How can I stop drinking or taking drugs?

The best way (though it may be challenging to do) is to distance yourself from the people or situations in which you drink or take drugs. As well, try to find pleasant experiences that can replace the feeling that you get from those things, such as practicing reading, writing, or yoga. It may be challenging at first, but it will begin to feel normal with time.

Quitting is one of the hardest things you can do, taking it one small step at a time is the best thing you can do. Going 'cold turkey' makes you susceptible to relapse, making recovery a lot harder than it should be. Substitute your addictions with beneficial rewards such as that new outfit you've been admiring in the shop window, or a new game you've been dying to play. Quitting doesn't mean depriving yourself, cutting back little by little is the easiest way to free yourself from the burden of addiction.

Alcohol and drugs can be very addictive. Once addiction has set in, there needs professional help. Yes curing yourself can be done on your own but for long term help, professional help is a great step of action. There are a lot of 12 step programs available that help.

From experience, replacing the addiction is good. It's hard at first but that rewarding feeling of your first day without it is the best one can feel. Go for a run, walk, read, cook, spend time with others, pick up any new hobby, sport, live a new healthy, happy life without that vice!

You have to realize the harm and hurt it's causing you first. This is important. And there are thousands of resources available to help you deal with that. Then you have to make up your mind to stop. Then stop those harmful practices. It is important to remember this: the ultimate responsibility lies with you, only you can change you. Befriend people who neither drink nor do drugs, remember birds of the same feather flock together. Hanging out with the wrong crew is what probably got you into this in the first place, so you have to watch your association. If you need further help, do not hesitate to talk to a trained therapist some of whom are available right here on 7 cups. I hope this is of help.

Usually, substance abuse is a sign of underlying issues. There might be a reason why someone chooses to feel good rather than facing the hard truth that comes with sobriety. This isn't always the issue, but when it is...it is a matter of treating the mind first, and the body second. Meditation while abusing, is a great way to try to hone in a problem that might not be so apparent. It's better to wean yourself off drugs, than quit all at once.

Well, I found in my personal experience, that the best way to stop drinking or taking drugs is to understand the reasons as to why you want to quit (is it a problem for yourself or others). If you are asking this question, chances are that you've thought about this already. I would then develop willpower by recognizing that these actions are negatively impacting my character. Take the example of an smoker that's trying to quit. When offered a smoke, a smoker will go through some inner turmoil that creates 2 polar opposite scenarios in their mind. In the negative scenario, the struggling smoker caves to addiction and lights a cigarette but they feel great. In the other scenario, the struggling smoker create a positive scenario where they they don't smoke but they feel like they missed out on something.

Remove yourself from the temptation, if it's a friend circle or peer group. Take time to remove yourself from the situation until you are in control. Fill your time with other activities and talk to a trusted parent/ sibling about it for reasureance. There are many great coping methods and online support groups to help your journey.

Find something else to spend your time doing. You need to keep busy. Go swimming, bowling anything that will distract you from the urges to use. Urges don't last forever, you just need to get through them. Another important step in quitting is changing your social circle. You need to find sober friends, friends who use will only keep you using

You could get professional help, Drug and Alcohol programs, talk to people who have quit. Cold turkey

You could go to a support group. You could talk to people who have had experiences with those kind of stuff and you could try to turn yourself around. Don't buy alcohol or drugs and find a substitute.

Ask yourself what gift you hope to give yourself by drinking or taking drugs. Maybe you're emotionally exhausted and looking for a break. Or maybe life feels heavy to you and you are aching for some fun. Is there another way you can feed your needs for rest or for fun? Or maybe you're hurting about something and just want to forget. Is there some other way you could help yourself care for your pain? I'm confident that when you find out what gift you are trying to give yourself by drinking or taking drugs, you will be able to find 25 other strategies to give yourself that care, in ways that you can feel good about, that also take care of your body and mind.

Set yourself a goal in life. Make it something that you want to reach really badly. If you really want to achieve it from the bottom of your heart, all your distractions, bad habits, and anything that might hinder you from achieving that goal will disappear. Also, do something to substitute drinking and drugs - perhaps joining a support group. Interact with people and talk to people who can help you and more important, people who have been through similar things and/or people that are going through things similar to you right now. Take the initiative to make your life better. Dream a better future and make it happen.

I have been sober for a little over 7 years. What it took for me was reaching the place where the pain of changing were less than the pain of staying the same. It was no secret to me that my addictions were taking an enormous toll, but I had to reach that "jumping off point" where I was willing to go all-in on a different way of life. From that point, I was able to participate in 12-step meetings, get a sponsor, and follow suggestions. None of this was I willing to do previously, but once I through myself into it 100% I was finally able to stay sober and have a much happier life.

Visit your doctor or healthcare professional. Start your big leap by visiting your doctor to help you manage your withdrawals. Quitting cold turkey can be dangerous or even fatal for longtime drinkers, and a doctor can help you detox safely. Visit a support group. A support group can provide encouragement and help monitor your progress so you’re never alone on your journey. Tell your family and friends. Let your loved ones know what’s going on so they can offer support and help hold you accountable. It can also be a relief to not keep your drinking problem a secret. Set a date. Determine the exact date for you to start so it is set in stone. Keep a journal. Record all events when you were tempted, felt the urge to drink or actually drank. Note why you think you felt this way and how you handled the craving. Review your entries often and check how to manage the urges or recall how you got through it. Avoid things and situations that remind you of your drinking habit. Get rid of any alcohol in your house and take a new route home if you usually stop at a favorite bar on the way. Planning daily activities to fill your usual drinking time might also help. Spend more time with friends who don’t drink. Instead of going out with friends who love to drink, fill your time with activities that you enjoy or that can help you better yourself. You can still see those friends, but make it at a time and place that you wouldn’t normally drink.

What helped me from stoping was firstly having a support network that I could fall back on in times where I was struggling to keep my promise to myself. Then 2ndly joining rehab group for overcoming addiction, addiction isnt something you can easily decide to stop one day, it's a difficult chapter that needs to be handled properly and carefully by following steps that will help you over come it and exchange with something healthy and never fall back into. With any addiction it's a lifelong battle that you must be willing to fight everyday for the betterment of one's self. You must love yourself enough to want to do it for yourself the support network and support groups are only tools to help you overcome your addiction.

It's definitely not easy to stop any type of addiction cold turkey. It is doable but the withdrawal symptoms may be really exhausting because your body and mind are going from one extreme to another. Ways you could ease off the substance addictions are: 1) Slowly lessen the amount or quantity of the substance you take while exploring not other alternatives like e-cigarettes, nicotine patches, or even finding healthy food options whenever you feel the urge to drink or smoke. 2) If you get more motivated by company, find a "stop it!" buddy to give you some tough-love reminder every time you turn to the addiction. Or even join groups or find a buddy who is also trying to quit an addiction and journey forward together. 3) If you are the sort of person who loves to be organized and keep habits, use a habit tracker like Habitica or Tusk where you can point and badges for sticking to a good habit every day. 4) Lastly, seek professional help if the above does not work or even use it with the other pointers to complement your therapy. You can do it!

This is a very broad question- but from my own experience, I found that a good way to stop drinking/taking drugs is to be around friends who are also trying to reach the same aim or friends who actively try to help you overcome this issue. Friendship and family are both good supports that will allow you to move forward from an addiction better. Yes, it may be embarrassing for some (it was for me) to admit to having an addiction to these things, but I felt a lot of burden was lifted when I was open with my friends. They also helped me a lot through constant reminders- even praise when i withstood a craving. All the best and I'm proud of you for taking this step to find out how to overcome your addiction.

Make yourself stop for a day. Just decided that for this one day, you will take control. It's only a day, so you can do it. Then journal what your experience was. Then schedule the next time you will take control for a day (or more) and say 'no' to any urge to drink or take anything. And if you don't make it for some reason. (like an external influence). Then be kind to yourself and just do this again at another time. (No judgment) The more you do it the easier it gets. Spoiler alert. Little by little may start to appreciate the magic you do possess naturally, without any external influences. And you may start to notice what the drink or other substance is also doing to you in addition to helping you to relax. Good luck! :) Leri

Getting over an addiction can prove to be very difficult and there is no one way that works for everyone. The most important step in the recovery process is admitting that you have a problem and being willing to do something about that problem. While some manage to recover on their own from home, not everyone can expect this tactic to work for them. Everyone is different and if you do not believe you can go on this journey alone, find yourself a sponsor or counselor. Try speaking with a close family member or friend. And if you feel comfortable doing so, consider looking into local rehab centers. There is absolutely no shame in seeking out the help you need.

There are many different ways and techniques that people will go about to quit drinking and stop the usages of drugs. Each person is different. Not all techniques that work for one individual will work for you. Sometimes, it can be a learning process to figure out what doesn't work to ultimately figure out what does work. A question I have asked myself in the past is: What about drinking makes me want stop? What behavior and thoughts would I like to have surrounding drinking? It can be helpful to reflect and learn about oneself around the 'why' when wanting to stop drinking and stop taking drugs. It can be an easy process for some and a long, tiring, frustrating, and downright exhausting process for others. Each person's motivations to stop drinking or stop taking drugs may be very different AND the end goal may be the same. It can be a challenge to change one's habits around alcohol and drugs. It's important to remember and try one's best to be patient with oneself. For whoever reads this, the fact that you are on 7 Cups of Tea is inspiring in the first place. It is not easy to ask for help or admit to wanting help and guidance.