How Do I Stop Using Substances? 

Drug Abuse is a Commonly Accomplished Goal for Many People in Their Day-to-day Lives

It doesn’t matter if we started using drugs in a social setting with our friends on the weekends or whether we did it in secret to help us deal with the pressures and stresses of everyday life: sometimes, things progress from there, and we find that we are addicted to drugs and incapable of stopping. 

The disease of addiction is so cunning that it can completely devour us before we recognize that we are in over our heads and that we are unable to quit using drugs on our own. Addiction is such a sneaky condition. Even with the support of our families and the professionals around us, we frequently have doubts that we will be able to give up using drugs. 

Drug Addiction is a Condition That Can Completely Disable a Person

The use of drugs can start as harmless experimentation during adolescence, as a way to conform to the expectations of peers, or as a way to test one’s limits, but it can quickly spiral out of control and become an addiction. 

One of the effects of addiction is a lack of accurate insight into the condition, which is commonly referred to as being in denial about it. It’s interesting to observe that denial is a subconscious defense mechanism rather than a conscious act of deception or “lying,” as the term is commonly used. 

It is a common misconception that there is nothing that could be done to assist a person in kicking their drug habit unless the individual in question possesses an extremely strong desire to better themselves. We frequently hear members of the patient’s family say things like, “It’s an unnecessary expense to put them in rehabilitation programs because they need want to stop using drugs for themselves.”

Addiction, by its very nature, renders a person incapable of fully comprehending the ripple effects and repercussions of their actions on themselves and others. This does not mean that they can avoid taking responsibility for their situation or that they are exempt from the obligation to make any adjustments. It indicates that people can be taught, through the provision of effective drug rehab treatment, how to put an end to their addiction by abstaining from drug use and living a life free of the effects of drugs. 

If we wait until the person who is addicted has some kind of spontaneous awareness of their condition or a “burning bush” insight that miraculously improves their understanding, then we will be waiting for a very long time for an event that is outside our control and may never happen. The patient’s addiction, meanwhile, continues to worsen day by day, making treatment increasingly difficult. 

It is extremely unlikely that the person who is addicted to drugs will take any proactive steps to stop using drugs if you wait for them to do so on their own. Drug addiction is a severe ailment that can be fatal. To put an end to drug-induced insanity, it is typically necessary for a member of the family to take the initiative. Our area of expertise lies in assisting you in determining the optimal path to admission into a rehabilitation facility for a loved one. 

How to Stop Using Drugs?

Waiting for things to change won’t be helpful in this situation. Your friend or family member will not be able to kick their drug habit without you taking action. If you wait for them to demonstrate a greater willingness, a greater readiness to change, or a greater level of motivation, there is a chance that you will be waiting in vain, and the likelihood is that nothing will change. 

Professional drug rehabilitation centers are trained to assist drug users who are ambivalent about whether or not they wish to quit using drugs and are uncertain about how to do so. It is best to delegate this task to trained professionals so that your loved one can successfully quit using drugs and maintain their health. If you wait, nothing else will change; give us a call as soon as possible to help your loved one kick their drug habit. If necessary, we can organize interventions and provide immediate access to the most reputable detox and drug rehabilitation treatment centers. 

A person who abuses substances may never reach the point where they wonder, “How can I quit using drugs?” If you wait for them to get there, it may never happen. It is essential for families of people who are addicted to find ways to regain their power, refrain from enabling the addicted person, and put the addicted individual in a position where they must take ownership of their addiction recovery. The following suggestions are pragmatic and fundamental actions to take to give up using drugs. These suggestions are merely a jumping-off point, and the overarching goal is to raise awareness about effective addiction treatment. 

It is of the utmost importance that a person who is addicted to drugs and is trying to quit drug use seeks professional assistance from a drug rehab center if they are experiencing any withdrawal symptoms. 

Making a Choice to Stop Using Drugs

When dealing with drug addiction, it is essential to gain some knowledge regarding the competing desires and forces that motivate people. 

Because people who are addicted to drugs find it difficult to quit using the substance, and may even talk and talk about quitting, but never appear to make any real changes, it is commonly assumed that these individuals are not truly willing or capable of making the change in their behavior. In point of fact, however, there is a great deal of contention regarding whether or not an addicted person should stop using drugs or continue to use them. 

Because it is a situation of active addiction for the patient to have a decreased awareness, it is most commonly the family that is required to step in and create a crisis that can result in admission to a treatment center for addiction and the possibility of some much-needed real change. 

The addicted person won’t have a more precise knowledge of the severity of their problem until they have been through a successful drug rehab program and the addictions counseling team has successfully reduced the patient’s degree of delusion (by demolishing their mental denial system). Only then will the addicted person be able to get help for their addiction.  As soon as the addicted patient’s awareness of their reality is raised, there is the possibility for a more profound motivation, one that is sufficient to bring about the necessary adjustments that would facilitate them to get well and remain well. 

The primary addictions counselor and the treatment program as a whole are responsible for enhancing patients’ motivation for change as well as the environmental factors (the culture prevalent within the addiction rehabilitation center). Critical external influence and assistance in maintaining movement toward recovery from addiction can be provided by family, friends, employers, or even court orders, among other potential sources. 

It is commonly assumed, incorrectly, that these external forms of pressure are not beneficial because the motivation for change is not coming directly from the patient. However, in the beginning, this internal motivation may be conflicted, and external pressure can be very useful. 

Naturally, it is up to the client to determine whether or not they are motivated; however, if the addictions counselor builds a strong rapport with the client, they will be able to roll with resistance and use collateral from outside sources as pressure to improve motivation and a healthy decision-making process.

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