How Quitting Can Get You To The Next Level

Quitting is a word often associated with negativity and failure. In fact, it is one of the things you were taught not to do when you were young. Your parents told you never to quit on something you started working on. Finish what you started and try your best to do a great job.

But there is another kind of quitting that actually helps. It is the kind that leads you in the right direction. When you find yourself drowning in addiction to drugs, alcohol, or gambling, the best decision to take on is to quit.

Quitting at this time is the first brave step to take when you want to get over an addiction. Teaching yourself how to quit drugs is easier said than done. It takes a lot of courage, self-discipline, and hard work to fully realize that quitting drugs and alcohol should have been your priority from the beginning.

Why Did You Get Addicted?

Whatever you may be addicted to–drugs, alcohol, smoking, or gambling–all of them are dangerous for you. In truth, if you want to get to the bottom of the problem, you need to ask yourself why you got addicted. Despite your full awareness of the dangers brought about by addiction, you continue to give in to the urge.

While you logically only need to stop doing what you are doing to free yourself from addiction, there are actually more things that need to be done. Stopping is the first and best option, but there are clearly different factors that could get in the way. Many have tried to quit and failed.

Is it because they lack the willpower to do it? Are they to be blamed for it? Or is there a deeper reason that comes into play? Many have tried to teach themselves how to quit, but it is not the quitting that they should look into. It is the addiction and what pushes them to get hooked.

If you have tried to quit and failed, then stop beating yourself up. Get to the root cause of the addiction. The more you understand why you got addicted, the easier it will be to move forward.

Here are some reasons why you may have allowed yourself to become addicted.

You sought comfort

You were having trouble in your life, and you thought that drinking or smoking could help you feel better. It did give you comfort for a good hour or two, but it required you to do more. It asked you to give it more of who you are. While you thought it provided you comfort, it was taking more from you than you originally thought.

You wanted to escape

You were dealing with a serious problem, and you didn’t know what to do. Instead of looking for a solution, you sought to escape. You wanted to forget about the issue and what caused it. You resorted to finding something else to do to forget about the problem. You knew it wasn’t going to solve it, but it would help you forget about it for a while.

You looked for pleasure

You sought for something that made you happy for a moment, but that was all it provided–temporary happiness. It was pleasurable in the beginning until it wasn’t anymore. You wanted to get out, but you couldn’t. You were into it so deep it was hard to say no to the urges.

How Do You Get Over Your Addiction?

Beyond the physical demands of addiction, it is the psychological and emotional components that are truly demanding. It is why it is easy to reach for a cigarette or grab a bottle of beer when they are stressed out. It provides immediate relief to the situation. You may even think that this urge is outside of your control.

But how long should this go on? To get over the addiction, you need to find ways to deal with stress. Otherwise, you may just be setting yourself up to fail again. How do you kick the habit?

Here are some of the things that you can do:

Put a new habit in place

Whenever you get stressed, you usually grab a cigarette. So if you want to quit smoking, then you need to channel your stress into something else. Bring in a new habit. Aim your stress at something else. Help yourself produce more endorphins to improve your mood. Perhaps you can go for a walk or a quick run instead. Physical activity helps improve your mood. Keep walking, and soon, you’ll get over those cravings and get into doing something productive.

Be mindful of your activities

Whenever you can, engage in something to help you become more at peace with who you are. Maybe you could try yoga or deep meditation to keep your focus inside your body and mind. Meditation and yoga help control your breathing rate, manage your blood pressure, and alleviate tension in your body.

Cut back on substance use

No matter what kind of substances you may be into, smoking, alcohol, or caffeine, the best way to manage your mood is to always go for something natural. You can make some tea instead. Or perhaps you can enjoy a new activity too. When you can manage your mood without any forms of enhancements, you’ll better manage your dependence.

Talk to a friend

Whenever you find yourself in a stressful situation, allow yourself to get help. Talk to a friend if you are too scared to see a professional. Being under a lot of stress could put you in a complicated situation. If you talk to someone about how you feel, it helps lessen the pressure that the stress puts on you. It also allows you not to depend on other things for comfort.

Will you ever learn how to stop using drugs without rehab? You can. You only need to believe that you can. 

If you utilize these tips every day, when it is finally time to quit, you’ll be able to tell yourself, “I can.”