After You Quit: Changes You Must Make by Linda Joy Allan

November 2008 -- You've just quit your addiction. It took a lot of courage to finally do it. Your friends and family have been on your case for a long time to quit.

You've been on your case, too. So does life remain the same as it did before except for that you don't have your addiction? To put it bluntly: no.

Quitting an addiction is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves. Along with that, you must make some changes in your everyday life.

When I quit drinking, I was living with my sister. I'd come home from work, and often find her sitting in the living room drinking wine and chain-smoking cigarettes. Not drinking alcohol was so new to me; I didn't want anything to get in the way of me losing my newfound serenity.

I didn’t confront her. I'd go home, change from my work clothes into jeans and tennis shoes, and walk to a beautiful strip of land above the beach in Santa Barbara, California, where I still live. I’d take a 45-minute walk, and added a spiritual tape to my portable CD player to keep me company.

I loved this new routine. Changing my routine helped me stay alcohol-free.

I used a different technique when I quit smoking. I used to take private singing lessons, and would practice every night after coming home from work and having a cigarette. I’d already reduced my smoking from two packs a day to two cigarettes a day, and now I had decided to quit those last two.

When I quit smoking I came home, fed the cats and then immediately started practicing my singing. After practicing, I "fooled" myself into thinking that I'd already had my cigarette. I did this day after day until eventually I stopped thinking about “fooling myself” and stopped thinking about smoking.

Now that you have quit, what changes must you make? The changes you make must stop you from returning to your addiction. It’s also an exciting time, because you are changing your world! Every change you make is a positive step. Think positively.

Spend the time you used to spend at Happy Hour on a new hobby. Or use that time to visit friends, take classes or volunteer. Volunteering can be a powerful antidote to breaking away from that self-centered focus on your addictions. Addicts think: What do I need? How do I get what I need? Volunteering forces you to think about what others need.

About the author: Linda Joy Allan of Santa Barbara, Calif., is the author of the book, "I Quit! Cigarettes, Candy Bars & Booze," which has been described as a "courageous account, ultimately victorious," of Allan's personal journey to overcome three addictions. Dr. Laura Schlessinger, author of the book "Stop Whining, Start Living," has said Allan's book "will motivate and inspire."

For more information about the book, "I Quit! Cigarettes, Candy Bars & Booze," contact Linda Joy Allan at (805) 705-4784 or by e-mail at LindaJoyAllan@aol.com.