Vinaya
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When a person becomes an addict, it is almost certain that he will become a liar, cheater, fraudster, and difficult person. Unless the addict is willing to listen to people, nobody can help him. The first requirement to give up an addiction is the addict should admit that he has an addiction and it is a problem not just for him but also for his family.
I have seen how drugs, alcohols, and cigarettes destroy a person and his family. I have had a few friends who died from drug overdoses and relatives who died due to alcoholism.
There are significant numbers of people who are addicted to various substances (heroin, brown sugar, opium, hashish, cocaine, etc.) and clinical drugs (drugs with sedative effects). However, there are also numerous people trying to give up an addiction.
Identifying Addiction: What Exactly is Addiction?
Addiction is not bodily wants, it is inside the mind. You want to go into substance use not because your body wants but your mind is asking for it. What happens is your mind creates symptoms in the body which makes the addicts go into substance use. Thus, the first thing you need to tackle during the recovery process is how to control the mind. Once the mind is tamed, body reactions can be controlled.
Sometimes you get addicted to sedative drugs unknowingly, for instance, a long-term user or anti-depressant will become addicted. Interestingly, when you are suffering from depression, you might easily resort to drinking and drugs.
A lot of people try to make excuses for their addiction by justifying that they are coping with pain (physical and mental), emotional issues such as loneliness, loss of loved ones, separation, etc. Their excuses are lame because addiction is not a solution and it never solves any problem. Addiction actually is a problem. It will only worsen your condition.
How to Overcome Addiction?
Meditation: Meditation can be a great help, however, if you are still doing drugs it is hard to meditate because in meditation you need to develop concentration. You will be able to meditate only when you are able to develop deep concentration. First, you have to give drugs and then begin meditation.
Reading: If you are battling addictions of any kind, or mental issues, you will find reading very cathartic. Reading is also a way to sublimate pent-up emotions. Let’s imagine a situation. Once you were an addict and were able to give addiction after spending 30 days in rehab. You read a book where the author is telling the same story. You will be able to identify yourself with the character and find it very soothing to read the book.
Company of People: Loneliness can cause substance abuse or mental conditions. Most of the time addiction (drug, alcohol, marijuana, etc.) and mental diseases (depression, anxiety, stress) are the results of loneliness. In order to avoid loneliness, you need to be in the company of people.
If you hang out with good people good thoughts will evolve in your mind and you will start doing good. If you hang out with bad people, bad things will evolve in your mind and you will start doing bad things. This is the law of attraction, goodness attracts goodness and badness attracts badness.
Overcoming Temptation: If you want to give up an addiction, you must learn how to control your temptation. The most difficult part in quitting any kind of addiction is related to temptation calls. If you cannot control temptation, you are unable to control your cravings. If you cannot stop your cravings, you will continue to use substances.
The most important course of action a former addict needs to take is to remain sober and never go back to substance abuse again. The former addict should get involved in activities that will help in finding the beauty of life and living, and be hopeful for the future.
Withdrawal And Slipping In Substance Abuse
If you are trying to give up an addiction, the hardest stage is the withdrawal stage. When you are at this stage, many times you are also slipping. Withdrawal is a condition when you have stopped using substances, however, you are not sober yet. Slipping is going back to substance use after coming clean for some time.
When an addict begins the recovery process, he first stops using the substance. His body and mind are accustomed to the substance, therefore, even after stopping, the addict is still at the risk of substance use. In order to divert his mind from the substance, he is asked to do various activities. This is the withdrawal stage. The withdrawal stage is a very difficult stage, the addict has to fight with his cravings/temptations as well as physical reactions occurring because of sudden stopping of the substance. In case the addict cannot sustain withdrawal, the slipping stage occurs.
Slipping is very common in addicts who are trying to recover from substance abuse. Slipping occurs when the addict in the withdrawal stage does not get enough support and care. Slipping may happen right after the withdrawal stage, or even in the recovered addicts.
How to Stay Strong During the Withdrawal Stage and Stop From Slipping
Let’s take Mike’s example. After doing drugs for a long time, he decided to give up. He spent a month in rehab and came out clean. For many weeks he did not do drugs. One day he accidentally met his addicted friends. They insisted to have a shot. At first, he refused. However, when they said “just a small dose,” he could not refuse. In fact, he could not overcome the temptation and he again fell into addiction.
Whether you are taking help from the professionals in rehab or trying to give up, you are prone to slipping. Slipping is more common if you are trying to quit by yourself, without any help. If you are actually trying to give up, slipping will lessen and gradually stop. Use a mechanism to remind yourself about “no slipping.”
When a person is recovering, he has to go into the withdrawal stage. This is an important stage because the recovering addict might easily go into slipping.
In the withdrawal stage, the addict’s mind is very venerable, it cannot distinguish between the rights and the wrongs, illusion, and reality. Addict’s mind is unstable and weak in the withdrawal stage. The addict can get away from this stage only when he is able to strengthen and control his mind and develop willpower.
Loneliness causes withdrawal and slipping. When you are lonely or do not have anything to do, all sorts of bad thoughts get into your mind; when you are busy or with people, your mind will be engaged with other things, which takes you away from bad thoughts. Thus, in order to overcome the temptation of addiction or battle mental issues, you must keep yourself busy. You need to find someone who can give you company all the time. You can also kill loneliness by occupying your mind. Some of the things that can divert your loneliness are reading, listening to music, watching movies, etc.
The company of bad people is one of the common causes of slipping. If you reach the people who are into addiction, you might slip easily. The first step to quitting any kind of addiction is by getting away from the circle of friends who are into addiction. Most addicts pick up addiction from friends. It begins with curiosity and then moves to get high. Also, when you are in the recovery process, never go to the place where you used to hang out with substance users.
I have seen how drugs, alcohols, and cigarettes destroy a person and his family. I have had a few friends who died from drug overdoses and relatives who died due to alcoholism.
There are significant numbers of people who are addicted to various substances (heroin, brown sugar, opium, hashish, cocaine, etc.) and clinical drugs (drugs with sedative effects). However, there are also numerous people trying to give up an addiction.
Identifying Addiction: What Exactly is Addiction?
Addiction is not bodily wants, it is inside the mind. You want to go into substance use not because your body wants but your mind is asking for it. What happens is your mind creates symptoms in the body which makes the addicts go into substance use. Thus, the first thing you need to tackle during the recovery process is how to control the mind. Once the mind is tamed, body reactions can be controlled.
Sometimes you get addicted to sedative drugs unknowingly, for instance, a long-term user or anti-depressant will become addicted. Interestingly, when you are suffering from depression, you might easily resort to drinking and drugs.
A lot of people try to make excuses for their addiction by justifying that they are coping with pain (physical and mental), emotional issues such as loneliness, loss of loved ones, separation, etc. Their excuses are lame because addiction is not a solution and it never solves any problem. Addiction actually is a problem. It will only worsen your condition.
How to Overcome Addiction?
Meditation: Meditation can be a great help, however, if you are still doing drugs it is hard to meditate because in meditation you need to develop concentration. You will be able to meditate only when you are able to develop deep concentration. First, you have to give drugs and then begin meditation.
Reading: If you are battling addictions of any kind, or mental issues, you will find reading very cathartic. Reading is also a way to sublimate pent-up emotions. Let’s imagine a situation. Once you were an addict and were able to give addiction after spending 30 days in rehab. You read a book where the author is telling the same story. You will be able to identify yourself with the character and find it very soothing to read the book.
Company of People: Loneliness can cause substance abuse or mental conditions. Most of the time addiction (drug, alcohol, marijuana, etc.) and mental diseases (depression, anxiety, stress) are the results of loneliness. In order to avoid loneliness, you need to be in the company of people.
If you hang out with good people good thoughts will evolve in your mind and you will start doing good. If you hang out with bad people, bad things will evolve in your mind and you will start doing bad things. This is the law of attraction, goodness attracts goodness and badness attracts badness.
Overcoming Temptation: If you want to give up an addiction, you must learn how to control your temptation. The most difficult part in quitting any kind of addiction is related to temptation calls. If you cannot control temptation, you are unable to control your cravings. If you cannot stop your cravings, you will continue to use substances.
The most important course of action a former addict needs to take is to remain sober and never go back to substance abuse again. The former addict should get involved in activities that will help in finding the beauty of life and living, and be hopeful for the future.
Withdrawal And Slipping In Substance Abuse
If you are trying to give up an addiction, the hardest stage is the withdrawal stage. When you are at this stage, many times you are also slipping. Withdrawal is a condition when you have stopped using substances, however, you are not sober yet. Slipping is going back to substance use after coming clean for some time.
When an addict begins the recovery process, he first stops using the substance. His body and mind are accustomed to the substance, therefore, even after stopping, the addict is still at the risk of substance use. In order to divert his mind from the substance, he is asked to do various activities. This is the withdrawal stage. The withdrawal stage is a very difficult stage, the addict has to fight with his cravings/temptations as well as physical reactions occurring because of sudden stopping of the substance. In case the addict cannot sustain withdrawal, the slipping stage occurs.
Slipping is very common in addicts who are trying to recover from substance abuse. Slipping occurs when the addict in the withdrawal stage does not get enough support and care. Slipping may happen right after the withdrawal stage, or even in the recovered addicts.
How to Stay Strong During the Withdrawal Stage and Stop From Slipping
Let’s take Mike’s example. After doing drugs for a long time, he decided to give up. He spent a month in rehab and came out clean. For many weeks he did not do drugs. One day he accidentally met his addicted friends. They insisted to have a shot. At first, he refused. However, when they said “just a small dose,” he could not refuse. In fact, he could not overcome the temptation and he again fell into addiction.
Whether you are taking help from the professionals in rehab or trying to give up, you are prone to slipping. Slipping is more common if you are trying to quit by yourself, without any help. If you are actually trying to give up, slipping will lessen and gradually stop. Use a mechanism to remind yourself about “no slipping.”
When a person is recovering, he has to go into the withdrawal stage. This is an important stage because the recovering addict might easily go into slipping.
In the withdrawal stage, the addict’s mind is very venerable, it cannot distinguish between the rights and the wrongs, illusion, and reality. Addict’s mind is unstable and weak in the withdrawal stage. The addict can get away from this stage only when he is able to strengthen and control his mind and develop willpower.
Loneliness causes withdrawal and slipping. When you are lonely or do not have anything to do, all sorts of bad thoughts get into your mind; when you are busy or with people, your mind will be engaged with other things, which takes you away from bad thoughts. Thus, in order to overcome the temptation of addiction or battle mental issues, you must keep yourself busy. You need to find someone who can give you company all the time. You can also kill loneliness by occupying your mind. Some of the things that can divert your loneliness are reading, listening to music, watching movies, etc.
The company of bad people is one of the common causes of slipping. If you reach the people who are into addiction, you might slip easily. The first step to quitting any kind of addiction is by getting away from the circle of friends who are into addiction. Most addicts pick up addiction from friends. It begins with curiosity and then moves to get high. Also, when you are in the recovery process, never go to the place where you used to hang out with substance users.
