4 Great Reasons to Beat Your Addiction and Create A Better Life
GUEST POST | Addiction can take many forms. Overuse of drugs and alcohol may be the best-known addictions. In fact, anyone who realises that they cannot stop using a particular substance or engaging in certain behaviours could be developing a dangerous habit.
Perhaps you are confident that you can control your compulsion, even seeing it as healthy if you are spending hours at the gym every day. It’s hard to be objective about your own behaviour, but even so, you may find that your habit is affecting your life in negative ways. Be honest with yourself, is it time to take action?
Is your addiction damaging your health?
The disastrous effects of alcohol, many drugs, and tobacco are well known and too numerous to list here, but even spending all night gaming can cause health problems. Gamers even suffer from gaming-related injuries, for example, de Quervain’s Tenosynovitis - or gamer’s thumb, just one of the conditions that can affect you if you have an uncontrolled habit. Repetitive strain injuries can also affect people who over-exercise repeatedly. A whole host of psychological issues can be connected to excessive exercising, which can be a symptom of underlying problems with body image. A balanced life with a good diet, relaxation, and exercise are crucial, and they can all be affected if you spend all your time on one repetitive activity.
Are your relationships affected?
Addictions destroy relationships and families. Alcohol, drugs, gambling or any addiction will push others away as the addict spends more and more time and energy on their obsession. The physical need for drugs or the dopamine hit of a gambling win will become the only driver in the addict’s life. Addicts often become anti-social, leading to loneliness and isolation. Recovery will allow you to rebuild and develop meaningful relationships in your life, which will, in turn, assist you in maintaining sobriety or freedom from your addiction.
Is your addiction ruining your career?
If your addiction doesn’t ruin or hold back your career, then you are fortunate. How can you expect to perform at your best if you are exhausted or under the influence of mind-altering chemicals? The problems that addicts experience in personal relationships can also affect work relationships, making them difficult and unpleasant to work around. Recovery from addiction will put you back on the right track to develop a career that can help you to achieve your life goals.
Have you lost your self-esteem?
When you are in the grip of your addiction, it is impossible to feel good about yourself. You think you should have the ability to control your gambling or drinking; you tell yourself and others that you have, but you fail again and again. The self-loathing that this can cause leads you back to your addictive substance or behaviour. Addiction recovery is a long road and can require professional support and intervention. Developing the ability to understand oneself and create a second chance at life can give an incredible boost to your self-esteem.
What ways can you change your lifestyle to create a better life in the future?
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