How to keep saying no to drugs
Isha* first said yes to drugs at her school cultural. Today she works as a content creator at a startup and battles a growing dependence on recreational drugs.
Isha says that her struggle has always been peer pressure. She can never say no to her friends and off late she feels that if she says no, they will exclude her from their social gatherings. FOMO drives her addiction as an adult while her inability to say no drove her addiction as a teenager.
Is your “Yes” costing you your life?
Would you ask yourself if you have been dabbling in drugs out of a need to please your friends? Have you been desperate to fit in? Is there a reason why you have been saying yes to very harmful things that could potentially ruin your life and future? It’s essential to say yes to certain responsibilities and opportunities but the yes to drugs can cost you everything you have worked so hard to achieve.
“No” is a powerful word
Believe it or not but the first word every toddler learns is “NO”. It’s probably because that’s what they hear their parents say almost all the time to keep out of harm’s way. Saying no is absolutely essential when your life is at stake. Saying no to drugs once you have been addicted to them is the hardest thing. There’s no denying that! It is a necessary word though. Will you lose a few friends when you say no? Yes, you might. They were probably not the best of friends if they decided to walk away. Will you not get invited to social gatherings where drugs are being circulated? In all probability, yes! (You’re probably already losing motivation to say no right?). You must learn to say no for your own sake and no one else. You cannot live for others because it’s only you who faces the aftermath of your choices, not them. So make the right choice.
No turning back
Once you have decided to say no, stick to your decision. Don’t oscillate between options. You will feel like going back on your word amd going back to your old ways. Remember then what the morning after looked like and the chaos that followed. There is a reason that our cars are fitted with a huge front glass and a small rear-view mirror. We were never meant to keep our eyes fixed on what’s behind us but to look ahead with anticipation.
Identify triggers
Find out which people, places and situations triggered your addiction the most and avoid those. It’s okay to have healthy boundaries to safeguard yourself and those you love so that you don’t slip back into addiction. If a trigger cannot be avoided, find a healthy way to cope with it to avoid using drugs as the coping mechanism.
Have accountability partners
Your ability to stay clean will only last if you surround yourself with the right people. People who will gently but firmly keep you focused on your recovery and rehabilitation. Those who will not flinch from telling you the truth without passing judgement on you. Find those people and don’t let them go.
If you have been troubling saying no to drugs or you know of someone who has been having a struggle in this area, reach out to us. We could assist you in staying committed to de-addiction and recovery so that you live your life to its fullest potential.
