The first step to getting help with drug or alcohol addiction is admitting that you have a problem with a substance. You have to be willing to come to terms with having an addiction before anyone, even you, can help you. Denying that a problem exists is one of the top reasons people delay getting help; they just don’t think they actually have a problem, or if they do think they have a problem, they keep telling themselves and the people around them otherwise.
Denial can be extremely dangerous for people struggling with addiction. By continually denying to yourself or others that you have a problem, you don’t allow yourself to get the help that you need to beat your addiction. The people around you most likely want to help you desperately, but denial blocks them from doing so. The longer you stay in denial, the longer it will take for you to get help, and the greater the risk of doing serious damage to your body or mind from long term substance abuse, even death, and the harder it can be to overcome a deeply rooted addiction.
Being in denial also means you’re ignoring the signs of health problems developing from drug or alcohol use, and the longer you use, the greater the impact on your health. Denial also often causes rifts between the addicted person and their family and friends. The person struggling with addiction may get wildly defensive when their loved ones bring up their addiction, and may even be prone to violent outbursts. These make it increasingly likely that family may be less inclined to try and help.
People who struggle with denial also often find that through the course of their addiction and substance use, they’ve developed the frame of mind that they can stop using any time they want, even when there’s a serious addiction problem. They blind themselves to the truth and simply hinder their own recovery by sinking further and further into denial, even when their loved ones see the truth.
For both the addicted and their loved ones, denial can be the final obstacle to them seeking help for their addiction, but it can also be one of the hardest to overcome. For loved ones, they should gently point out worrisome behaviors or actions to their family member, showing them specific actions that suggest they really do have a problem.
Addiction can rob you of your health and your dignity. Our 5-week program at The Springboard Center treats the whole person, creating healing in mind, body, and spirit. Bringing together evidence-based treatments and trusted 12-step principles, our best practices create a quality, accessible treatment program serving the Permian Basin and beyond. Call us today for information on our availability: (432) 620-0255
