The relationship between a culture and its drugs is always an interesting one. Drug addiction seems to be an unfortunate by product of human nature as it relates to modern culture. It can be as varied as the stereotyped addict on the street, asking for money with needle marks on his or her arm, but it's often those that slip right through our preconceived notions of what an addict looks like that need just as much help.

Addiction can devastate and sobriety can, well, liberate.

This article will look at some things to keep in mind and actions to take if your goal is sober-free living. Only you can make it happen, so take this for it's worth and do with it what you will.

1. Avoid being around the addictive substance as much as reasonably possible.
For alcoholics, this is a huge issue, as alcohol is - well, unless you live in those strange dry parts of Utah or the Bible Belt, alcohl is simply everywhere. So work with this the best you can. For other drugs, it's easier to avoid their presence simply because they are illegal. This can unfortunately mean that eventually you made lose those friendships that were only present due to a shared use of a drug. This can be hard to deal with.

2. Be upfront with loved ones and ask for their support.
Depending on the circumstances on your addiction, this could be akin to shocking the entire family by "coming out" with your addiction problems, or, on the other end of the scale, if family members are a part of the problem, this could be very threatening to them, and you might not truly get their support. Either way, ask for it. Let those close to you know what's going on, and seek solace and support from those who will offer it. For those won't won't support you - just remember, you're always going to deal with that from someone (especially with alcohol), so get used to it now.

3. Start walking, running, or lifting weights.
In other words, get active! This truly is an important component of taking control of your body again. Those suffering from addiction are used to being controlled by the body's addictions. Exercising is a way to retrain the link between the body and mind, build self-confidence, and give you something to focus on, to build, each day. It doesn't have to be an olympic marathon or anything that you would go crazy for - a simple commitment to walking 30 minutes or an hour a day will help, as would start a weight lifting program or joining a gym. Just do something.

4. Remember all you have is today.
Focus on the present and what you have available to you in each and every moment. This includes the decisions you can make and the enjoyment of what is happening around you. This means letting go of past mistakes and not fretting over future mistakes. It also means if you have a relapse, that tomorrow is a whole new day, and when it rolls around, you are free to make the decision to stay sober, as the day before has no effect on the present moment.


Addiction is a sad component of many peoples lives, be it that someone is suffering from something highly problematic such as meth addiction or something less disruptive but still troublesome, such as marijuana addiction or tobacco addiction. The important thing is to understand only you can change yourself, and take each change, and each day, one moment at a time.