The best step in the prevention of drug addiction is avoiding the use of the drug in the first place. But then, it’s easier said than done. Most people begin taking drugs at a tender age, and before they realize the damaging impact addiction on their lives, they’re in great disorder. You don’t want to reach the point of seeking for treatment to stop taking a drug; you need to prevent it.
Here are top 6 ways to prevent drug addiction.
1. Understand how addiction develops.
Let’s agree, you wouldn’t wish to take a drug and end up being an addict. It starts as fun, and that’s how it develops. In teens, for instance, they may try out cigarettes, inhalants, and alcohol just to feel relaxed or for curiosity.
The person begins to use the drug regularly without knowing where it could lead them. You may start creating opportunities to use the drug. This may result in conflicts with people closer to you. It reaches a point where you’re finding it difficult to carry out your regular daily responsibilities without the influence of the substance. At this stage, you may experience several health changes such as loss of weight, gum disease, and other problems.
A person may lose interest in self-hygiene and even lose family and friends. Substance dependence turns out to be a chronic disease which can only be controlled by a professional.
2. Avoid peer pressure.
Honestly, standing for what you believe when everyone else is doing something different is the hardest test ever. It’s not only hard for teens but for adults too. In drug abuse, peer pressure is the major cause of substance use.
A person’s desire to fit in a peer group is what encourages the person to use a substance. Research has shown that most people who began using drugs at a tender age were introduced by friends. Members of these peer groups often see the non-drug users as defiant.
You should listen to your gut feelings and if they say no, please do it with your mouth and walk the talk. Additionally, you should prepare for such high-pressure situations by imagining how you would handle a peer pressure situation or how you would assist a friend. Choose the right people to hang with. The right people are those that share your feelings about drugs and other things.
3. Find the support you need.
People going through emotional distress are susceptible to drug abuse if they lack the right coping skills. There might be events or experiences in the past that affect your feelings and make you feel stressed.
If you feel that you have paranoia, depression, anxiety or other mental problems, you should seek social communities or spiritual organizations that can help you eliminate the negative emotions and behaviors in a healthy life-affirming manner. The problem with using drugs with mental disorders is that they only make your problem worsen.
4. Deal with life pressures.
With the busy and stressing world we’re living in, people feel like getting a reward at the end of the day is a good thing to do. Well, having a reward for a day well spent is not a problem, rewarding yourself with a drug is. Drugs only make life more stressful but most people come to realize this when it has turned sour.
To prevent using drugs as a reward, you need to discover new ways to handle stress and relax your mind and body. You can read a book, take up exercising, help the needy or do something productive. Doing these things will relax your mind and eliminate the feelings of drug use to relieve stress.
5. Seek counseling.
Just in case you’re feeling that the substance abuse is getting out of control, it’s advisable that you talk to a counselor.
According to Alorecovery,counseling should be provided in a way that really works including knowledge about different life-skills, effective guidance and healthy life.
A good counselor will assist you to overcome your addiction. They’ll find out what triggers your behavior and work out on the triggers. They’ll also advise you on how to prevent a relapse in the best way possible.
6. Distract yourself from taking drugs.
When you want to avoid something uncomfortable like drug use, you desire to distract yourself from doing it. If drug use has become a pattern for you for a while now, you feel like stopping but you can’t which is an addiction. You can try distracting yourself by shifting your attention. It’s healthier to acknowledge and let go of these negative feeling.
However, you should transform the distraction into a healthy distraction, rather than into an unhealthy one. Some distractions such as eating junks or taking alcohol are considered unhealthy. Healthy distractions include taking a walk, reading a book, eating a fruit and such. Choosing productive distractions, show that you respect and care for your body.
Conclusion
Nobody is safe from drug addiction, but you can always avoid it. With too many people ending up in rehabs, you don’t want to be one of them. Use this information to learn and help your friends and other peers to avoid drug addiction.
