Though there are no quick and easy fixes to stop being addicted, there are important steps that can be taken, such as a combination of mental health care, medical services, and support from friends, family, and mentors. Here are five important steps to stopping addiction:
 
Make the Decision to Stop
Make the clear mental decision to stop. It’s important to admit to yourself that your addiction is negatively impacting your life and causing problems to your overall well-being and to those around you. Understanding and accepting that your addiction is causing problems in your life and with those around you can have a huge impact.

Remove Yourself From Negative or Harmful Environments
Make sure to completely remove yourself from harmful, negative, or triggering environments. Remove reminders of your addictions and remove yourself from people who aren’t supportive of your recovery.

Seek Professional Medical Care
Seeking medical care for addiction is essential for a safe and healthy withdrawal. On the path to recovery, your physician can also conduct screenings to test for any medical problems that could have possibly developed due to excessive alcohol or substance use.

Seek Professional Mental Health Care
During recovery, seeking mental health care is another crucial step. Psychotherapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy have proven to be incredibly beneficial for those who are battling addictions. This type of therapy addresses both the behavior of substance abuse as well as any underlying traumas and triggers.

Surround Yourself With People Who Care
Surrounding yourself with people who care about you and who will support you throughout your journey can make long-term recovery possible. Surround yourself with loved ones, medical professionals, sponsors, community groups, and friends.

For most people, accepting they have an addiction is one of the hardest steps. Signs that you or someone you love is displaying addictive behaviors include:

– Inability to stop using a certain substance
– Inability to stop thinking about substances
– Continuing use even when it’s leading to negative consequences
– Changing personal behaviors, characteristics, and habits
– Slowly increasing the number of substances used
– Experiencing withdrawal symptoms
– Full dependence on illegal or harmful substances

Young adults around the ages of 18 to 25 currently have the highest rate of addiction. Critical years from about 12 to 17 can lead to addiction peaking around this time. This addiction can be caused by many factors, including childhood trauma, genetics, peer pressure, mental health issues, and low self-esteem.

People who struggle with stress, a stressful lifestyle, or a stress-related disorder are more vulnerable to developing an addiction. Stress and anxiety can cause a change in your brain that impacts the way your body produces serotonin, dopamine, and melatonin. Similar to substance abuse, this makes it difficult for your body to feel rested and well. Because substance abuse and chronic stress cause this similar change in the brain, it is thought that stress and anxiety can lead to developing an addiction.
 
If you or a loved one is suffering from an addiction, please reach out to Psychiatry Unplugged. Our specialists would love to answer any of your questions and schedule you for a consultation as soon as possible. Addiction is a lifelong battle that requires professional support and care. Our highly effective outpatient treatment programs are science-based and geared toward the prevention of relapse. The doctors at Psychiatry Unplugged look forward to hearing from you soon and helping you through this time! Call us for more information or book an online appointment. We are conveniently located at 121 W Lexington Dr #414, Suite A Glendale, CA 91203. We serve patients from Glendale CA, Hollywood CA, Burbank CA, Studio City CA, Pasadena CA, and Calabasas CA.