Did you know that more than 20 million Americans live with a drug addiction every year? Only 10% of these people receive proper medical treatment for their addiction and this costs the US healthcare system more than $600 billion a year.
Fighting addiction is not easy, especially now during those times when people need to stay in quarantine because of the coronavirus pandemic. A lot of Americans struggle with different types of addiction while staying at home. Although these are difficult times, it’s possible to fight addiction and avoid relapsing. Keep reading to find out how.
Keep in Touch With Your Loved Ones
You can obtain a lot of emotional support from some of your family. Members and friends who know about your addiction. Make sure that you open up about your potential cravings and keep in touch with your loved ones. They can help you stay on your recovery journey and avoid relapsing while at home.
You can stay in contact with your family members and friends by phone or by using different types of apps such as Skype or Zoom. Ideally, you’d want to schedule meetings once or twice a week, just as if you were going to a support group in your city. Having the support of your loved ones can be huge during those tough times when people need to be quarantined to stop the spreading of coronavirus.
Attend Online Meetings With Professionals
Apart from online chats with supportive family members and friends, you can also attend online meetings designed to help fighting addiction in quarantine. For those taking Suboxone for opioid use disorder, Recoverydelivered.com offers 100% virtual meetings, drug testing, and even medication delivery.
You can join a group session from the comfort of your own home and get professional help on how to remain drug-free during the quarantine. Many of these classes are free and they are held through apps such as Skype or Zoom.
Make Sure That You Stay Busy at Home
Those who are recovering from drug abuse have certain triggers or soft spots that might make them relapse. For example, getting angry or being lonely are two important triggers that make addicts fall back to old and unhealthy habits. This is true whether the addict is an alcoholic or abused different types of drugs such as opiates, heroin, prescription drugs, etc.
Another important trigger is boredom. If you don’t have anything to do during the quarantine, vices will start to pull at you.
How to prevent a relapse? Just stay busy. Do something you like and make sure that you always have something to do.
For example, you might want to catch up on your reading and finish your favorite novel. You could also binge-watch your preferred sitcoms or play video games.
Since you are staying home most of the time, you might as well be entertained. Don’t let yourself have too much time to think because that’s when the idea of indulging in your favorite drugs can pop in your head.
Eat Healthy and Get Plenty of Sleep
Another moment when you are an easy target for drug cravings is when you are hungry. Make sure that you eat regularly during your quarantine and do your best to eat healthy foods.
For example, try some yogurt with oatmeal in the morning instead of pizza or other greasy food. Replace your hamburgers with a healthy veggie salad and some chicken breast. You will feel much better after it.
If you eat a cleaner diet on a regular basis, your body will become healthier. As a result, you will not have as many cravings for alcohol or other types of dangerous drugs. Make sure that you also drink plenty of water to remain hydrated during the quarantine.
Another important thing is to get enough sleep. A good night’s sleep or even an afternoon nap can help your body metabolize the stress hormones released when you crave drugs.
Each time you resist the cravings, they become weaker and you become stronger mentally. Getting enough sleep can play an important role in this case, so make sure that you catch up with your “zzz” time during the quarantine.
Do Yoga to Release Stress
Yoga represents one of the best ways to get rid of stress and improve your emotional wellbeing. This ancient type of physical activity has been used for thousands of years to prolong the lifespan, improve health, and achieve more control over life in general. You can start doing yoga during the quarantine in the comfort of your house by watching YouTube videos.
Yoga helps you get rid of stress because it stimulates proper blood flow throughout your body. It will also prove your breathing patterns and this means that more oxygen gets into your body.
When you have more oxygen, you are naturally a more relaxed person and can face drug cravings with ease. Practicing yoga several times a week for about 20-30 minutes is usually sufficient to reap its impressive list of benefits.
Meditate for a Few Minutes Each Day
Just like doing yoga, meditation can also be one of the best ways to eliminate stress and achieve a clearer state of mind. Meditating regularly calms the breathing and makes you feel more in control of your life. It can help you deal with complicated life events easier and it slows down the activity of your adrenal glands.
As you probably already know, the adrenal glands are responsible for producing cortisol which is the main stress hormone. When there’s too much cortisol in your body, it is easier to give up on drug cravings and relapsing. Meditating for about 10 minutes every day will help you stay on the right track.
Start Working Out at Home
Just because gyms are closed it doesn’t mean that you cannot exercise. Since you have so much free time during quarantine, you should create your own workout schedule to help you stay in shape and minimize drug cravings. For example, one or two days a week should be reserved for doing yoga as mentioned earlier.
The other days can be used for simple physical exercises that can be done at home. Most people do basic calisthenics. This means doing exercises that don’t require equipment such as push-ups and squats. As always, YouTube is your friend when it comes to home workouts for beginners.
Working out while staying at home will prevent you from thinking about alcohol or other drugs. The endorphins released when you work out will also reprogram your brain and make you feel less intense cravings every day. Many people have successfully quit smoking or drinking alcohol by working out on a regular basis.
Learn a New Skill or Craft
If you still have plenty of free time during quarantine, there’s so much more you can do to improve yourself and to remain drug-free. For example, you can learn a new skill such as playing an instrument. When was the last time you played the guitar? Now it would be a good time to do it.
You can also use this time to learn new skills related to your job. For example, IT experts learn a new programming language. Designers try new creation software or design programs to improve their skills. Others take additional online courses to obtain a job promotion. There are many things you can do to remain productive during quarantine and prevent drug relapse.
Have a To-Do List and Work From It Every Day
It’s much easier to keep all these pieces of advice in check if you create a to-do list. Such a list helps you stay organized and it also motivates you. Create a to-do list with no more than 10 items every day. Check those items as you complete them and keep track of your progress during the quarantine.
If you don’t know what to add to your to-do list then don’t worry. This list shouldn’t be complicated. For example, you can add things such as “do 10 push-ups” or “read 50 pages”. These tasks are easy to accomplish and give you a confidence boost every time you complete them.
Apart from cresting to-do lists, you might want to also write some of your experiences in a private journal. For example, write about the cravings you experience every day if this is the case of course. Write about your progress on your path to recovery and how you feel. When you write things down, your cravings lose power and your confidence is boosted.
Now You Know More About Fighting Addiction During Quarantine
As you can see, fighting addiction becomes much easier if you have a strategic approach and stay busy during the quarantine. It’s important to involve your loved ones to get as much help as you can get. Stay in contact with your therapist as well to maximize your chances of having a drug-free quarantine.
If you want to learn more about fighting addiction, what medications are useful for recovering addicts, and how to stay sober, make sure that you contact us today. Our specialists can direct you towards the right recovery program to help you ward off addiction and get your life back.
