Although many of you might want your smoking problems to end in the span of few weeks (no cravings included), the fact of the matter is that addiction treatment never works that way. Although you can change your perspective on smoking and control your urges to use cigarettes, you will still have to smash down walls of tolerance and dependence that developed over the course of months, years, or, in many cases, half of your life. You will be shocked by how many parts of your life are connected to smoking. On that note, here’s why you need to place great value on your first year without cigarettes.
Makes This One of Many “Firsts”
Addiction recovery is all about victories and losses, but being first at everything in this rat race should always be your ultimate goal. While you might not be suffering for an entire year, you need to take note of your activities, thoughts, and behavior during this span of 12 months. For example, you might go through the “first walk down the street” without a cigarette or go on your “first vacation” that does not, at some point, involve smoking. This first year is one of many “firsts.”
Fight Those Seasonal Cravings
As you might have expected, or have already experienced, quitting smoking involves facing triggers that are activated at certain times of the year. These seasonal cravings, so to speak, can catch you off guard during holiday parties, summer sporting events, or simple rainy days. For example, you might have completed eight successful months of rehabilitation, but, as soon as Thanksgiving rolls around the corner, you suddenly feel that tug towards your little sticks of death.
Keep on Trucking, Kids
No matter what you experience during this critical time, you need to keep hiking up that hill. Eventually, you will reach the peak, as cliched as that sounds. Soon, your brain will be fine-tuned to alert you about the onset of cravings and the presence of triggers, meaning you will be able to fight even harder than before.
Seeking Treatment for Cigarette Use
Remember that addiction can be triggered by one shot of alcohol or a single puff of a cigarette, but the true danger of this sickness is that you cannot fully determine how much you have to consume before your mind forms an attachment. Social smoking is just as dangerous as chronic smoking, on many levels, but you do not have to smoke to have a good time. Remember, drugs cannot determine if you have fun and do not have control over your life.
If you are suffering from a severe case of drug abuse or addiction, or have a friend or loved one who is coping with this illness, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our professional team of counselors and healthcare experts will help you endure the painful process of alcohol withdrawal and detox and guide you along the rocky road of rehabilitation. Soon enough, you will experience a faster and much more efficient recovery.
If you want to find out more about our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs or enroll in one of these programs today, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your leisure and your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how you can overcome your mental illness and take an extra step toward becoming a healthier person.
