On the road to recovery, you may be faced with constant sources of temptation and multiple reasons to return to your habit — but you’ve got to be strong. If you aren’t sure how to deal with drug cravings or urges for alcohol, here are three practical ways to win the battle:
1. Keep Yourself Occupied
Boredom is one of the worst things you’ll face when attempting to beat your addiction. Boredom can easily leave you vulnerable to temptation. If you keep yourself busy for the majority of the time, however, you’ll be less inclined to think about using. In turn, you’ll be less likely to succumb to the appeal of drugs or alcohol.
Try the following to keep yourself occupied:
- Take up an exercise class where you’ll be surrounded by health-conscious people.
- Donate your time to those less fortunate. As you turn your focus toward others, you’ll be humbled but graced by your ability to help.
- Get yourself into a support group where you can speak freely, learn from others and exchange ideas.
2. Enjoy Other People’s Company
While it’s important to be around other people as you work to beat your addiction, your choice of company is equally important. Avoid anyone who’s in the habit of abusing any substance, even if it’s not the one you tend to abuse. Being around other people who demonstrate a life of recovery will positively influence you in a few ways:
- They’ll reinforce your sobriety.
- You’ll feel redeemed by being valuable to someone else.
- Having someone to talk to can save you from falling under the spell of addiction again.
3. Practice Meditation
Meditation can be helpful to just about anyone, but it’s particularly useful during recovery. Meditation gives you immediate help when you feel tempted to go back to your addiction. It also helps you balance the stressful forces in your life on a regular basis.
For example, if you’re suddenly feeling overwhelmed or panicked about something, your thoughts might race to finding relief through the addiction. However, being well-versed with meditation allows you to take control of those thoughts before you act on them. Also, if you’ve had a long and stressful day, you may feel like reaching for drugs or alcohol. Instead, sit in a peaceful space and meditate your way out of your temporary state of vulnerability.
Meditation strengthens you from the inside out, helping you put everything into perspective. It might also benefit you in deeper, more profound ways, such as helping you heal from past wounds. Old wounds often drive a person to abuse drugs or alcohol, even though taking that route only complicates life further. Meditation has proven health values, too, such as lowering blood pressure and easing chronic pain.
Call 12 Keys for One-On-One Help
You can overcome the challenging parts of recovery. Keep yourself busy, be around good people who lift you up and learn how to face your demons and temptations from the inside out. If you need help following a proven plan that shows you how to curb alcohol cravings and drug urges, contact the compassionate counselors of 12 Keys today!