Hi everyone, today’s topic is overcoming addiction. Now, I want to point out here that we all have addictions to some things. It might be overt addictions—addictions out there with people, places, and things—or it might be covert, which means mental and emotional addictions. So, I think we want to take the sting out of the word “addiction.” Addiction is something that we’ve repeated. Actually, Dr. Gabor Maté’s definition is something we continue to do and can’t stop despite the negative consequences in our life. So, whatever that is for you, have a little think. What’s something you continue to do, something that you say, “I’ll never do that again, I’m not going to do that again,” especially after we’ve done it and we’ve had kind of a bit of a binge on it, whether it’s eating chocolate, whether it’s drinking alcohol, whether it’s being with the wrong people, whether it’s being out of control. So, all of these things can be addictions, and we promise ourselves we’ll overeat, we promise ourselves we’ll never do it again, and then once all that settles down and we’ve forgotten, and we do it again. So, here are just a few tips. Again, I’ve jotted down some notes:
Acknowledge the Addiction: Admitting that there’s a problem. You could say to yourself, “I have a problem with such and such.”
Understand Denial: When we’re in denial, we’re pushing it back and we’re not even addressing it. The acronym for denial is “don’t even know I am lying.” So, we cover it up or we pretend.
Identify Triggers: Check your environments, check the people, places, and things that you’re associating with, the places you’re going. We know when we’re in certain environments, we’re more likely to be triggered.
Seek Professional Help: No one, to my knowledge, in the field of addiction has got really, really sober and sustained it long term and made big changes without support. We can’t do it alone.
Develop Coping Mechanisms: Coping mechanisms might be different for everybody. The main thing is the number one reason we go to any addiction is we cannot manage our emotions. There’s a host of coping mechanisms on YouTube. It might be meditation, it might be breath work. There’s so much out there now.
Build a Good Support System: Build a scaffolding around you. One to keep you accountable and these people that are in recovery that want for you what you want, not someone that wants to keep you stuck where you already are because it makes them feel better. Be very mindful of that.
Set Realistic Goals: Break down your recovery to manageable steps. I always say baby, baby steps and one day at a time. That is an acronym from the 12 program, “one day at a time.” We can manage something for one day.
Practice Self-care: Always, always, it’s about us first. When we value ourselves as we do this work and especially if we get support in place, we do this work, and the other things they lose their appeal for us.
Celebrate Progress: Celebrate yourself. If you get through the day, really celebrate yourself. And this is where a mentor coach can come in to help keep you inspired.
Avoid Triggers: Whenever possible, avoid triggers.
Stay Engaged in Treatment: When you’ve made up your mind, set yourself up with all of this. You know, really celebrate yourself. And this is like your own internal or external gold medal.
Remember, recovery is the best thing since sliced bread. The freedom you have and the things that it brings into your life are just amazing. Thank you.
