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Why would someone, knowing the consequences of losing everything, family, friends, wife, kids and their own life, continue to use drugs and alcohol?
Denial plays a significant role in addiction by serving as a psychological defense mechanism that helps individuals avoid confronting the reality of their substance abuse. It manifests in various forms, such as minimizing the severity of addiction, rationalizing behavior or shifting blame onto external factors.
Denial hinders individuals from recognizing the need for change and seeking help, ultimately delaying recovery. By understanding the underlying causes of denial, such as fear of humiliation and self-deceit, individuals can develop strategies to overcome it. It’s hard to watch a loved one suffer from addiction, especially when they deny there’s a problem or refuse to get help.
Often, a well-intentioned friend or family member trying to force the situation can end up making it worse. There is no perfect intervention, fantastic recovery center or all-knowing counselor.
After three decades working in the field of addiction and clinical mental health, the one confident thing that I have learned is that until the addict or alcoholic is ready to change, no intervention, perfect counselor, ideal treatment center, or any other means will have any effect.
The decision to change must come first, and it must come from the addict or alcoholic.
Interestingly, addiction is not seen as a choice, although it is manifested through a personal choice at some time in their life to use drugs or alcohol. This choice continues until the addict or alcoholic no longer has the choice of using or not using; they must use. Thus, entering the addiction stage, also referred to as the disease concept. Today more commonly referred to as a disorder.
Although the only solution to recovery from addiction starts with a decision by the addict or alcoholic, this is the beginning. Deciding personal powerlessness enables the addict or alcoholic to begin accepting reality.
Studies observed that this omission frees people up to adapt different recovery activities more consistently. Personal awareness helps move individuals past denial and seek the help needed to start the recovery process.
In addition to helping individuals understand the complexity of addiction and the importance of seeking treatment, personal powerlessness, hand-in-hand with acceptance, is part of the beginning steps in popular types of recovery support groups, including 12-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous.
Recognizing what you can change, and what you can’t. The addict or alcoholic has to have the problem to get into the solution.
To contact Alcoholics Anonymous in Cherokee, you can call 866-504-6974.
Dr. Herb Clark of Murphy is an expert in the field of addiction with 33 years of experience. He served on the N.C. Professional Practice board, adjunct professor for two universities and was a U.S. Marine serving 25 years, through two wars and three conflicts traveling the world, seeing the effects of addiction firsthand worldwide. Send questions or comments to him at hypno321@hotmail.com.