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GAMEPLAY

Brain Functions

changing your environment

Get your environment ready. Remove reminders of your addiction from your home, car and workplace. Get rid of all the bad stuff that goes along with the habit, as well as other items that remind you of the habit.

• Consider replacing the objects with items that help you feel positive and calm. Fill your refrigerator with wholesome food. Treat yourself to a few good books or DVDs guessing they don't contain content that could act as a trigger. Place candles and other pleasing items around the house.
• You might want to redecorate your bedroom, rearrange the furniture, or just buy a few new throw pillows. Changing your environment will give you the feeling of having a fresh start.

professional Help

Seek personal and professional support. It might not seem like it now, but you're going to need all the support you can get during your journey to overcome addiction. Because so many people battle addictions, there are many wonderful institutions in place that serve as support systems, helping you stay motivated, providing tips for success, and encouraging you to try again if you have a false start.

• Research in-person and online support groups designed to help people with the specific type of addiction you're battling. Many resources are free.
• Make an appointment with a therapist skilled in helping people through addictions. Find someone you're comfortable with so you'll be able to rely on him or her in the months to come. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), behavioral therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Gestalt techniques and life skills training are amongst the techniques that have been proven successful for those seeking to overcome addictions. A therapeutic setting ensures that you will have privacy and that the treatment will be based on your particular needs and goals.

Make A Plan

Set a date to quit. Don't set it for tomorrow, unless you're pretty sure quitting cold turkey will work for you. Don't set it for more than a month from now, because you might lose your resolve by then. Aim for a date in the next couple of weeks. This will give you enough time to get mentally and physically prepared.^[3]

• Consider picking a date that's meaningful to you, to help motivate you. Your birthday, father's day, your daughter's graduation day, etc.
• Mark the day on your calendar and announce it to those close to you. Build it up so that you won't be likely to back down when the day arrives. Make a firm commitment to yourself that you're going to quit on that date.
  

Make A Commitment

Write down your quitting commitment. Having a list of solid reasons to quit will help you stick to your plan in the long run. Your reasons for quitting must be more important to you than continuing your addictive behavior. This mental hurdle is tough, but it's a necessary first step to quitting any addiction. No one can make you quit but yourself. ^[2]Write down the true, solid reasons you're stopping this habit. Only you know what they are. Here are a few examples:

• Decide you're quitting because you want to have energy to live life to the fullest again.
• Decide you're quitting because you're running out of money to support your habit.
• Decide you're quitting because you want to be a better partner to your spouse.
• Decide you're quitting because you're determined to meet your grandchildren one day.
  

Make A List

2

Make a list of positive changes you want in your life. Now that you've detailed all the negative effects of your addiction, think about how much your life will improve once you've kicked the habit. Create a picture of your life post-addiction. How do you want it to look?

• Maybe you'll feel a sense of freedom you haven't had in years.
• You'll have more time to spend on people, hobbies, and other pleasures.
• You'll be able to save money again.
• You know you're doing everything you can to stay healthy. You'll feel immediate physical improvements.
• You'll feel proud and confident again.

Deciding To Quit

1

Write down the harmful effects of your addiction. It might not feel good to acknowledge all the ways in which your addiction is harming you, but seeing the list on paper will help you resolve to stop as soon as possible. Take out a pen and a piece of paper and brainstorm a list that includes all the negative effects you've experienced since your addiction started.

• Think about how your addiction has affected your physical health. Maybe the addiction has already taken a noticeable physical toll.
• List the ways in which it has hurt you mentally. Are you embarrassed about your addiction? In many cases addictions lead to shame and embarrassment, as well as depression, anxiety, and other mental and emotional issues.
• How has your addiction affected your relationships with other people? Does it prevent you from spending time with people you love, or having enough time to pursue relationships you want to pursue?
• Some addictions take a big financial toll. List the amount of money you have to spend feeding your addiction every time a new video game comes out. Determine whether your addiction has affected your job.