My special method to fight addiction and depression

 

In my previous posts and on my YouTube channel, I have described my journey from #alcoholismtosoberism. But a highlight that many of you would have missed is even I had undergone depression. My addiction to substances such as alcohol and drugs ruined my life completely and sent me to the bottom of depression.

Depression is a mental illness frequently co-occurring with substance use. The relationship between the two disorders is bi-directional, meaning that people who misuse substances are more likely to suffer from depression, and vice versa. People who are depressed may drink or use drugs to lift their mood or escape from feelings of guilt or despair.

This occurred vice versa for me. That is, I became depressed after extensive use of alcohol. But substances like alcohol, which is a depressant, can increase fatigue, affecting concentration, inhibitions, decision-making and reaction times. Alcohol misuse may even lead to falling asleep during work or any other activity.

 Thankfully, I have come out of the phase and am a successful author today.  I have helped many fight this menace of addiction and avoid the bars of depression. For this, I have devised a special method known as the G.I.V.E.R method.

 

G.I.V.E.R. Method stands for:

 

G - Gratitude is to be practiced because Gratitude helps people refocus on what they have instead of what they lack.

 

I - Imagination means the ability to imagine things, think about and create. It leads to elaborate theories, dreams and inventions in any profession from the realms of academia to engineering and the arts.

 

V - Visualization needs to be practiced because regular visualization can convince your brain that what you imagine is actually the truth. Visualization can be used to motivate you to focus on, and work toward, your future ideal state.

 

E - Exercise regularly or being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.

 

R - Reading is important because it develops one's minds and gives them excessive knowledge and lessons of life.

These are the basic principles. In summary, shift your mind to something else. Even the word “alcohol” or anything else that is causing your depression shouldn’t be there in your dictionary. Habits you can cultivate include:

 

• ·         Setting and meeting goals, improving self-confidence and succeeding in other areas of life
• ·         Clearing the head and making problems feel more manageable
• ·         A calmer and more relaxed feeling throughout the body, because regular aerobic exercise causes the electricity level in tensed muscles to decrease
• ·         Providing a distraction from depressing thoughts or feelings
• ·         Reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety as effectively as medications
• ·         Reducing cravings and building resistance to triggers, as exercise releases serotonin and dopamine, the same chemicals released into the brain when taking drugs
• ·         Providing a positive structure, through an exercise routine, thereby replacing the harmful habits that consume an addict’s life
• ·         Undoing the damage caused by drugs or alcohol with improved all-round physical fitness
• ·         Providing something positive to focus on and work towards, like fitness goals, aids relapse prevention.

 

There are many more ways I can help you. But I must know your first; I need to know your history, your difficulties at present and how earnest you are in battling it. Join me in a phone call or email and we can conduct a 1:1 session. This can be through a web-conference or even a phone call.

Madaswamy Pillai