If you think you have a problem with drug addiction, then the best thing you can do is understand just how much of a problem it is and the best way to get help. It can be a difficult decision to get help, and it’s more about convincing yourself this is the best course of action.

It’s a decision that only you can really make, and it takes a lot of strength to tackle drug addiction. Understanding you have a problem is one of the first things you need to do, and getting to know more about your problem will help you take the best course of action to get treatment.

Logging a diary is a good way to do this, and not only can you uncover just how regularly you are taking drugs, but it will also help you identify the root of the problem too. You’ll find many diaries online these days, while it can also be just as useful to create your own too.

So, what should you include in such a diary?

Information on the drugs

The first thing you need to add to your diary is the type of drugs that you have been taking. Store plenty of information about the drugs in your diary, including type, how you consumed it, how many hits and all that kind of stuff so you get the full picture when reading back. It’s incredibly important that you’re honest at this stage, otherwise when it comes to reviewing the diary, it won’t be accurate.

Within the diary you should include:

• Type of drug
• How it was consumed
• Amount you took

You’ll then be able to see how much across a day, week, month or year you have taken, helping create a bigger picture and a firmer understanding of the problem.

Your reasoning for drug taking

You should also log the context around your drug taking as this can be instrumental in understanding why you have a problem in the first place. From noting down additional information around the context, you’ll be able to identify key trends, such as times of day, what you were feeling prior to taking drugs, and whether there are any negative influences on your life that is leading to the consumption of drugs.

Note down the following:

• Time of day you took drugs
• Who you took drugs with
• Where you took drugs
• Key events that day

This will add colour and context to the actual information on the drugs and looking back over a diary you’ll be able to see the key things that happened across the day which led to that specific instance of drug taking.

Note your mood

Noting down how you were feeling before you took drugs can also be useful, as it will establish further trends in your mental health and when you feel like the need to take them. This can be incredibly important during the likes of the rehab process and recovery, as it’s important to try and a. Stop you from feeling that way, and b. Finding alternative solutions.

Study the results

You should regularly look back over your diary and connect the dots with your drug taking. What’s more, if you decide that rehabilitation is required, take your diary with you and professionals will be able to analyse the trends and create treatment programmes that suit what you need to get your life back on track.