There are many ways to prevent addiction before it creeps in. Prevention is important because it is one of the ways to keep against harm. Addiction causes various types of harm imaginable and it is best to prevent it before it starts.
Addiction is no respecter of persons as it has the means to affect anyone around the globe.
Below are some tips instrumental to preventing addiction
- Educate everyone: The primary element in prevention is education. And it has proved to be largely effective in various aspects of life. When you educate people to warn them about something, the chances are slim that they would not obey.
While educating people, it is vital to remind them about the dangers involved and how it affects their loved ones.
- Teach people healthy coping skills: People who are addicted or have mental health problems lack healthy coping skills, and it is not their fault. When you teach people healthy coping skills, they find it easier to cope with stressors, cravings, triggers and pressure that might lead to addiction.
Some healthy coping skills are: Reading, meditation, writing, drawing, eating healthily etc.
- Avoid peer pressure and temptation: Avoid people who encourage you to indulge in abusive acts, and cling towards those who practice healthy living. The people you hang out with determine if you will be addicted or not. Peer pressure is one of the biggest reasons for some people’s addiction; they got influenced and they are neck-deep in their addiction today.
- Seek help for mental health problem: If you have a mental health problem, one of the best ways to help yourself, is to seek help. Often times, people who have mental health problems indulge in addictive acts as a form of self-help. This should be discouraged, and visits to the rehab for mental health treatment should be advocated for.
All the points mentioned in this piece are quintessential to preventing addiction. If you know anyone who is addicted, it is best to advise them to seek treatment before it becomes too late.
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