8 Tips To Fighting Addiction

When we think of addiction we usually think of alcohol or drug addictions but there are many types of addictions. A workaholic has an addiction, as does the guy who fills his yard with cars. Watching 8 hours of TV a day is an addiction, just like having to continuously clean your home or your hands are an addiction. What ever your addiction these steps to fighting addiction will help you break free.

1. Regain Power - Many addictions are undermined because we believe we are powerless to change the situation. This is not true! You do have the power to make change. It may be slow and painful. It may result in times where you fall backwards but you have the power to pick yourself up, wipe yourself off, and go forward again. Use your power to take one minute at a time, one hour at a time, and one day at a time. As you move forward use your power to look one week into the future, one month into the future.

2. Look To Faith - For many finding power in a greater power gives them the strength to work towards overcoming your addiction. Religion has been a powerful tool for individuals. Faith restores hope and sanity and helps the healing process. The Spiritual power need not be God just a power that is a loving spirit greater than us. Each religion has its own spiritual power.

3. Decide To Make A Life Change - The first step to fighting addiction is to make a decision that it is time to make a life change. That life change will reflect your desire to quit your addiction. Your life change may require one or many changes be made to accomplish your goal.

4. Take Inventory - No more secrets, it’s time to clean out the closet and take inventory. No hiding because of shame. No hiding because of fear. You are not alone in your addiction. Thousands of others have fought the same battle. Now is the time to list your good qualities, the things you like about yourself, and want to keep. It is also the time to list your bad qualities, your habits and addictions you wish to overcome. Writing is a powerful tool for the brain. Writing the inventory list will help your brain to help you overcome your addiction. You will be more attune to your strengths and weaknesses and better able to use your strengths to overcome your weakness.

5. Seek Help - There are many groups and organizations available to help you overcome your addiction. Once you have set your mind to beating your addiction you can seek help from one of the groups to help you accomplish your goal. Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, or Debtors Anonymous are trained to work with you to successfully beat your addiction. They are a mentor, a crutch, and a friend in a time of need.

6. Involve your Family - Your family needs to be involved in your journey to fight your addiction. Only you can accomplish this important task, but you need to ask for the support and help of your family. You may think you are the first family member with an addiction, especially substance abuse, but if you carefully examine your family history you may find a similar addiction in past generations.

7. Explore Your Feelings - As you take your journey to fight your addiction you will need to re-explore your feelings. One side affect of substance abuse is often the freezing of ones feelings. As you begin to beat your addiction your feelings will begin to unthaw and you will need to re-identify with them. You will need to once again learn to understand your emotions, your feelings, and your reactions to these emotions.

8. Acupuncture - For more than a century acupuncture has been used to treat addictions in other parts of the world. For nearly a half a century it has been used in North America. Acupuncture has had some studies conducted and the results conclusively show that acupuncture is an effective tool for fighting addiction especially cocaine addictions.

Congratulations are in order! Reading this article is an excellent first step in recognizing you have an addiction and that you are ready to address the problem and work at fighting the addiction. The 8 tips will help get you started on the road to recovery. You have the power to succeed!

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit ArticleClick.com. Article Click is a free content article directory. This means that as a publisher you may reprint the articles that are included in our site, as long as the article is unedited and the author box is included with it's live hyperlinks.