Addiction: how is it beaten and what comes after?

Addiction. It's a simple word that brings to it thoughts of junkies and addicts wasting their lives away hooked on a substance. It's a harsh, sad way to live, and yet we all know someone who's addicted to something in their lives. I'm not just talking about drugs or substances, but a much broader sense where one get's hooked on something in their environment. Nowadays, addiction has shifted from drugs to more commonly seen substances, such as the internet and social media. And thought now it's more something known about, this form of addiction is still on the rise.

To understand an addiction, we firstly need to understand the relationships between the individuals and the substance. What are the rewards? What reciprocal value does the individual gain from this behavior? By understanding this behavior, we get a further
understanding of both the individual and the substance's behavior towards it. At times, this could be all that's needed; a simple understanding of such a relationship and how one can intervene to stop it. This is as simple as decreasing the amount taking or avoiding situations and environments that promote such behavior.

Still, how does one break an addiction? The aim of any addiction cycle however revolves around a change in the individual and changing their social climate, moving away for social situations that promote the use of that addiction. This means also filling the now 'drug-free' time with other hobbies and activities, not to mention that such a change also brings forth an deeper understanding of yourself, allowing for more introspective analysis.

There is however one small problem. Let's consider an individual who was addicted to cocaine and they went though rehab, did all the treatments and as such and are now happily clean. With this idea, lets challenge the old saying 'one and addict, always an addict'. So then, what do clean individuals in this situation, get addicted to? The aim is to remain focused on the task at hand, not necessarily keeping yourself distracted. It's important to not be too hard on yourself throughout this journey; relapses do happen and it's important to keep a cool head in such situations.


There are quite a few success stories of people among us who once they beat their addictions, turning their free time and new social surroundings into new, more elaborate tasks which promotes this new behavior. While some focused on their careers (such as Bruno Mars back when we was busted on cocaine, which he considered to be a life changing moment), others turn to religion, some their businesses and others simply move onto another substance to compensate. For others however, change isn't easy or it's refused, hence they don't bug out.

What lies after it? It's different form person to person. Some focus on family, others their carriers and some just go at life very hard. It's a choice we all have the power to make; we're all addicted to something and some of us have it in them to just plainly stop. Whatever it is you're hooked on, you always have a choice to stop. Who knows, the grass might be greener on the other side. Worth a shot?


References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao8L-0nSYzg
https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/06/05/12-ways-to-beat-addiction/
http://toofab.com/2016/11/21/bruno-mars-cocaine-arrest-life-changer/