Staying sober is sometimes very challenging and there are times when you want to just give up. But this a normal desire, that little voice in your head that says you can just do a little bit once in a while-What is the point of living life if you can’t enjoy yourself anyway?
Why do the urges come so strong and is there a way to make them less intense-the answer is yes. We know that addiction is a disease caused primarily by an abnormal genetic makeup which makes the addict suffer from a blunted pleasure response system and, to a lesser extent, by environmental factors. Sometimes these environmental factors can include traumatic events that occurred during childhood or at other times – causing suppression of feelings in people that suffer from addiction. Getting in touch with these feelings that have been repressed from childhood or at other times is critical to counteracting the internal anguish that arises from those thoughts that trigger inappropriate emotional reactions. Psychological techniques like those used in rehabs are an effective way of achieving this. Becoming more emotionally well-rounded takes practice and it does not happen overnight, so be patient with yourself as you learn to reprogram your thinking and pay attention to how you react in certain situations that might be dealt with in a different and more progressive way. That little nagging voice in your head that says go ahead won’t be so loud and the quiet noise of a peace of mind will be all that you hear.
Managing emotions modifies unacceptable behaviour
It is important to become connected and associated with your feelings in order to act normal in any given situation. It is your responsibility to change and not blame others around you or waste your time judging others because of the situation that your life is in. More often than not, friends and family will tell you things that you need to change that aren’t acceptable, and these suggestions are taken as criticisms and the person who is addicted overacts to advice, and rejects it, further aggravating the problem in his or her relationships. If the suggestions come from more than one person in your life, you can be sure that the behavior is not in sync with your emotional well-being, and should be changed. This takes some work and you have to really want it and consciously make a decision to become a different and better person. That first step towards making the commitment of being able to accept correction from others is paramount to achieving lasting success on your journey to sobriety. As your behavior becomes less reactionary and more amiable, people will notice and comment on the changes that they see in you. This is the best way to gauge your progress and the more normal you feel and more accepted you become, translates into ultimately feeling happier inside, thereby lessening those intense cravings.
