timcia

Wikihow wrote: “Build a support network for yourself. Overcoming your addiction will be easier if you have lots of support. Surround yourself with friends and loved ones who will be there for you.”

Consider praying: “Father, help me to turn from intoxication, and fill me with Your love.”
There are two reasons to increase in love. First, the Bible says to do that. Second, when we increase in love the support network (that we need) will be stronger for us.

Wikihow added: “Additionally, join a support group to help you get through the tough times and celebrate your successes. To give yourself the best chances, start seeing a therapist or counselor who can help you create a treatment plan and work through the issues that led to your addiction.
Choose a support group that shares your core beliefs. Some programs are based around religion, so you might prefer a group that speaks to your beliefs.”

Even in my tiny town, one can see a Christian counselor at a reasonable price. If that is not available see if you can find a pastor or a priest.

Second, realize who can help you. Many of us have a family member or friend who could give us all kinds of advice about quitting habits. Even if you can’t tell them what you are quitting, just tell them you keep slipping into bad habits. Who knows, they may, or may not have advice, but they may be willing to do “activities” with you. We need alternative activities.

If you always slip up when you get bored tell your support network that. Then they will better know how to support you.

Third, be highly intentional in setting up time to spend with family and friends. If you are lonely pray every day about “trying” to be intentional in spending time with people. My brother is single and he “always” tries to make friends with a bunch of people. He is grumpy and opinionated, but sooner or later, he makes friends. Keep trying!

Last, pick a new activity and try it every day this week for 10 minutes. Keep trying things until you find activities that you enjoy doing. Note: always make your new activity a Spiritual experience. You are not doing that activity for a 5-star thrilling experience. You are doing it to try to implement activities that are pleasing to God. To find activities that will distract you. To form habits of “clean” activities.
So pray a prayer before you start. Say “Praise the Lord” after you wreck a pop song while trying to learn how to play the guitar. Act like David from the Bible when you try new things. He would probably do a little dance for God before he would start a new woodworking hobby.

Finally, realize that doing the new activity is the win. Finding something you really love at some point is better, but one way or the other… celibrate the win. You did an alternative activity. You are starting to do things God’s way.

We need to know exactly what we are working on to conquer drinking/drugs, today, this week, and this month. To start, it is vital to form a habit of spending a block of time at quitting sites “every” day. Consider setting a time and setting an alarm.
Second, work on the #1 thing you need to change for the month as often as possible. You can copy and paste any of my articles into a Word file or Google doc so that you have a huge # of tips to fight against the #1 thing that causes you to fall.
Third, think about the 10 issues that cause you to fall or get down. Things like anger, depression, bad emotions, people problems, or hopelessness. Take extra notes when you read articles that are about things that often affect you.
Fourth, solve today’s problems if possible. Today I am not content with anything. So, I have already prayed a dozen times: “Father, help me to be content.” I will probably pray it another dozen times. To solve today’s problems try putting your issue in the search. So for today, I could put “content, or contentment” in the search at this site. That technique often works, but if it doesn’t you can put your issue in a Google search. They certainly have a lot of advice for many problems. One can also put “content, Christian.” Then Google will bring up articles on both subjects so that you will get more information that is Bible oriented.
Every day, at the same time, consider working on changes you need to make for today and for this month. It will give you the skills you need to succeed.

One key to getting back up after a slip-up is to attack a base problem that helped lead to the slip-up.
We can’t allow things like frustration, regret, self-pity, or 100 things like that to sink us. When we do a Google search “Verses frustration” we now have something we can print out or write down to study and pray over so that God can help us think and act in a new way.
People hurt people verbally and in other ways. We all experience it. But when it upsets us we have two options. First, we can dig into scripture, pray about what it says, and learn and grow. Or, we can let it fester until it drags us down in darkness.
Today, start to make it a habit to attack basic problems and issues that start to drag you down. Consider praying:
“Father, teach me how to handle _________.” Insert what sinks you into the blank. Or:
“Father, give me wisdom to learn how to overcome ________.”
To find joy we need to overcome day in and day out. In order to do that we need to realize that millions of people have overcome the frustration, or ________ that we struggle with.
Today, improve your expertise in learning how to allow scripture to help you to overcome.
Last, improve your expertise in attacking “before” you are dragged totally into the mud. The earlier in the process that you start to fight back, the more often you will avoid a future fall.

Daily Bible study is a vital habit because it allows God to talk to you, and start to live through you when you submit to Him. Today I read James one. Here is an example of how much we can learn from daily Bible study.

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

The Contemporary English version says: “12 God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves him.”

God will bless us when we keep fighting and don’t give up.

15 “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

A good reminder of what happens if we keep sinning.

CEV 20 “If you are angry, you cannot do any of the good things God wants done.”

Anger often leads to an inability to fight temptation. Consider praying often:

“Father, take away this spirit of anger so that I can more effectively fight off sin.”

NIV 21 “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

Fight sin, read the Bible, and accept the Word.

22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

Consider memorizing V 22. I also liked the CEV: 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

25 “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

Consider memorizing V 25. The perfect law gives us freedom. When we continue in it, and when we do it, we are blessed. What a great verse.

Make daily Bible study a habit. It is a key to quitting.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by timcia.

A great long-term goal is to have 7 new habits that will help you stop, and seven new habits that will help you start new things that will give you things to do that will help you quit.
Either have a 2nd notebook for these long-term habits or a separate section for these long-term habits.
Establishing a permanent long-term habit takes about 66 days on average. This site recommends a ton of habits as well as ways to establish habits. Consider filling up a notebook with all the information you can find that will help you make permanent habits out of the 14 habits that you pick.
This site will give you 100 habits to try. But for long-term habits pick important things like turning from lust, or praising the Lord. Pick things that will help you stay free in the long term.
Become obsessed with these long-term habits. The more permanent habits that you acquire, the easier it will be to quit for good. A great long-term goal is to have 7 new habits that will help you stop, and seven new habits that will help you start new things that will give you things to do that will help you quit.
Either have a 2nd notebook for these long-term habits or a separate section for these long-term habits.
Establishing a permanent long-term habit takes about 66 days on average. This site recommends a ton of habits as well as ways to establish habits. Consider filling up a notebook with all the information you can find that will help you make permanent habits out of the 14 habits that you pick.
This site will give you 100 habits to try. But for long-term habits pick important things like turning from lust, or praising the Lord. Pick things that will help you stay free in the long term.
Become obsessed with these long-term habits. The more permanent habits that you acquire, the easier it will be to quit for good.