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Substance Abuse Doesn't Have to Ruin Your Life
...if you don't want it to.
What is substance abuse (and the subsequent
progression to dependence/addiction)?
Substance Abuse-Some
say it is an avoidance of consciousness. Most
use the words substance abuse interchangeably
with addiction. Technically, substance abuse
has the implied meaning that if someone is
abusing a substance such as alcohol or drugs
then they are addicted, or chemically dependent.
Actually, it is possible to abuse a substance
but not be dependent or addicted. HOWEVER, if
one consistently abuses drugs or alcohol then
there is a very good chance that they will
become
addicted or dependent. This is because of
the nature of the disease. It does progress over
time and become worse; in essence the illness of
addiction is a progressive one.
The avoidance of consciousness is
clearly evident in problems of
substance abuse
and addiction.
The avoidance of pain, both mental and physical
can become a driving force when an individual
uses and abuses psychoactive (affecting the
mind) substances. In today's world, we aren't
speaking simply of drugs like marijuana, heroin,
or crack (even alcohol). Prescription drug use
is on the rise and IMO, the MOST dangerous. When
we start mixing pills with other pills and other
drugs we can inadvertently ingest a dangerous
cocktail that could ultimately kill us.
When we
become addicted to alcohol or drugs, the implicit intention is
invariably to ameliorate anxiety and pain--to
escape awareness of one's core feelings of
powerlessness and suffering. What we become
addicted to are substances that
can relax us and ease our pain.
Anxiety and pain are
not extinguished, they are merely rendered less
conscious. Since they inevitably resurface with
still greater intensity, larger and larger doses
of the substance (more beer, more liquor, more cocaine,
more pot, more Xanax, more
Oxycontin) are needed to keep consciousness at bay.
This is the nature of
substance abuse and
ultimately addiction. It is a terrible deadly cycle that can only be
stopped by abstinence and a good, solid,
recovery plan.
Substance Abuse-Denial
To the victims of
drug abuse
denial is a strong factor. Denial,
in essence, is the refusal to admit or "see" the
truth. I once was teaching clients on substance
abuse and came across a cool acronym for denial
to drive this point home: D-E-N-I-A-L (Don't
Even Know I Am Lying). When an individual is abusing a drug or
is
chemically dependent, they
will go through progressive
stages of denial. At first, when they start
using, they may have one or two life problems
but refuse to believe that the substance abuse
is the cause of the problems. As they progress
from use to abuse to dependence (addiction),
their denial grows as the illness does. Denial
is an enormous problem for addicts as it will
stop them from getting the help that they need.
The addict in denial will truly convince
themselves that though they have lost their job
(or jobs), been thrown in jail, and possibly
become homeless, they do not have a problem with
drugs or alcohol. Even scarier, they typically
ultimately lose any loved ones they had and
still don't believe they have a problem despite
friends, families, and others telling them they
do.
Substance Abuse,
Anxiety, and
Mood Disorders
Co-Occur
It has been stated that 30-60% of
bipolar
patients
also suffer from
substance abuse.
(About.com) Reasoning is
that they/we tend to try to end our suffering and
misery by medicating ourselves from the
terrible states of mind that result from
depression and
mania. Can any of you
relate to that? Substance abuse is an extremely dangerous problem that destroys lives-lives of
the addict, lives of the family and loved ones of
the addict, and lives of people who happen to be
victims of crimes perpetrated by the addict. There
is absolutely nothing positive about substance
abuse and addiction..
Bottom
line if your life is a wreck due to
substance abuse I urge you to get help quick!
Find a
12-step
program to suit your addiction. I also HIGHLY
recommend Celebrate Recovery, a highly effective
Christ-Centered program originated from Pastor
Rick Warren's Saddleback church and created by
Pastor John Baker. The support and education and
power of the only Higher Power, Jesus Christ is
miraculous and life changing! Also, please, enlist
the help of a counselor. If you are at a
point that you feel you need to be hospitalized,
find a hospital to go to and do yourself and your loved
ones a favor. GET HELP! Otherwise the matter will
just get worse.
Support
is the greatest way to muddle your way through the
problem of addiction and drug abuse.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous
Celebrate Recovery Official Page
Celebrate Recovery Local Meeting Locator
Recovery Resources Online-
Soberrecovery.com
12step.com
MyAddiction.com
NIDA-National Institution of Drug Abuse
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