Before you can dig into the deeper reasons why the addiction started (like old hurts, trauma, feeling unsafe with people, or other hidden struggles), your brain needs some calm and clear space.

Right now, using too much keeps those real reasons foggy and hard to see. It’s like trying to clean your room during an earthquake – nothing stays fixed.

So, the first big job is to slow down or stop the harmful stuff just enough so you can:

• Stay safe and handle any emergencies or health problems
• Start feeling steady again (maybe with medicine that helps cravings)
• Get support from people who really understand
• Learn how to spot and stop slips before they turn into falls

When the storm quiets down, the real healing work becomes possible. You don’t have to be perfect – just give yourself enough breathing room to see what’s really going on underneath.

This step isn’t the whole journey – it’s the door that lets you walk into the rest of it. You’ve got this, one calmer day at a time.