Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Dealing with the temptation to try drugs
• Method 2 of 4: Don't use drugs again
• Method 3 of 4: Keep your body healthy
• Method 4 of 4: Apply for treatment
• Tips

You probably don't have to look far to find someone whose life has been ruined by drugs. Many people have decided to take drugs at one point and later regretted it, but you don't have to be one of them. And for those who are already addicted, the following applies: you can learn to live without drugs again.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Dealing with the temptation to try drugs

1. Ask yourself goals. Scientific studies suggest that having goals (and people close to you who support those goals) can help reduce the likelihood of you taking drugs. It probably is, because having a goal encourages you to try to figure out what you want to do with your future and what you will do to achieve it. Drug use, on the other hand, is all about what feels "right" at the moment, regardless of how it affects your future.
   • If you'd really like to try drugs, even just once, think about how it could affect your future. What are the chances that you will be able to achieve your goals if you are addicted to an expensive or illegal drug, or if you are in prison with a criminal record for using or perhaps even trafficking illegal drugs?
   • Setting goals for yourself can also be a way to become more confident. If you have confidence in yourself and your ability to achieve what you have planned for yourself, the chances of you wanting to try drugs are much smaller.
   • Setting and achieving goals is also an essential part of drug withdrawal. By setting goals and achieving them, you show that you are able to achieve what you have planned for yourself, even get rid of your drug addiction.
2. Spend time with the people you care about. Having a strong relationship with your family and other people who are important to you is a protective factor against drug use. In other words, if you are close to your family and friends, you are less likely to give in to temptation.
   • If you feel pressured into taking drugs, or are just curious, talk to someone about it. Find someone you know, trust and respect to talk to about your problem. Other people can give you advice and support, both of which are very important if you want to stay off drugs.
3. Talk to someone about what's going on. If you are constantly being pressured or even bullied into trying drugs, talk to someone in authority, such as one of your parents, a teacher, or a mentor. You don't have to live with that pressure on your own. Getting support from others will help you resist the temptation to try drugs.
4. Do something else to feel good. If you are tempted to use drugs because you want to feel good, divert your attention from the drugs by doing other things that make you enjoyable and feel good.
   • For example, take a hobby, spend more time having fun with your friends, play a fun video game, or help others feel better. This way you can give a new meaning to your life.
   • Go for a run, lose yourself in a good book, talk to family and friends, play a fun video game, or actively try to solve your problem or negative thoughts by asking others for advice.
   • Talk to friends about how you feel or do something that gives you distraction, such as going to the movies.
5. Stop before you start. If you are offered drugs, turn them down and walk away. If you are afraid of pressure from your classmates or so-called friends, try to understand that true friends will respect you if you decide to say no to drugs, and not try to get you to do something you don't want . If they do, consider whether it might be time to start looking for new friends.
6. Keep your distance. If you notice that a friend of yours, or anyone in your family, is using drugs, stay away from him or her and do not under any circumstances resume his or her habit. If possible, talk to an adult friend you trust about it; he or she can guide you or provide you with social support. Having a social network for support can be critical for someone who wants to get off drugs and live without them.
   • Be aware that susceptibility to drug addiction often starts at home. Therefore, you should know that if you have a family member who is addicted to drugs, you are extra vulnerable and you probably have to try harder to stay off drugs.
   • If you have friends who are actively using drugs, find new friends. Instead of surrounding yourself with your addicted friends, surround yourself with people who don't use drugs and who, like you, believe that being sober is a better way to live. Teens, in particular, tend to take drugs when their friends do too.
7. Avoid temptation. If there is a particular group of people in the school who are known for their drug use, don't get near them. You can find great friends who are interested in more productive behaviors.
   • If you are at a party and you notice that there are drugs, just leave.There is a good chance that you will be tackled as a result of peer pressure, even if you think you are so sure in advance that you can say no.
   • Be aware that social influence can be very strong and can greatly affect your ability to resist the temptation to use drugs. Even social media can make you more likely to use drugs. If you see a lot of pictures of drug use on social media, seriously consider blocking those sources of influence as well.
8. Think about the temptations you may encounter. If you are tempted to try drugs even when alone, such as to see what would happen if you experimented with your hyperactive brother's Adderall, you can resist that too. Ask yourself, "Why do I really want to try this? What are your reasons for wanting to try drugs?
   • If you think everyone is doing it and you want to connect with your friends, remind yourself not everyone uses drugs. In fact, the majority of young people do not use drugs and drug use among young people has actually decreased on average. There are a lot of fun and healthy ways to connect with your friends, such as exercising together or taking up another hobby.
   • If the reason is that you feel stressed or under pressure, understand that unfortunately drug use is a popular way to combat stress, but it is a very unhealthy one. There are much better ways to deal with stress, such as exercise, yoga and meditation. If you're really feeling stressed, talking to a therapist can also help.
   • Remember that your decision-making ability has not yet fully developed when you are a teenager. Choosing drug use is a decision that can haunt you for the rest of your life. When you are 50, will you be grateful to yourself for the decision to try drugs you once took?
9. Say no assertively. Chances are there will come a time when people will ask you if you don't want drugs. Then answer confidently and without hesitation. If you hesitate, give your friends or classmates the chance to put pressure on you.
   • If someone offers you drugs and asks you why you don't want them, you don't have to give a reason or explanation. Just say you don't use drugs. If you give reasons, leave the door open for further conversations, where the other person can persuade you to try the drugs anyway.
   • You may have to deal with people trying to change your mind by saying things like, "But everyone does it" or "One time really doesn't hurt." Don't be fooled. You can tell the other person that drug use has fallen among young people, so it is clear that not everyone is using drugs, and neither are you. Or you can say, "No, not even once. I don't need that in my life ".
10. Stay engaged. Keep your mind sharp and actively engaged in the world around you. If you stay engaged and busy and active, you will not have time to use drugs. Boredom can lead to drug use, so if you never get bored, you will be less likely to use drugs.
    • Learn a new language. Take up a new hobby. Learn to play a musical instrument. Volunteer. It will enrich your life (and your resume!) And help yourself to stay off drugs.
11. Find out what makes you happy. Depression and a lack of self-confidence can cause you to take drugs. When you are depressed, you need to find someone to turn to who can help you through such a difficult period. In addition, by trying to do the things that make you happy and increase your self-confidence, you also reduce the chance that you will use drugs.
    • List everything that makes you happy. Choose a few things that are easily accessible, such as experiences like cooking a simple meal or going to the movies, and make sure to do those things regularly.

Method 2 of 4: Don't use drugs again

1. Understand why people use drugs. People become addicted because they self-medicate. To get rid of drugs, you must first deal with physical addiction. This can be done by going to a special clinic where they will help you through withdrawal symptoms through a special program, which can sometimes be life-threatening. Next, you need to address the emotional issues that could lead you to return to drugs to suppress the emotional pain you feel.
   • People who use drugs are not "bad" or "immoral".
   • People who use drugs often cannot simply "stay away from it". Drug addiction changes your brain in ways that make it difficult - but not impossible - to quit.
2. Know what might tempt you to use drugs. If you have used drugs before, make sure you know what might cause you to use drugs. This could be your drug stuff, a certain group of friends, a specific place, or even a certain song that you listened to while you were still on drugs.
   • If there are certain things that you know could be a problem for you that could lead you to take drugs, throw them away. Delete that song from your iPod or throw away those papers. If you permanently remove all those things from your life, the chances that you will start using drugs again are much smaller.
   • You may also want to avoid going to places you used to go when you were on drugs. Staying away can be difficult, but it will help you stop your drug use.
3. Join a support group or seek support from your family. Not only do you need support to get off drugs, but also to stay off them. If you have a hard time living without drugs, having a supportive group can help.
   • To find such a group or program, talk to your doctor, your school mentor or someone else who works in health care, search the phone book for social support groups, ask around at your church, at the branch, or at a community center , or talk to local or national groups dedicated to helping people overcome addiction.
4. Try it with so-called "urgency surfing". Urge surfing is an exercise based on mindfulness, or consciously experiencing the here and now. It's about acknowledging your desire and learning to "keep it up" until it goes away. Imagine that you are a surfer and that your desire is a wave that you surf on, until the wave breaks and becomes a weak and small wave that you can easily handle. So-called urgency surfing is more effective than trying to ignore or suppress a desire.
   • Remind yourself that this is probably not the first time you have felt a strong urge to use drugs. Has that urge passed before? The answer is almost certainly yes. Remind yourself that it will pass this time too. The urge exists, but you don't have to respond to it.
   • Pay attention to the thoughts and feelings you experience during the urge to use drugs. For example, you may feel very strongly that you want to use the drug of your choice at that moment. You may feel sweaty or itchy or extremely restless. Accept that those feelings are there. Remind yourself that they are just thoughts; they don't really have any power over you.
   • Concentrate on your breathing as you express your desires. Breathe in and out slowly and evenly. This will help you keep your attention in the present moment instead of just dealing with your desire.
5. Tell yourself you will wait 10 minutes. If you feel a very strong urge to use drugs, delay the use by telling yourself to wait 10 minutes. Ten minutes, that's it. And you can. When those 10 minutes are up, and your desire is still very strong, tell yourself that you will wait another 10 minutes. Keep delaying use until the urge has passed. And it will eventually fade on its own if you take enough time for it.

Method 3 of 4: Keep your body healthy

1. Eat healthy. Your body and your mind are closely related because your mind is made up of the complex workings of your brain, which is a biological organ and part of the body. This means that mental and physical health are strongly interrelated. Because poor mental health is linked to drug use and mental and physical health are related, having and keeping a healthy body is an important part of living a drug-free life. One way to keep your body healthy is to eat healthy foods.
   • Eat whole foods such as lean meats, nuts, fruits and vegetables. You may even develop a passion for cooking that will make you more confident and turn into a hobby that will help you stay off drugs.
2. Exercise. At a certain point when you exercise, it releases endorphins that make you feel good in a way that is much healthier than the way drugs do. Exercise helps reduce stress and can even counteract minor depression; both stress and depression increase the risk of drug use, so it is important to exercise regularly to help you stay off drugs.
3. Get enough sleep. Too little sleep can contribute to poor mental health, because sleep deprivation can cause fatigue and feelings of sadness and fear, each of which can increase the chance that you will use drugs to prevent you from you start to feel worse, get bigger.
4. Relax your body and mind. Apply relaxation techniques to stay mentally and physically healthy. Relaxation techniques reduce the influence of stress on your body by reducing negative feelings and negative physical symptoms such as tense muscles. Stress is a common reason for people to take drugs, so controlling feelings of stress will help you stay off drugs.
   • Try visualization techniques. Visualization consists of creating calm and relaxing mental images. For example, imagine a calm sea and try to involve all your senses in it; think about what the sea would smell like and how the wind and sun would feel against your skin. Immerse yourself completely in the experience.
   • Try a relaxing type of exercise, such as yoga or tai chi.
5. Meditate. Meditation can be a great way to manage stress, focus on your breathing, and become more aware of your body. Meditate to calm down if you feel the urge to use alcohol or drugs. People who meditate are usually more successful in the long run to stay off drugs successfully.
   • Find a comfortable and quiet place and sit there for 10-15 minutes.
   • Concentrate on your breathing by taking deep, regular breaths.
   • Let go of the thoughts that come to your mind without judging them. Then focus on your breathing again.
6. Try progressive muscle relaxation. This technique helps you to feel the difference between tense and relaxed muscles. It means that you slowly tighten each muscle group and then relax again; this will help you feel the difference between tension and relaxation and take your mind off the things that make you stressed or jittery.
   • Start with your toes. Tighten them as firmly as you can for 5 seconds, then relax for 5 seconds. Try to feel good about relaxation. Move upwards along your body in this way by first contracting and then relaxing the muscles of your calves, your thighs, your hips, buttocks, your stomach, your chest, your shoulders, your arms, your neck and your face. .

Method 4 of 4: Apply for treatment

1. Seek professional advice. People who are in the habit of addiction need counseling and treatment. Expert advice can give you the support you need to stay off drugs if you want to get rid of addiction or need help dealing with withdrawal symptoms.
   • Behavioral therapy, of which cognitive behavioral therapy is an example, is a very effective way to help drug addicts control their urges and stop their drug use.
   • Family therapy can also be helpful, especially if your drug use is the result of problems at home or within your family.
   • Controlling difficult situations uses positive encouragement, such as rewards, for not using drugs.
2. Consider admission or treatment to a drug addiction treatment center. Internal and external programs both offer advantages and disadvantages. Internal treatment offers the opportunity for careful monitoring and supervision, you will not have any opportunity to use drugs and the withdrawal process will be somewhat accelerated. However, such treatments can be quite expensive and you will find it difficult to do other activities, such as work or study, next to them. Outpatient treatment is cheaper and has less impact on the patient's life. It is true that external treatment is sometimes less effective because you will still be able to use drugs, because they can still offer them outside the institution. An advantage of external treatment is that you can continue with your life in addition to it and that it can be more beneficial. The best treatment environment for you depends on a wide variety of factors, such as the type of drug you are addicted to, how much of it you have been using and for how long, how old you are and whether you have other medical and / or have psychiatric conditions.
   • To find a drug addiction treatment center, go to: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/
   • People who have serious drug problems or a long history of drug use, are involved in criminal activities, or who are socially dysfunctional as a result of drugs are often admitted to special drug addiction centers.
3. Find a buddy. Many support groups work on the basis of a mentor system and assign new members a buddy. A buddy or sponsor is a recovering ex-addict who will walk you through the steps of the drug addiction program. A good buddy will:
   • help you grow and become more productive in the way you determine.
   • help you become more independent, love yourself more, become more enthusiastic and less sensitive, and freer so that you can take charge of your own way of life.
   • being there for you and offering support when you are struggling to make progress.

Tips

• Talk to the people you trust about the temptations you face. They will understand you and help you not to give in to it.
• If you have a drug problem, talk to a school mentor, or consider joining a group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Addicts Anonymous.
• Never take drugs. Medicines are also a form of drugs so you should never take too much of them.
• Be brave and don't be afraid to say no when people offer you drugs or alcohol.
• Make sure you are well informed. By knowing what risks you run, you are already halfway on your way. Try to keep up with the different types of drugs available and know what effects they can have on your body.