Addiction is a serious issue that impacts millions of people, and the problem only seems to be getting worse. It’s estimated that nearly 1 in 10 Americans suffer from addiction, but many individuals are still reluctant to reach out for help. Whether you’re currently suffering from addiction or know someone who is, there are steps you can take to break the cycle and improve your life.
Identify What Addiction Means To You
You might be asking yourself: What does addiction mean to me? How do I know if I’m an addict or not?
To answer these questions, let’s start by defining addiction. Addiction is a chronic disease that affects brain function and causes compulsive behaviors such as drug use or overuse of alcohol. The symptoms of addiction include:
• Loss of control over the amount consumed
• Increased tolerance (needing more and more to get high)
• Withdrawal when not using
Identify Your Triggers, Both In The Environment And Internally
In order to break the cycle of addiction, you need to know what causes a craving or trigger for you says Julian Mitton, MD. This can be anything from seeing someone smoking a cigarette to having too much caffeine or alcohol. For example: if you’re having trouble identifying your triggers, try keeping a journal where you write down every time that you feel like using drugs or alcohol (or whatever substance/behavior).
After doing this for two weeks, look back on it and see what kinds of things led up to those cravings. You’ll probably notice some patterns emerge–for example: Julian Mitton, MD maybe after work every day I go straight home where there’s nobody else around so I have nothing else to do but think about my problems; then when I’m feeling alone with no distractions around me…well maybe then comes along some weed!
