Addiction is real and it’s not pretty. You’ve likely heard of the many people who have tried to overcome their addiction and failed. No matter how strong you think you are, you could fall into one of the common pitfalls that many others do. The reality is that overcoming addiction will be one of the toughest things you’ve had to face thus far. It’s important to understand some of the common barriers to becoming a success story so that you can learn to overcome them if they happen to affect your recovery process.

You can check the Agape Treatment Center, if you are nearby, they provide addiction treatment.

Self-Sabotage

Some people aren’t necessarily emotionally ready to begin the recovery process. Unfortunately, they don’t always know it until it’s too late. Before you start taking any drugs, you are well aware of the risks that come with them. You choose to take them anyway, which begins the self-sabotaging process. This mindset can easily continue throughout recovery, causing you to sabotage your own recovery and turn back to your addictive habits.

Why? Often, self-sabotage starts because it’s easier for an addict to fall back into his old routine. He may begin feeling stressed or anxious when going through withdrawal and he becomes scared thinking about what his future holds without drugs.

Overcoming It

One of the most important things to do to avoid sabotaging yourself during recovery is to get a solid support system in place before you start. Your support system should include trustworthy friends and family who will readily get you the help you need during the process and won’t allow you to fail.

It’s a Tough Commitment

Overdose deaths from opiates were four times greater in 2008 than in 1999. It’s no secret that committing to stopping one’s use of drugs is incredibly difficult, and even frightening, for the individual. It’s simply easier to keep doing what they’re doing by taking drugs, almost as if their addiction is their comfort zone.

Overcoming It

Boredom often can play a part in your inability to commit to your addiction recovery. While you used to spend your time with drugs, you now have free time available that you’re not used to. Additionally, your brain goes through significant changes during the withdrawal and recovery process, and it takes time for it to adjust to your new lifestyle.

Therefore, keeping yourself busy with things you enjoy is crucial to your success. Play a sport, watch your favorite shows, or start a blog – whatever will make your free time productive so that you spend less time focusing on your recovery.

Withdrawal is Painful

Withdrawal is one of the toughest things you’ll go through during recovery. Not only will your body have physical symptoms that can make you feel tired, nauseous, and achy, but your brain will have its fair share of changes, too. It’s common to feel severely irritable, anxious, and depressed throughout the process.

You might feel like you simply can’t get through the withdrawal process on your own, which can make it tempting to resume drug use.

Overcoming It

Again, a support system is the key here. Talk to a therapist and doctor about the best course to take before you begin your detox. They may feel it’s best to get you started on some other medications that can ease withdrawal symptoms and make your recovery process go smoother.

It’s Easy to Fall Into Old Habits

After seeking addiction treatment for drugs, your lifestyle still needs to change. Throughout recovery, you may have felt lonely, helpless, and depressed. It’s common for your social life to suffer as you move past unhealthy friendships. If you don’t work to change your lifestyle after rehab, you can quickly fall into your old habits, especially when it comes to meeting up with your old friends again.

Overcoming It

Moving on from toxic people in your life after recovery doesn’t make you a bad friend; it shows that you care about yourself. As difficult as it may be to leave some people behind, you need to remind yourself that you’re doing it for the greater good. Have a heart-to-heart with your old friends, telling them that you’re starting a new chapter in your life. Those who choose not to support your decision will prove that they weren’t worth your time to start with.

The Role of Technology

Technology can play a vital role in addiction recovery. As David Lee Scher mentions in his article, the use of computer-based programs for addiction prevention and treatment has been described in this research around a decade ago. For instance, InTheRooms is considered the world’s largest online social network for the global recovery community. It is designed for people in recovery that are seeking immediate help from any addiction.

Another interesting tool for addiction recovery is BetterHelp, where the user can have convenient, discreet, and affordable access to professional help. Another tool, similar to BetterHelp, which one can benefit from is TalkSpace.

So, technology should be taken into account by a recovery addict as it can facilitate his/her recovery considerably.