Overcoming Addiction and Alcoholism

Addiction and Alcoholism are two terms for the same affliction. Alcohol is simply a 'drug of choice.'

Things you'll need to think about in order to overcome addiction:

* Understand what addiction is

* Understand that there are 'stages' in both addiction and in recovery

* Addiction Treatment - understand that some personal cases require specific treatment, not according to the addiction but according to the individual and the stage of addiction that the individual is in

* Detox. There are stages of detox and there are also centres that deal in detoxifying people from addictive substances

* There is a difference between gaining benefit from treatment programs versus 'doing time' in treatment programs

* Personal goal-setting is part of getting healthy again. So-called 'normal' and healthy people use goal-setting all the time

* Balance is important

* Overcoming DENIAL is key in overcoming addictions

* Physical fitness and mental fitness go hand in hand to help create spiritual and emotional wellness in a person whose life does not need to center around the use of drugs

* Personal Power is important and learning ways to empower yourself during recovery can help you feel like some of your life is manageable again.


If you don't understand some of these terms, start searching for some information. Try searches on 'personal power,' 'empowerment,' 'denial,' 'detoxification,' and don't be afraid to learn more about how alcohol and drugs affect individuals, families, communities, either.

When people start becoming more aware of how serious addiction is - even in a general community - then people can start to learn how to combat the problem of addiction in case it surfaces close to home.

Even if you don't personally have an addiction issue or someone in your family who is an addict, you can be greatly affected by addictions in your community. Someone you work with, for instance, might have a problem. Your boss, one of your child's teachers, etc. If you are more aware about what addictions are, how the stages of addiction, stages of recovery and stages of detox work, you might be able to better understand an addict in your midst.

If necessary, maybe you can lead an addict to some information that will help to enable that person to overcome an addiction. It might not be a huge, time-defeating effort to help someone, but it will be a HUGE favor if you're just aware of these issues and can simply direct an addict to some help.