that truly excites one, no matter how (un)prestigious it is, taking on a new hobby or getting back to the old one(s), spending more time with supportive close people etc. are all very well worth not only quitting drug abuse, but also staying clean. After all, this is what our life actually is.
- Stopping one’s health deterioration. Not only drug use distorts our perception and messes with our lives, it also actively harms our physical health. Danger of overdose, frequent intoxication, weakened immune system leading to greater exposure to viruses all add to bonuses of drug-free life.
- Lowering risk of imprisonment. As one gets deeper into the addiction, drugs become more and more expensive, and cravings often leave people little chance to stay away from a path of crime. Moreover, as time passes, one has less and less ability to judge their actions and estimate gravity of those actions, so clean body means clear mind in this case, as well as overall ability to move on with one’s life rather than waste it at penitentiary facility.
Of course, one might think little of their own personal value after being a former drug-addict. Social stigmatization of people who had addiction in their past adds a lot to it. However, everybody has the right to make mistakes (and everybody does make mistakes throughout their lives, just to mention) and everybody deserves to be given a chance to correct those. One should not let anything stand in the way to their new, healthy life. It is absolutely worth giving a try.
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