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Self-Efficacy – A Powerful Tool That Guards Us From Addiction
Self-efficacy can be defined as “confidence in one’s ability to achieve specific goals and cope with challenging situations” (Taylor & Brown, 1988). Linking this to drug abuse treatment we can say that self-efficacy is an important factor in achieving abstinence and avoiding relapse.
Self-efficacy plays a vital role in addiction treatment, both in preventing it and helping with recovery. It can affect all aspects of life where people are trying to change their behavior, stop smoking, alcohol or drugs, lose weight, etc.
What is Self-Efficacy?
As discussed above, self-efficacy is the ability to achieve specific goals and everyday challenges. When it comes to addiction, then the goal could be abstinence or avoiding relapse. Researchers have studied its impact by adding coping skills training in treatment programs.
Abstinence outcome studies have shown that people who experiment with drug abuse are less self-efficacious about their ability to resist drugs when they are offered them. They also have less self-efficacy about their ability to resist other temptations such as alcohol, cigarettes, sex, etc. People who are not addicted and never experimented with drugs don’t have a significant difference in their level of confidence when it comes to resisting various temptations.
How Does it Work?
Self-efficacy enhances the ability to make decisions, set goals, and complete tasks that are critical in recovery. People who are more confident in their abilities tend to persevere when facing obstacles they are less likely to give up when they are dealing with problems. Basically, they know what needs to be done and they go for it even when things get hard.
Studies have shown that people who are more confident and sure of themselves tend to avoid high-risk situations and therefore don’t try drugs or other addictive substances.
The study result showed that students who were more self-efficacious about their ability to resist peer pressure were less likely to try illegal drugs than those who had lower expectations of resisting such pressures.
Self-efficacy plays an important role in the initial stages of rehab, but it is also vital throughout treatment and even aftercare. People who are more confident in their ability to resist drugs will be less likely to relapse, even when they face high-risk situations. Those who don’t have this confidence may choose not to attend support groups or
The Role of Self-Efficacy in Substance Abuse
Substance use disorder is a serious and widespread problem that affects all parts of society. Addiction to alcohol and drugs often begins as early as teenage years, and it can be both difficult and dangerous for someone who tries to quit on their own.
A study conducted at Columbia University found that students were more likely to experiment with marijuana during periods when they felt overwhelmed by academic demands and less likely to abuse it during periods when they felt more capable of completing schoolwork.
One reason why self-efficacy plays such a vital role in addiction treatment is that it can affect all aspects of life where people are trying to change their behavior, tobacco use, alcohol consumption or drugs, lose weight, etc. People who have low expectations of themselves will often give up when things become difficult or challenging, which would not only lead them towards further substance use disorders but also develop depression and anxiety.
How to Increase Your Own Self-Efficacy
You can increase self-efficacy by first recognizing your current capabilities and then setting goals that are well within your reach. Don’t hesitate to ask for the help of others if you feel that you might need it.
It is important to set short-term as well as long-term goals, as this will give you a sense of accomplishment and progress. Achieving goals will boost your self-esteem and convey the message that if you put enough effort and time into something, there’s no telling how far you can go.
When treating addiction, it is also important to find support from others with similar problems who have managed to quit successfully. Listening to their stories of hardship as well as success can inspire you to persevere in your own life.
Strategies For Overcoming Addiction
Higher self-efficacy can also play a role in overcoming addiction, as people who have failed before will often be less likely to try again. This is where support groups come in since they provide a safe and judgment-free environment like residential treatment rehab where you can share your experience with people going through similar problems.
Building a sense of confidence and trust in yourself may help you stick to the sober life after rehab, but support groups will help to give you the tools and knowledge you need to avoid falling back into addiction.
Self-efficacy also plays a role in overcoming avoidance, as people who are more confident that they can achieve their goals are less likely to let them slip away. They realize that positive changes don’t happen overnight or without effort, but they also know that small steps in the right direction eventually add up to big changes.
Helps You Deal With Negative Emotions
If your confidence in yourself is low, you might also avoid confronting challenges because you don’t believe in your own abilities to get past them. This may turn into a vicious cycle where you avoid taking risks and end up feeling even less confident about succeeding in the future damaging your mental health significantly.
On the other hand, positive experiences can help people stay motivated during difficult times. If you have had some success in the past, it is more likely that you will be able to persevere now. When you are faced with problems or challenges, ask yourself “What have I done before to overcome similar adversity?”
Relapse Prevention
People who are more confident in their ability to resist peer pressure are less likely to start abusing drugs.
According to the National Institute of Health, relapse prevention therapy has helped people addicted to opiates like heroin and painkillers by teaching them about their triggers and how to cope with cravings in a healthier way.
Improves Mental & Physical Well-Being
People who lack self-efficacy often feel sad or depressed when they encounter problems. This can lead to further mental health disorders. They may even feel as if it is pointless to try and change their behavior or learn new skills, as they don’t see the point in making an effort since they believe failure is inevitable.
This can lead to a vicious cycle where low self-efficacy makes people more likely to suffer from depression since their negative thoughts will often cause them to feel that they will face negative outcomes in life only and feel even worse about themselves and their situation. By believing that you lack the skills and abilities needed to achieve what you want, it is impossible to ever accomplish your goals.
The opposite of this would be feeling confident in yourself, as people who have high self-efficacy are able to see obstacles as challenges instead of insurmountable problems. They are also able to work past their mistakes or failures, as they believe that by learning from them you can become better at what you do.
Emmaus Medical & Recovery provides quality care to those who are struggling with their mental health and addiction. If someone you love is struggling with drug abuse, contact us today.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]