An addiction is a condition which emerges when a person uses a substance or engages in an activity which feels pleasurable to them yet can gradually become impulsive. It also begins to interfere with their normal lives. Something becomes addictive whenever a person starts ignoring their day to day responsibilities so as to indulge in their activity of choice. This can strain their relationships with family, workmates and partners too. An addict may not be aware that their activities and behavior are out of control and affecting those around them negatively. They only become aware of the fact after they see and experience the problems brought about by the addiction. Examples of these problems are bad health, financial problems, strained relationships and violence. Thankfully, there are ways to break an addiction and recover from it completely. Read on to learn how to successfully quit any bad addictions in 30 days.
Get the proper mindset for recovery by tricking your mind
The most difficult part of breaking a bad habit is starting. The beginning is always the biggest challenge. The biggest step actually takes place in your mind. The conscious decision to beat an addiction is the most important step. Sometimes, the thought of quitting an addictive substance or activity for good is very intimidating. However, you can actually trick your mind into beginning. An effective way of doing this is to tell it that you are only going to commit to the addiction change for 30 days and then you will be free to go back to it. This is a very controversial way of going about recovery but it works. It puts your mind at ease by eliminating the intimidating nature of the recovery process such that it does not seem so difficult anymore. Once you begin and stay the course for 30 days, you find that you do not want to go back into it. You will have discovered an easier, healthier, more fulfilling way of life.
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Identify your weak points
There are times when you are most weak and susceptible to going back to your addiction. This can be in the morning right after you wake up, during the breaks in between sessions of work, when you are stressed, in the evening right before you sleep or any other time when you have some physical, emotional or psychological pressure to deal with. Once you discover your weak points, ensure that you are engaging in a constructive activity. For example, you can purpose to eat some healthy fruit during these times. You could also take walks to clear your mind. Moreover, a session of interaction with your support group always comes in handy to give you strength during your weak points. This is a sure way to beat an addiction in less than 30 days.
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Use coins to mark your progress
You can pick up a bunch of 30 coins and label them 1 to 30 with a washable marker. After you do this, you can pop one coin in a jar of water for every day that you go without indulging in your addictive substance or behavior. The more you proceed without backsliding into your old addiction, the more your coins you are able to collect in the jar. If you slip up on one day, you have to pour all the coins out of the jar and start again. The activity of starting again is psychologically painful. It makes you see how much progress you are undoing. Consequently the token method is highly effective in helping you to get rid of any addiction in 30 days or less. The coins are highly effective because when you make it to thirty days, you can use them to buy yourself something special to mark your recovery.
Read books to keep you busy
One of the characteristics of addictive activities or substances is that they are most tempting when you are idle. This is the time when you feel like you want to go back to them. During your free time, pick up a book and read to keep your mind engaged. The best genres for such moments are motivational books. There are lots of publications that actually tackle how to recover from addictions. Get some copies of these books and read them. Create a habit of reading them in between your job tasks or chores. This will help you to stay the path of recovery and beat the addiction as quickly as you can.
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Get some close companions to help you
As an addict, the first thing you need is support. Sometimes, the addiction can have taken root so deep that you cannot get out of it on your own. Therefore, the first step to quit an addiction in 30 days is to get a group of friends or family to help you quit. They will hold you up when you are feeling weak and susceptible to going back to the addiction. Thereby, get a group of family members or real, addiction-free friends to help you stay the course of sobriety. They will help you not to roll backwards on your path to recovery.
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Ensure that you are accountable to someone
In the corporate world, one of the strongest motivators of good performance is being accountable to a superior. Your boss ensures that you do your job by spelling out the consequences if you do not. For any type of addiction, it is important to do the same. Identify a figure who you can be accountable to. You already know the consequences are completely destructive. Therefore, pick someone who is addiction-free. They can be a family member, a colleague, your therapist, a doctor or a spiritual leader. They should be someone who you consider to be in authority. In the world of addiction recovery, they are known as a sponsor.
The Important Take Away
Addictions are one of the most destructive conditions that can affect a person, their family and friends. The steps above can help you to recover from any addiction in 30 days or less. With strength, determination and the lessons from these steps, you can put your addiction behind you and turn over a new leaf.
