What Does It Take To Get Sober, Sobriety Requires Willingness

Far too many people out there mistake addictions for being little more than bad habits. The truth is that addiction is, in every way, a disease. It alters the way that your brain works, leading to issues with the way that you process and retain information as well as in how you control your moods. Unfortunately, these changes are not something that can simply be uprooted through the use of medication or with a positive attitude. One of the hallmarks of addiction is continuing to engage in an activity even when you are well aware of the risks that it poses. That's why, in order to have any realistic chance at overcoming your alcohol dependency, you must first express a willingness to let it go.

Some may begin the journey to sobriety solely due to the desires of others. Those who use this as their motivation may experience some short-term success, yet rarely stick things out over the long haul because they are not truly committed to ending their addiction. That's why so many addiction specialists say that the key to quitting requires honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness. Sadly, many are forced to hit the veritable "rock bottom" before acquiring that motivation.

Cultivating Your Desire to Quit

Yet you don't have to experience great personal loss and suffering to get the willingness to quit drinking. Even if you have just a small grain of desire to stop, that can be cultivated into a full-blown commitment by adhering to the following tips:

• Don't be ambivalent: You can't go into the recovery process simply hoping to quit. Commit to yourself that you're going to overcome your addiction. This forces you to be accountable to yourself rather than to others.
• Manage your expectations: Don't expect the process to be simple. Prepare yourself for the struggles that are sure to come, and develop strategies on how to get through the hard times. At the same time, don't make your goals so meager as to justify a relapse as a reward.
• Don't buy into the nostalgia: Given the challenges that you're sure to encounter, it's easy to think of the good old days when you were drinking. This can once again make drinking appear to be an escape from your struggles. Rather than looking back, look forward to the happiness and health you'll enjoy as your addiction abates.

While overcoming addiction depends largely on you own personal level of commitment, you also must realize that it's a process that's difficult to endure alone. Entering a rehab for alcoholics can help surround you with recovery minded support teams. Luckily for you, there is plenty of intervention help in NJ for you to take advantage of. Aside from your family, friends and other members of your personal support network, counselors and alcohol intervention services are also available to help give you the resources needed to help you stay steady in following the pathway to sobriety.

Allison is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Palm Desert serving the Coachella Valley. http://www.changeseeker.org/MeettheTherapist.en.html and http://www.changeseeker.org/TherapyServicesProvided.en.html