Addicts do not intend to become addicted. Many feel they are the exception to the rules of addiction, and, though their lives may seem chaotic to the average observer, the addict has accustomed himself/herself to accepting life in turmoil as normal.
Life in denial
Addicts continue addictive behaviors even when it appears to others that the roof is falling in and help is imperative. An addict’s brain has been reconfigured by the drug of choice. A person addicted to drugs or alcohol has no problem deceiving himself that reality is what he thinks it should be, rather than the present reality. It is especially difficult for family or friends to address this denial when the addictive behaviors have obviously caused harm to them through neglect, lost job opportunities and financial failure. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that out of the 23 million Americans thought to suffer from addictions, around 10 percent seek help. Many times the larger percentage choose to remain addicted because of denial.
Money worries
An addiction is very costly. Approximately 40 percent of the people addicted in the United States cannot avail themselves of treatment because of the price. There are ways to gain treatment. Some of the ways are a payment plan, nonprofit organizations, a rehab scholarship or publicly funded rehabilitation.
Hoping the addiction will go away on its own
This is a common form of denial, but with a twist. The disappointment of getting worse, not better, can result in serious despair.
Not ready to give up the high
Obviously, the reason people use drugs or alcohol is to feel better. Sometimes a mental health component is behind addiction. This makes the pull of the substance very strong. Despite harmful consequences, addicts hang on to what works for them, the comfort of their addiction.
Loss of control
Many persons do not wish to feel manipulated into rehabilitation through family or friends. These are the people that insist everything is under control when confronted. Addiction treatment is far down on the to-do list for those wishing to control their own destiny.
Fear of withdrawal symptoms
Past attempts at withdrawal or cutting back have left many addicted people with a healthy fear of withdrawal. Attempts at unsupervised alcohol withdrawal can lead to seizures and even death. A person may feel they simply cannot handle withdrawal, and prefer to stay with the harm they know, rather than perceived harm they don’t know. Many do not know that medically supervised withdrawal is safe and readily available.
Some feel the addiction is hopeless
Mental illness, with its terrors and motivational deficits, often shadows addiction. When a person goes to the trouble to get clean and sober, problems sometimes persist, and a return to drugs or alcohol becomes inevitable. After a number of failures, some feel true sobriety is not going to work for them.
No one cares anymore
Burning bridges through backlash is a common habit of addicted people. After a while, there may be no one around to care whether they become sober or not. It has been proven that those with support and love do better at conquering addiction.
Wishing for death
Loss of hope through years of despair and addiction causes some to want to end their lives. The addictive process is used to enable this wish. To a person in the final stages of alcohol or drug addiction, death becomes a friend to end the pain.
Don’t let addiction rob you of friends, family, employment, housing – and finally, your life.
Please call Premier Health Group for help today. You will be so very glad you did.