We are creatures of habit, but that doesn’t mean that every habit we have is good. Sometimes we can have a load of bad habits, but never think anything of them. For example, you might have found you’ve got into the habit of getting straight into pyjamas as soon as you get home from work.
Although you might not think anything bad about this, you might find that in a year’s time, you have become lazy and this is something that could have been avoided. The same thing goes for addictions. Now, a habit and an addiction are nearly the same things and if you are interested in stopping addiction and breaking a habit, then you can copy similar steps to help you on your way to recovery.
Take it One Step at a Time
Habits form because you get into a routine, you need to break this routine to help you break your habit. However, it’s almost impossible to successfully break this routine by stopping it completely. You need to take small steps to help you. Sure, you can always go cold turkey. But it’s a lot easier to take it one step at a time.
This way you won’t suffer from withdrawal symptoms. Take, for example, a person who drinks a glass of wine every day. It would be a lot easier for that person to quit if they limited themselves to smaller glasses and gradually stopped themselves from drinking. This is why you need to have a realistic goal in mind. If you are determined enough then you can easily reach your goal.
Avoid Temptation
The reason people fail is because it is so easy for them to get their hands on the things that they want. You need to be able to separate yourself from a situation if you know that there will be temptations there. Sometimes it might be easier to physically put yourself away from a place. For example, if you are addicted to drugs, then it might be more beneficial for you to get drug rehab treatment, rather than avoiding temptation alone. Some people prefer going to rehab and seeking help that way, as they get the support they need.
So, if you are struggling by yourself because the world has too many temptations, then you might want to consider this. Depending on what your habit or addiction is, you’ll find that you are a lot more successful the harder you make it for yourself to get what you want. When you are struggling with cravings it can be almost impossible to say no. You might even be able to say no the first time, but when temptation comes knocking a third or even a fifth time, you might say yes and that’s not something that you want to do.
Make New Habits
It’s a lot easier to break habits when you have something to replace it with. For example, if you drink alcohol with your friends when you normally go out with them, then try out a new non-alcoholic drink. This way you can still have fun with your friends and be in control of your drinking habit. You’ll soon start to make better choices for yourself without even thinking about it.
It’s also important to make sure that you try out new things. You can get in the habit of trying a new food for example or exploring new places. If you keep yourself busy, then you’ll soon find yourself forgetting about your old bad habits and you won’t be craving anything that you use to be addicted to. You’ll probably find that breaking your bad habits and addictions will be tough, but it’s important that you are able to take expert care of yourself, as this will help benefit you in the future.