It is sometimes said that the only person who can get you to kick an addiction is yourself. While that is certainly true in a narrow sense, the fact is that no one quits a bad habit in a social vacuum. You need the help and support of those around you. There are always other people involved in any major undertaking in life, with addiction recovery being no exception. Knowing how other people can effectively support your efforts to kick an addiction can make the difference between success and failure.
Professional Support
The techniques and programs for overcoming addicting vary widely, and it is not the intention here to identifying specifically who or what kind of professional people you will encounter. But whatever the program of recovery, it will be certain to include at least some people who are serving in a professional capacity and that are there to help you. These are people who are either medical experts or who have had extensive experience in overcoming your area of addiction.
How helpful such professionals may be to you in your journey of recovery may vary widely, but all of them will have at least a little insight to offer. Don’t be afraid to listen and learn from each of them. Going into any meeting with an open mind can be one of the hardest things but if it is done this attitude can help further your recovery immensely
Support From Friends
The role of friends can be a tricky one in kicking an addiction. Certainly friends who are still addicted can play a negative role by either directly or indirectly encouraging a return to the addictive lifestyle. Yet, other friends, perhaps ones you fell out of touch with in your most addictive phase, may now be ready to re-enter your life in a positive way.
Sometimes it may require making new friends outside the circle of acquaintances you had when addicted. But whether old friends or new, it is important to have people you can socialize with who will not place you in danger of relapse. Friends like these can be found in programs like those at Women’s Recovery Center as you can certainly relate with other people in the program. Don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone when attempting to make new friends. Not only can friends offer you encouragement to stay addiction free, but they also provide a crucial distraction from dwelling too much on addiction issues.
Family Support
Regardless of how you feel about your family they most certainly only want what is best for you and most family members are willing to go to any lengths to help a loved one kick an addiction. Communicating with family members often can lead to a unknown strength you didn’t know you had. This interaction will keep your mind on what is really important and can provide support when you desperately want to relapse.
Support is Essential
While the decision to overcome an addiction is often a very personal one, the process of becoming addiction free is in many ways a group effort. Building a new life free of addiction requires having others who can advise you, provide you with new opportunities and give you better alternatives to former, unhealthy relationships. Therefore, try to cultivate both professional and informal support networks that can both guide you onto a new path in life and help you stick to it.