Substance abuse seems to be an ever-increasing problem in society. It makes it all the easier when there are new drugs appearing all the time. The problem with addiction is that it feeds off of itself. It is like being in captivity. You are essentially a slave to that drug. When a person finds something they like (called drug of choice), they usually have to keep getting more and more of it and eventually look for something stronger and/or try other drugs. This is why certain drugs are called “gateway” drugs. People with a history of substance abuse have to realize what triggers then to use the drugs that they use. Even nicotine can be a gateway drug and a trigger.
What Are Triggers?
A trigger is anything that increases a person's desire to want to drink alcohol or use drugs. An example of a trigger would be an alcoholic being in a bar, or a drug abuser being around others who are using. There are many reasons people use to abuse drugs:
- Anger
- Boredom
- Anxiety (“It will help me relax”)
- Motivation (“It will give me the energy and motivation to get things done”)
Obviously, this is flawed thinking. A lot of time, people do not realize how ridiculous it is until they are in recovery.
Breaking the Cycle
There usually come a time in someone's life, or an event that occurs that makes a person think about their behaviors and how they affect their life and others around them. A lot of times, drug addicts and alcoholics really do love the drug that is literally destroying them. Even if they want to get sober, they love the feeling too much to follow through. It is sad to see someone fall under the “spell” of alcohol or drugs and let everything else slip away. When someone is addicted to something, it becomes a priority. They are thinking about it all the time. They do not know how to operate without it. They feel more normal on the drug than off.
They will have the perception that they are more clear-headed and relaxed when it is most often the opposite. A person has to really want to stop abusing their drug of choice. It is not easy and it takes a great deal of effort. Many times, people will experience depression, insomnia, mood swings and physical sickness when they stop using. It is normal to have bad days and good days. Getting sober does not happen over-night and it can be a painful process because regardless of whether the person realizes it, there is a reason they resort to drug abuse (triggers). To stop this cycle, a person's brain has to literally be re-programmed with the realization that drugs really are bad. A person must sit down and think about what their drug of choice has cost them (family, friends, lifestyle, reputation, etc.), and they must actually develop a hate for the drug and the destruction it has caused in their life and the lives of the people close to them.
Light at the End of the Tunnel
There is a common saying “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”. People generally have a hard time recognizing their patterns without seeking change. People want to see immediate results, but real change is not immediate - it is a process. Any change for the good is a growing process.
As an impatient person myself, I had to realize that change that happens too fast does not stick. When someone changes, they have to know why they are changing and utilize real tools to do so. True change comes from a person changing their thinking and core beliefs. When a person changes something that has been a part of them for a long period of time, it will initially feel very unnatural. This is where persistence and perseverance comes in. Eventually you reach a point of true change and growth.
Avoiding Relapse
A person in recovery needs to have a strong support system. Many people think they do not need to go to meetings or seek out help in order to stay sober. Just the same as “hanging with the wrong crowd” can get you in trouble, “hanging with the right crowd” can keep you out of trouble. Being able to talk to your support system in times of weakness will help you stay on the right track and decrease the possibility of relapse. Whatever you do, take it one day at a time. Someone once told me “I can't say that I will never drink again, but I can say it won't be today”.
