One of the hardest things people with addictions struggle with is keeping their minds off drugs. The longer a person has used drugs or alcohol to cope with life, use it as a coping mechanism, the harder it is to stop using. Why? Because they are somehow programmed to automatically think about alcohol or drugs to feel better.

Let me ask you a question:

If I told you to try your hardest not to think about a pink elephant with a purple tail, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? You see, our mind is made to focus on what stands out and grabs our attention. As soon as I mentioned the Elephant, you would have imagined it in your mind, and the idea of ​​this strange Elephant will remain in your mind for some time. So it is with an addiction. What you focus on is what you will get. Have you ever watched TV and then an ad for some food or drink comes on, and then you like it and want it? The more you think about it, the more you want it. It is no different with an addiction. The more you keep that in mind, the more you will want it.

A successful outpatient addiction program will work because it focuses on helping people get what they want, not what they don’t want. Most people are still thinking about what they don’t want when they stop their drug of choice. They tell themselves that they have to say no, that they have to be strong and stop craving. But what ends up happening is that they want it more and more until they fall or worse relapse.

One of the things that should be the goal of an outpatient addiction program is to help people learn new ways to focus on what they want in their life. So, as people get their lives back together, they begin to want their family back, get a job or a promotion, learn stress and anger management techniques, be able to deal with emotional distress, learn good communication skills , have a great support network and most of all, understand that whatever you focus on is what you get, whether positive or negative.

Here are some very important principles that anyone who wants to break control of an addiction can follow to maximize their success:

• use the principle of the two “Ds”: delay and distract: If you have cravings, tell yourself that you will not consume for 10 minutes (delay), then find something to do that you know will help you take your mind off your cravings ( distract) .
• Call someone who knows you and has already offered to help you in these circumstances.
• Get out of the house and go for a walk (but don’t get in trouble by getting into a risky situation)
• Listen to music or play music
• Read your goals and plans for the future, or write them down if you don’t have them yet
• Experience mindfulness, allowing yourself to feel
• Do relaxation techniques.
• To meditate
• Do something fun, watch comedy, laugh

Simply put, the way to maximize your success in stopping an addiction for good is to start living your life the way you want and have wanted, without avoiding drug use or alcohol use. It is also vital that you choose an outpatient addiction program that suits your needs.