Addiction is a tricky thing for anything to deal with and sometimes it can be tough to tell the difference between enjoying something and becoming dependent on it. Today we thought we would take a few moments of your time to help you better tell the difference. Addiction has a way of popping up out of the blue and unless you are prepared and know what kinds of things to look for, you may be completely taken by surprise. Not only is this going to help those of you who may be affected, but it could also help those of you who may have people in their lives who are affected.
The best thing to do is get help as soon as you notice a problem. This way, it is going to be much easier to make the necessary changes in order to get your life back. At the end of the day, we want you to wake up happy with the life you are leading and know that you are not alone in your battle.
Your Relationships Aren’t What They Used to Be
A lot of the times if you are suffering from an addiction, many aspects of your life can be affected and one of the first things that you may notice is that you just don’t have friends like you used to. Maybe you find yourself cancelling on a regular basis, maybe even going as far as to lie in order to get out of meeting up. A lot of the times you will be cancelling hang outs so that you can spend time alone to focus on your addiction. It doesn’t matter if you are addicted to substances or to a certain activity; all types of addictions have the potential of affecting your life in the exact same ways.
Do your best to push yourself, even if you don’t feel like you want to; to make time for your friends and family. During this tough time in your life, you want to have as many supporting people that care about you in your life that you possibly can. They are going to be the ones to help you take life by the horns and find your way through these hard times, to get to the brighter days that exist for you on the other side. Reaching out to your friends is the most important step you can take in your healing process because they are going to stand by your side no matter what happens and will see things through to the end.
Things Aren’t Going So Well At the Workplace
Another thing that is commonly affected very negatively by addiction is the person’s job. Pay close attention to your work habits. Are you missing a lot of days lately? Do you find yourself not having the motivation to even go in or maybe you are leaving early on a regular basis? These are all things to look out for. A lot of the times your capability may greatly reduce as well and you may be rushing through your work or not caring about it as much as you used to. Maybe you aren’t speaking to customers the way you used to or you find yourself putting things off for long periods of time that you would normally be all over.
While it may seem embarrassing, reach out to your boss if you think you are suffering from an addiction and keep them posted on how things are going. This is going to help you keep your job and help your boss work directly with your doctor or therapist if you’d like to keep everything in your life in check. The last thing you want to do is lose your job because that’s another very tough life change that could greatly affect the success and length of your recovery.
Your Sleep Isn’t the Same These Days
When you are having trouble with addiction, you are typically going to find yourself either having a tough time sleeping or falling asleep. Either that or you may end up feeling tired much of the time. Addiction is very draining on the body and especially when you are going through withdrawals, your sleep isn’t going to be what it used to be. If you need to, speak with your doctor and see if there are medications that may work for you. Tossing and turning and not resting as you should is going to affect every aspect of your life from relationships, to work and even your overall mood. It’s hard to live a fulfilling and successful life when you are barely able to stay awake and you feel drained all of the time.
It’s interesting how something as seemingly simple as sleep can drastically change your life as a whole. If you need to, keep a sleep journal so you can keep track of your progress.
Actions Are Out of Character Consistently
A lot of the times people who are suffering from various addictions are going to do things that they normally do. For example, you may find yourself lying as a way to get the substance you are addicted to or you may begin stealing money as a way to keep up with your addiction. These are things that typically will be noticed right away by those closest to you but they have the potential of spiraling out of control if you do not take charge of your life quickly. Getting in trouble with the law is only going to make your already tough situation that much worse.
Your Relationship with Food Just Isn’t the Same Anymore
Food is another thing that can be negatively affected by your addiction. Not only can you find yourself eating more than you should be but you can also suddenly not feel like eating much at all. This is why so many people who have problems with addictions find themselves tracking what they eat and when. This is the best way to keep your eating habits in check. If you need to, speak to your doctor about foods that may seem more appetizing or ways that you can go about curbing your cravings without gaining a ton of wait. Eating too much is just as hard on your body as eating too little is.
Changes in Personality to Look Out For
Addiction takes a huge toll on your body and this means you are probably not going to be the person you once were. This may appear in the form of you being extremely moody or not very personable. This alone could affect many of the things we listed above such as your friendships and your relationship with your boss. Not only is addiction draining on your brain but also your body as a whole. This means, you are going to be very agitated, especially during the times when you cannot take part in the substance or activity that you are addicted to.
At the end of the day, you should try to do things that keep you calm and relaxed so you are able to function as normal as possible. This can look different for many people but may appear in the form of reading, exercising or even joining some sort of social group. You want to try to work your hardest to do the things you used to enjoy; even if you don’t feel motivated to do them. This is how you are going to get your life back because in time, as your addiction doesn’t have such a large hold on your life, you will find yourself enjoying the things you used to all over again.
You Don’t Enjoy the Things You Used To
Much of the time, addiction is going to completely consume your every waking moment. With that being said, you may find yourself not doing the things you used to once love because you are too busy focusing on your addiction. We cannot express enough how important it is to find ways to get out of the house and find new things that you enjoy. It isn’t going to be easy but addiction grabs hold of your mind and in order to fight and resist that, you must keep yourself busy and on the right track.
The Good News Is: Help Can Be Found Just About Anywhere
The wonderful thing about having addiction these days is they are not frowned upon as they used to be. With so much information out there and so many people admitting to suffering from these problems, there are what seems like an endless number of options for you. You can find many websites where people just like you go to discuss their problems, there are usually meetings locally where those with similar addictions meet up or if you want to speak with someone one on one, you could find a therapist who specializes in your specific addiction. Everyone is different, so you may need to try a few things in order to find the perfect fit.
The above guest is written by health blogger Matt Lewis, who works with NGOs that deal with alcohol addiction issues. Click Here to learn about the Gulf Coast drug rehab program.