Making the decision to stop using drugs is a huge step on the road to successful recovery, but sometimes addicts fail to understand how to initiate positive change in your life—without relapsing.
Separating from the substance abusive lifestyle is not always an easy feat. Hitting such an addiction from multiple angles is necessary to lasting results in sobriety. The three basic steps towards achieving this are:
- Separate yourself from negative and unsupportive people.
- Immediately find a clean, supportive group of “team mates.”
- Seek drug rehab right away.
The Negative Effects Of Fellow Drug Users
Until you separate yourself from the group of substance abusers, you probably won’t realize what a negative effect these individuals have on you. In looking at how to initiate positive change in your life, keep in mind that eliminating those who are unsupportive of your goals is first on the list of things to do.
Those who don’t see the point of getting clean, who offer you drugs or who you normally do drugs with, will not make good team mates in your upcoming battles with substance abuse. Even on your strongest of sober days, these individuals could potentially harm you by putting you in arm’s reach of the substance you are trying to abstain from.
You could encourage these drug dependent people to get help and get clean with you, but do not let it stand in your way if they decide to continue using drugs. Move forward and find clean, supportive friends and family.
The Importance Of A Support Group
Supportive individuals are those who are in favor of you getting clean. These people—loving family and friends—will give you encouragement and help you keep a firm footing. Your success in determining how to initiate positive change in your life depends a great deal on what sort of a team you assemble for yourself.
For the most part, your close family and friends wish to see you healthy and doing well. Seek support from your
- Parents
- Grandparents
- Aunts or uncles
- Siblings or cousins
- Close friends
- Role models—teachers, youth counselors, community leaders, etc.
Keep in mind that these individuals will provide you support, love and encouragement, but the job of getting clean and staying clean is still up to you. This is your responsibility, and it will take some hard work. The burden is much more easily carried, however, with a group of people who are on your team.
Be honest with your supportive group. If you are struggling, let them know so they can do their job of helping you stay focused and drug-free.
Seek Drug Rehab Right Away
If you have decided to make major changes in your life, get clean and get healthy—act on this decision quickly. Seek out an appropriate and result-based drug treatment center that is the right fit for you.
While it is true that there are hundreds of treatment facility options in the United States, some programs are more successful than others. Some of the most successful drug rehab programs incorporate the following elements into their treatment plan:
- Individualized treatment—one on one counseling versus group therapy.
- Long-term program length, (3-6 months as opposed to 30-45 days.)
- A residential (live-in) setting instead of an outpatient situation where the addict returns home after treatment each day.
You may wish to research these program philosophies more for yourself, and this is important and should be done. Don’t take too long, however. Act quickly. Find a drug rehab in a timely manner and get started right away.