The key to beating a drug addiction is to uncover and remove the emotional pain and the inner turmoil that is causing you distress. The following 5 steps will help you do this. Prior to following these steps, or any addiction recovery program, take the necessary time to ascertain whether you require the additional support of an addiction counselor or medical attention regarding withdrawal.


Steps

1. Unearth the Square Root. Family dysfunction is the common denominator, or square root of all addictive behavior, and until it is brought to the forefront and confronted nothing will change.
   1. Uncover your family dysfunction. Some examples are:
      • Physical abuse
      • Sexual abuse
      • Verbal abuse
      • Alcoholic parent
      • Controlling parent
      • Inadequate parenting
   2. Confront the parent or parents responsible for the dysfunction. The thought of confronting the person that is responsible for your emotional trauma is one the most frightening situations you will face. However, it is also the most liberating and empowering thing you'll ever do! Confronting the person does not at all mean that you should verbally attack them for your misfortunes. On the contrary, you are not doing this for them; you are doing it for you. The confrontation is not meant to be an attack, but it is rather a chance for you to set the record straight and drop the emotional baggage that you've been toting around.
2. Remove your Emotional Baggage. To fully free yourself from their emotional stronghold, it will be necessary to find forgiveness in your heart for a family member that has committed an atrocity against you. Forgive! Forgiveness is not reconciliation. There is a drastic difference between the two. Reconciliation would mean that you have accepted and submit to their behavior and have agreed to try and continue the relationship under those circumstances. Forgiveness means that you merely give up or cease the resentment of the offender.
3. Cure Wounditis. Without question, partaking in habitual behavior not only causes you pain but, it inflicts pain on the people around you as well. However, do not allow what you have done in the past or what others have done to you, to cause you to live in fear of what the future holds. The past is the past, it is over, and living in it does not serve anyone well. Live in the present moment, be kind to yourself, and learn to love yourself. How can you love someone else if you don't love yourself? The answer is you can't. It isn't a big secret that you're feeling shame and guilt for what you've done. Remeber, people do not have defects of character, are not full of shortcomings, and are certainly not powerless! On the contrary, we are all the same, we are all connected, and we all have the same power to change.
4. Awaken the Power Within. Whether you want to admit it or not, all of the pain you have been through concerning your habitual behavior is a spiritual lesson. And until you view it as such, it will continue to cause you suffering and unhappiness. Every dark cloud does have a silver lining, and if you look hard enough you'll find one in this habitual situation too. However, to find that silver lining you must ask the right questions:
   • What can you learn from your addiction?
   • How can you grow from it?
5. Practice Acts of Random Kindness. Happiness is a state of mind. Individuals that are suffering from addictive behavior are not happy. Ironically, in an attempt to find happiness, they chose a vehicle to mask their emotional pain through the use of alcohol, illicit drugs, and various other compulsions. However, happiness is never found on the outside in material possessions or in the abuse of substances and compulsions! True life happiness can only be found in one place, and that place is within! Happiness is not found in the practice of outward ideals or in other people. To the contrary, it is actually the small acts of random kindness that opens the heart and fuels the principle of unconditional love!

Warnings

• Prior to following these steps or any addiction recovery program, take the necessary time to ascertain whether you require the additional support of an addiction counselor or medical attention regarding withdrawal. In the event that you are already following the advice of a physician or counselor this infomation is in no way intended as a substitute.