Humans are resilient. When faced with hardship, many people buckle down and get through. Others find new and interesting ways to address the problem. A select few give up. People naturally seek happiness and joy. Even when we are in difficult situations, we find ways to alleviate the situation. It is instinctive. After a divorce, how many people immediately enter another relationship? When in active addiction, how many people make jokes about their illness? Humor lightens the load. It relieves pressure. When in dire straits, we see what we want and we go for it. When living with addiction, we see the buzz, the joy of it, and we do what we need to do to get it. Even to the point of putting ourselves in danger. It doesn’t matter than the happiness found in the high is temporary. We know it’s there so we fight for it.
Changing The Cycle
In active addiction, we establish systems to get our fix. On payday, we go to our dealer before going to the grocery store or paying our rent. Our addiction is our god and it is a jealous God, demanding the pick of the harvest.
When we decide to get healthy and move into a more productive life, we have to rearrange our priorities. Sobriety often means delaying gratification. When in active addiction, withdrawal and habit demand immediate attention. Choosing to wait, to put off the reward, we build a kind of savings account that pays dividends. It is not easy. We want to feel good now. Not later. Escaping discomfort is a pillar of our illness.
When faced with intense craving, one way to get through it is to set an egg timer. Tell yourself that you are going to wait ten minutes before you make any decision. Set the timer and then find something to do. It’s proven that distraction changes the perception of time. Time spent reading a good book seems to pass far more quickly than time spent staring at a clock. Most cravings last only about 10 minutes. Most likely, if you can get over the hump at the beginning of the craving, then you’ll find that the craving has eased.
Sobriety requires a certain measure of hope. It requires creativity and determination and desire. You are tough. You have decided to get healthy, use the creative skills you developed to maintain your illness to combat it now. Flip the script. At Fort Worth Recovery, we can help you find that core toughness. Call us at 817 382 2894, or contact us online today.
