Taming addiction

Dr Jekyll *

What is Addiction? Is it derived from an activity you partake in daily? Not necessarily.

It is technically the intense rush of dopamine that will leave you craving it every waking hour of your days. The catch lies in the decreasing amount of dopamine you will receive with each successive indulgence you partake in, which will lead you down a rabbit hole that you dig up with your own hands as you start consuming these substances in excess, and this dig will most likely end in your demise.

Addictions range from the mundane to illegal substances such as sugar (diabetes), salt (high blood pressure), caffeine (anxiety disorders), cigarettes (lung cancer), alcohol (liver damage), and amphetamines (myriad of complications), etc.

Despite my grim description of addiction, it is not an all consuming force, and it can be tackled. Keep in mind that the path to emancipating yourself from any form of addiction is fraught with difficulty, but there are methods you can utilize to free yourself.

Bear with my next imagery, I promise that it will have a happy ending: I see addiction as a deadly and unexpected storm that sneaks up on you. Once you manage to survive this storm, you are greeted with the warmth of golden sunshine that will encase you with the will and energy to pursue your passions. There is the happy ending I promised, hopefully that will keep Mr Hyde at bay.

Jesting aside, onto the heart of the issue – addiction sneaks up on us all, be it through sugar, salt, caffeine, cigarettes, etc. The take-away point is to be mindful and aware of the amount of substances you consume in a given day and to recognize when you frequently start crossing beyond the acceptable threshold for said substances.

It may seem like the storm will hammer you with never-ending torrents of rain, slam you with howling winds, and put on a frightening performance of blinding lights and sound as thunderbolts split the sky. Do not be afraid, for Dr. Jekyll has you covered.

Begin by letting go of things and activities that remind you of your vice/vices and replace said things and activities with healthier alternatives. For example: drinking tea after meal, instead of indulging in your daily ritual of smoking is a good step in the right direction.

It is highly recommended that you literally write down the things, location, or time of day that trigger your cravings and write down instructions (replace with a healthier alternative) on what to do when the yearning arises. Our memories work by taking cues from our sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste, all of which, separately or together, trigger certain memories.

You need to search for the will, within yourself, to break free of your addictions, because nobody else can provide that; it is clichéd but it rings very true. There is no sugar coating this, you have a monumental task ahead of you in your search for motivation within yourself, especially when things are bleak, because you will be denying your body its daily swim in a pool of dopamine whenever faced with a problem.

The next step asks that you go easy on yourself by forgiving yourself when you slip up and indulge in your bad habits (relapse.) Then learn from your mistakes and ensure that it will not be repeated. Relapses will most likely occur several times, but it is part of the recovery process, so hold your head high, keep going, and brave the storm.

While working on avoiding relapses, you must replace your toxic habits with passions you thought you had no time for. Be it painting, playing sports, singing, playing an instrument, etc. It must be something productive that gives you the satisfaction that you spent your day fruitfully when you are lying in bed and reflecting on how your day was.

Supplement the prior points by setting goals, which must consist of long and short term ones, to measure your progress with your passions. This will keep you hooked on dopamine derived from a constructive place that will build up your good habits. This lets you look forward to a new day and serves as a symbol of hope and purpose for what you can achieve through effort and persistence.

You will start thinking about the future in much more positive light from here on out and deal with your problems head-on instead of avoiding them with self-destructive means. Never forget that it is okay to fail, but only under these conditions: you tried your best, recognized your mistakes, and will work on correcting them. Hold your head up and do not be afraid of the dark, for there is a golden sky at the end of the storm.