Ways to Stop Drug Abuse Before It Begins
One of the biggest challenges in our modern day society is to learn how to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to our problems. We have been trained from our earliest days to react to problems. Our stomachs get hungry so we cry for food, we lose our job so we look for another. Even situations that should be planned are often reactive. A woman gets pregnant and then she thinks about marriage.
This type of thinking is often the case with drug addiction. More often than not, it is a reactive problem. We find ourselves under stress so instead of coping head on with the challenges that we face, we often turn to drugs as a way to stick our head in the sand and avoid facing realities. The problem with this solution is that if we are faced with a lot of problems we will turn to a lot of drugs for the solution. The result is usually drug addiction.
While society has a lot of programs designed to help many to break free of the habit, a proactive society will concentrate on how to help their people to avoid this type of addiction. Here are a few steps that can help to avoid an addictive habit like drugs altogether, preventing it from becoming a problem to society with an overuse of drugs. (1)
Look for Healthier Ways to Manage Stress
Quite often, it is excess stress that pushes someone towards addiction. The problem with this solution is that it is only temporary. Once the effects of the drug wear off, one is generally faced with even more problems to cope with. The drugs may have harmed one physically and the behavior while under the influence may lead to psychological damage as well. Looking for alternative ways to manage stress can help to avoid the problem of addiction even before it starts. Medication, physical workouts, counseling, or taking up a relaxating hobby can stop it before it becomes an issue. (1)
Build Up Your Self Esteem
By and large, those who are addicted to drugs lack confidence. Many of them have experienced bouts of depression and low self-esteem to begin with. By choosing the kind of careers that build up the inner person, fill their lives with people who will be of encouragement and support, and taking up activities to keep not just the body busy but the mind as well, it may be possible to bypass the road to addiction altogether.
Care About Something
It doesn’t matter what it is. It could be a favorite sport, a hobby, a relationship, or even a diet. The point is that when you find something you care about more than yourself, chances are it’ll be possible to fill one’s life with positive things and it will be much easier to find a spiritual fulfillment. When you feel positive and strong, you feel as though you care about your life and are less likely to put it in jeopardy.
Know the Risk Factors
It is impossible to prevent an event that you don’t know is coming. It’s important to know the risk factors involved in drug addiction. People are drawn into drug use for different reasons; some may be biological as in the case of an alcoholic or it may be environmental as in the case of peer pressure. And it can also be physical as in the case of prescription drugs. It’s essential that you know the risk factors of not just yourself but of those you truly want to protect. Remember, knowledge is power so the more informed one is the better chance they can have to identify the warning signs before they become a major problem.(2)
Dealing with drug abuse is not just a challenge that each person must face as an individual; it is a problem that is threatening the fabric of society so everyone should be concerned about drug addiction and ways to prevent it.
Resources:
http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/08/05/5-steps-to-stop-drug-addiction-before-it-starts/
http://www.treatmentsolutions.com/top-5-ways-to-prevent-substance-abuse/