Tips for Addicts: A Lasting New Years Resolution

It’s that time of year again. Once the end of December rolls around every year people start to put their lives into perspective and they try to figure out how they can improve in the new year. A new years resolution is more of psychological thing for people because the turning of the calendar represents a fresh start and a fresh timeline. It allows people in the future to look back and say—I haven’t done (fill in the blank) since the end of last year. It also gives people strength when fighting their cravings because they haven’t ‘given in’ since the start of the new year. For those who are fighting substance abuse and addiction, the new year is an excellent time to set goals for yourself to and to change the addictive ways in your life. It’s important for addicts to remember that a lifestyle change doesn’t happen overnight and using your support system and professional help is highly suggested. The treatment team at Seabrook can help anyone struggling with addiction to come up with a new years resolution and plan that will translate into real change.

First and foremost, it’s important to remember that change happens in stages. You don’t just decide one day to stop and that’s that—especially when you’re addicted to substances. To effectively move your plan into action, you have to be mentally prepared to commit yourself to the stages of the process and figure out how you’re going to accomplish your plan step by step. It’s also important to understand that relapse is common. Don’t just give up after the first slip because you’ll never change with that kind of attitude. Instead, use relapse as a learning experience and start fresh again with your plan. But if relapsing becomes a problem and you can’t control yourself, there’s no shame in getting help. Recovering from addiction on your own is very rare, so going into a detoxification, rehabilitation, or therapy program is highly suggested—especially given the health risks of quitting a substance cold turkey.

Finally, it’s important to reward yourself and keep your eye on the prize. Attach some kind of reward for each week or month that you’re sober or substance free like going to the movies or out to a nice dinner. A reward system can help inspire you to stay relapse free and stick to your plan for recovery. If you need help with your plan, then Seabrook is here to help. Boston, Massachusetts (MA) residents can find comfort in the fact that Seabrook is an internationally recognized private and exclusive inpatient drug rehab and alcoholism detoxification treatment center who has achieved an elite CARF accreditation status. Seabrook’s professional treatment team has years of experience in the addiction field and they will have no problem helping you or a loved one come up with a new years resolution that’s both effective and obtainable. Our facilities are located in New Jersey (NJ), Pennsylvania (PA), and New York (NY), so those living in the east coast have a close commute to highly acclaimed care. Contact Seabrook today with any questions about addiction recovery.