Many times the spouse of an addict will walk around on eggshells because they never know what will set off their spouse. They begin to worry about children and money issues, especially if the addict is using household money to fund their addiction.
Arguments are common between husband and wife when one of the spouses is an addict simply because the security of the family is at risk. If a person suspects that their spouse is addicted to drugs or alcohol and is using family funds, it's best for the spouse to open up his or her own bank account. It doesn't matter if you've never had separate bank accounts in the past. What matters is you need to be proactive and make sure that your family is taken care of because your spouse is either unwilling or unable to take care of the family financially.
Many spouses feel that part of their marriage vow means that they need to take care of their addicted spouse. That's not the case. It is important for the person in the relationship who is not addicted to drugs and alcohol to take care of themselves, too. It is very easy to get wrapped up in the destructive behavior of an alcoholic or drug abuser. But this can do serious emotional damage to the person who is not addicted.
For this reason it’s important that the person in the relationship who is not addicted spend some time outside of the house and the relationship. Living day in and day out with an addict can feel very isolating. Pretty soon it can become difficult for the spouse who's not addicted to have trouble relating to other people because of embarrassment, self-deprecation and depression.
Maintaining your own interests and seeing your friends on a regular basis will help keep balance in your life and give you a break from the struggle of dealing with an addicted spouse. It is also helpful to be around other people who understand boundaries, because in an addictive situation boundaries are often broken.
It can sometimes be hard to know when it is time to remove yourself from the relationship. If the addiction gets so bad that the relationship progresses to violence, it is best to remove yourself from that situation to keep you and your family safe.
Sometimes that can be a wake-up call for the addict. But don't count on that. There may be a temptation to play games to force the addict into treatment, but the only way an addict will go into treatment is when they are ready. The only thing games will accomplish is hurting yourself and hurting the relationship.
Attending formal programs like Al-Anon or seeking the advice of clergy can help give support to a spouse of an alcoholic or drug abuser. Don't let your fear or embarrassment get in the way of seeking help. Even though it might feel that way, you are not alone and there are many support groups available to give you education and advice on how to cope with a spouse who is an addict.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
How Do You Cope With An Addict?
Living with a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol is not a walk in the park. In fact, not only can the alcohol or drugs consume the addict’s every waking thought, it can also consume every waking thought of the person living with the addict.
Living with an addict is more than just simply staying out of the addict's way. Strong emotions are involved. For instance, the wife of an alcoholic might spend her afternoon watching the clock, waiting for the car to pull in the driveway, and wondering if her husband is going to be drunk. A child might hide out in their room, pretending to play with their toys but keeping their attention focused on the noises in the other room just in case a parent is drunk. A parent might walk the floor at all hours worrying about their child drinking and driving.
That kind of worry and constant obsession with wondering what is going to happen when an alcoholic or a drug user walks through the door is no way to live. Many people can't live with the stress of dealing with a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. Arguments and depression are commonplace in families living with an addict. Many marriages break up for just this reason. Children will run away from home rather than live in a house that is in such chaos just to escape the fear and anxiety of living with an addict.
Unless you've lived through the experience, it's hard to understand the constant worry and the reasons why people stay or they go. No one person can make that decision for you.
Coping with addiction means you not only have to keep yourself physically safe, it also means you need to protect your emotions. Alcoholics and drug users feed off of the emotions of people around them. They use them to their advantage. You might not think that the person you love is calculating or manipulative, but this is what addiction does to people. It can change loving and caring individuals into liars where everything they say is suspect.
I once heard a recovering alcoholic who had been sober for four years say that he now has children. He went on to explain that when he was drinking he was not a parent as soon as the alcohol touched his lips. All images of his two sons went out of his mind. He forgot about his job, his wife and his responsibilities. He never meant to desert them emotionally, but that is exactly what he did. His addiction took over the moment he took his first drink.
This is a hard concept for a person who loves the addict to understand. Many times a spouse or child will feel like they are the ones that should have done something to stop the one they love from drinking or taking drugs. They should have been strong enough to do it or they should have loved them enough to make it work. They can't believe that their father or mother or son or daughter or grandparent or uncle or aunt would ever do anything to hurt them.
Living with an addict is more than just simply staying out of the addict's way. Strong emotions are involved. For instance, the wife of an alcoholic might spend her afternoon watching the clock, waiting for the car to pull in the driveway, and wondering if her husband is going to be drunk. A child might hide out in their room, pretending to play with their toys but keeping their attention focused on the noises in the other room just in case a parent is drunk. A parent might walk the floor at all hours worrying about their child drinking and driving.
That kind of worry and constant obsession with wondering what is going to happen when an alcoholic or a drug user walks through the door is no way to live. Many people can't live with the stress of dealing with a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. Arguments and depression are commonplace in families living with an addict. Many marriages break up for just this reason. Children will run away from home rather than live in a house that is in such chaos just to escape the fear and anxiety of living with an addict.
Unless you've lived through the experience, it's hard to understand the constant worry and the reasons why people stay or they go. No one person can make that decision for you.
Coping with addiction means you not only have to keep yourself physically safe, it also means you need to protect your emotions. Alcoholics and drug users feed off of the emotions of people around them. They use them to their advantage. You might not think that the person you love is calculating or manipulative, but this is what addiction does to people. It can change loving and caring individuals into liars where everything they say is suspect.
I once heard a recovering alcoholic who had been sober for four years say that he now has children. He went on to explain that when he was drinking he was not a parent as soon as the alcohol touched his lips. All images of his two sons went out of his mind. He forgot about his job, his wife and his responsibilities. He never meant to desert them emotionally, but that is exactly what he did. His addiction took over the moment he took his first drink.
This is a hard concept for a person who loves the addict to understand. Many times a spouse or child will feel like they are the ones that should have done something to stop the one they love from drinking or taking drugs. They should have been strong enough to do it or they should have loved them enough to make it work. They can't believe that their father or mother or son or daughter or grandparent or uncle or aunt would ever do anything to hurt them.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Four types of intervention
There are four types of intervention - Simple Intervention, Crisis Intervention, Classical Intervention and Family System Intervention.
Simple Intervention
This is the most common first intervention, although it can amazingly be ignored by many family members and friends as being effective. If someone in your life is drinking or abusing drugs, simply ask them to stop. Sometimes that is enough to make the addict stop their behavior or seek help.
Unfortunately, because of so much fear surrounding addiction, this simple step is overlooked and not done because the people around the addict feel it won’t make a difference. It may not. But it’s always worth a try. And if done in the beginning stages of addiction, it can have a better affect on the addict than later on when their addiction becomes too advanced.
Crisis Intervention
When a person is in immediate danger of hurting themselves, either through drinking and driving, using a weapon or displaying violent behavior, Crisis Intervention is called for. You will often see this type of intervention in a hospital after the addict has had a car accident, or has been in a fight that was violent or one where a weapon was used.
The goal of this type of intervention is to defuse the situation and keep not only the addict safe but those around him or her safe. Because the situation is so volatile and the behavior is so out of control, it also creates an opportunity to “open the eyes” of the addict and urge them to seek help. While some people might feel that trying to intervene during the middle of a crisis is cold or harsh, it does represent a great opportunity to reach the addict whose behavior is out of control.
Classical Intervention
The Classical Intervention, which is also called The Johnson's Approach, is the most common form of family intervention and has been successfully used as an intervention method for over thirty years.
The goal in classical intervention is to get the addict to treatment as soon as possible. If you are able to leave the intervention and go straight to treatment, you've succeeded. Letting any time lapse gives the addict time to think about why they shouldn't go into treatment.
Planning for the intervention should happen the day before and all people who will be attending the actual intervention should be present during the planning stage. It's important for the family and friends who will participate to know how the intervention will work, how the counselor will help the participants and the addict facilitate the intervention, and for the participants to voice any concerns they have.
With classical intervention, a meeting will also be scheduled the day after the intervention to help educate the family in ways to adjust while the addict is in treatment and for when the addict comes out of treatment. Many substance-abuse treatment facilities already have classical intervention programs in place and can help in setting up an intervention as well as educating the family. It is important that everyone understands that life after addiction will change for everyone, not just the recovering addict.
Family System Intervention
In many ways a Family System Intervention is like the classical intervention in that education for all parties is key. Family system intervention focuses on the family, not just the addict. Many times the way the people around an addict interact with him or her affects the addict's ability to make changes for the better. While family members may not mean to contribute to an addict's destructive behavior, fear and guilt sometimes make it so.
For instance, giving the addict money for food when you know the addict will only go out and spend it on drugs or alcohol is enabling the addict. It can sometimes be hard for a family member or friends to see their loved one struggling with their addiction. But it is necessary for all the people involved with the addict to know how their individual behavior influences the addict.
For this reason, the actual intervention with the addict is only one small part of family system intervention. This type of intervention is really an intervention for the entire family. Because this involves more than just the addict, sometimes the addict is invited to be a part of the entire process right from the beginning.
Whether or not the addict decides to go into treatment, the family's participation in this type of intervention is ongoing. It does not stop just because the addict decides not to go into treatment. The focus of family education regarding guilt, shame, enabling and behaviors that help provoke the addict are addressed and a recovery plan is then put in place. This helps give the family the tools they need to cope with ongoing addiction if the addict chooses not to get help.
Every family situation is different. The size of families or the amount of support that one can hope to get for the addict is different. But even a small group of family members and friends can be a strong influence to help the addict seek treatment. The important thing is to make the effort to intervene and educate yourself in how you can help the addict stop their behavior. The rest is up to the addict.
Simple Intervention
This is the most common first intervention, although it can amazingly be ignored by many family members and friends as being effective. If someone in your life is drinking or abusing drugs, simply ask them to stop. Sometimes that is enough to make the addict stop their behavior or seek help.
Unfortunately, because of so much fear surrounding addiction, this simple step is overlooked and not done because the people around the addict feel it won’t make a difference. It may not. But it’s always worth a try. And if done in the beginning stages of addiction, it can have a better affect on the addict than later on when their addiction becomes too advanced.
Crisis Intervention
When a person is in immediate danger of hurting themselves, either through drinking and driving, using a weapon or displaying violent behavior, Crisis Intervention is called for. You will often see this type of intervention in a hospital after the addict has had a car accident, or has been in a fight that was violent or one where a weapon was used.
The goal of this type of intervention is to defuse the situation and keep not only the addict safe but those around him or her safe. Because the situation is so volatile and the behavior is so out of control, it also creates an opportunity to “open the eyes” of the addict and urge them to seek help. While some people might feel that trying to intervene during the middle of a crisis is cold or harsh, it does represent a great opportunity to reach the addict whose behavior is out of control.
Classical Intervention
The Classical Intervention, which is also called The Johnson's Approach, is the most common form of family intervention and has been successfully used as an intervention method for over thirty years.
The goal in classical intervention is to get the addict to treatment as soon as possible. If you are able to leave the intervention and go straight to treatment, you've succeeded. Letting any time lapse gives the addict time to think about why they shouldn't go into treatment.
Planning for the intervention should happen the day before and all people who will be attending the actual intervention should be present during the planning stage. It's important for the family and friends who will participate to know how the intervention will work, how the counselor will help the participants and the addict facilitate the intervention, and for the participants to voice any concerns they have.
With classical intervention, a meeting will also be scheduled the day after the intervention to help educate the family in ways to adjust while the addict is in treatment and for when the addict comes out of treatment. Many substance-abuse treatment facilities already have classical intervention programs in place and can help in setting up an intervention as well as educating the family. It is important that everyone understands that life after addiction will change for everyone, not just the recovering addict.
Family System Intervention
In many ways a Family System Intervention is like the classical intervention in that education for all parties is key. Family system intervention focuses on the family, not just the addict. Many times the way the people around an addict interact with him or her affects the addict's ability to make changes for the better. While family members may not mean to contribute to an addict's destructive behavior, fear and guilt sometimes make it so.
For instance, giving the addict money for food when you know the addict will only go out and spend it on drugs or alcohol is enabling the addict. It can sometimes be hard for a family member or friends to see their loved one struggling with their addiction. But it is necessary for all the people involved with the addict to know how their individual behavior influences the addict.
For this reason, the actual intervention with the addict is only one small part of family system intervention. This type of intervention is really an intervention for the entire family. Because this involves more than just the addict, sometimes the addict is invited to be a part of the entire process right from the beginning.
Whether or not the addict decides to go into treatment, the family's participation in this type of intervention is ongoing. It does not stop just because the addict decides not to go into treatment. The focus of family education regarding guilt, shame, enabling and behaviors that help provoke the addict are addressed and a recovery plan is then put in place. This helps give the family the tools they need to cope with ongoing addiction if the addict chooses not to get help.
Every family situation is different. The size of families or the amount of support that one can hope to get for the addict is different. But even a small group of family members and friends can be a strong influence to help the addict seek treatment. The important thing is to make the effort to intervene and educate yourself in how you can help the addict stop their behavior. The rest is up to the addict.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Intervention
Intervention is a meeting that happens between family and friends, a specialized counselor trained in dealing with substance abusers, and the addict. It can sometimes be hard to get the addict to come to an intervention if they know that is the purpose of meeting. It may be necessary to keep things between family, friends and the counselor.
Some people find that they are uncomfortable with lying to someone they love. But remember, these are extreme measures. An intervention happens when all other avenues have been exhausted. Most likely, the person who has the problem is already lying to you as much as they are lying to themselves.
The reason an intervention works better than one-on-one reasoning is that you have a group of people confronting the addict at the same time. Remember, a person who has an addiction becomes crafty in playing one person off the next. But if all the people who love them are in the same room and saying the same thing, it's harder for them to manipulate the situation and harder for them to ignore.
Can the people in the room be just anyone the addict knows? If that were the case, then therapy would help everyone. Unfortunately that's not the case. The people who are present for an intervention must be people more meaningful to the addict. They need to have some kind of impact on the person so they can show how that person's addiction has affected everyone around them, not just the person who is the addict.
An intervention that is controlled by a trained professional and that focuses on changing the addict's behavior, at least for the moment, can be highly effective in helping the addict seek treatment. It is done in such a way that the counselor and the family and friends who attend control the meeting, not the addict. The counselor will schedule a meeting with the people who will be part of the intervention ahead of time. The council will then discuss how the meeting will take place, go over what each individual will say to the addict, and give them an idea of what is likely to happen, good and bad.
The goal is to have the addict leave the meeting and go straight to a treatment program to begin recovery. It doesn't always happen that way, so all the people involved must be prepared so that the meeting does not get out of control. Most likely when the addict knows that the meeting is an intervention, there will be anger and tears. The person having the intervention will most likely feel betrayed, hurt and angry with you.
But remember that in doing an intervention, you are trying to help the person you love help themselves because their addiction prevents them from seeing how they can help themselves on their own.
The counselor who runs the intervention may suggest that one or more members of the family not be present. If that's the case, don't be alarmed or upset. If the counselor feels that you will coddle the addict or cave-in if the scene gets too difficult, or you won't be strong enough to deal with how stressful the intervention will be, they might suggest that you not be there. Try not to be hurt by the counselor's suggestion.
Your goal in an intervention is to make sure that the addict seeks treatment immediately. Everyone in the room must be committed to working toward that goal and to learning what it will take for the addict to succeed in the goal.
Often times, a family member or friend will believe that it's only the addict that needs to take action. The fact is that everyone participating in an intervention has something to learn, something to do. Intervention is a way for family members or friends to vent their emotional feelings about the addict's behavior and learn ways to deal with it as well as open the eyes of the addict enough to let them see they need help.
Some people find that they are uncomfortable with lying to someone they love. But remember, these are extreme measures. An intervention happens when all other avenues have been exhausted. Most likely, the person who has the problem is already lying to you as much as they are lying to themselves.
The reason an intervention works better than one-on-one reasoning is that you have a group of people confronting the addict at the same time. Remember, a person who has an addiction becomes crafty in playing one person off the next. But if all the people who love them are in the same room and saying the same thing, it's harder for them to manipulate the situation and harder for them to ignore.
Can the people in the room be just anyone the addict knows? If that were the case, then therapy would help everyone. Unfortunately that's not the case. The people who are present for an intervention must be people more meaningful to the addict. They need to have some kind of impact on the person so they can show how that person's addiction has affected everyone around them, not just the person who is the addict.
An intervention that is controlled by a trained professional and that focuses on changing the addict's behavior, at least for the moment, can be highly effective in helping the addict seek treatment. It is done in such a way that the counselor and the family and friends who attend control the meeting, not the addict. The counselor will schedule a meeting with the people who will be part of the intervention ahead of time. The council will then discuss how the meeting will take place, go over what each individual will say to the addict, and give them an idea of what is likely to happen, good and bad.
The goal is to have the addict leave the meeting and go straight to a treatment program to begin recovery. It doesn't always happen that way, so all the people involved must be prepared so that the meeting does not get out of control. Most likely when the addict knows that the meeting is an intervention, there will be anger and tears. The person having the intervention will most likely feel betrayed, hurt and angry with you.
But remember that in doing an intervention, you are trying to help the person you love help themselves because their addiction prevents them from seeing how they can help themselves on their own.
The counselor who runs the intervention may suggest that one or more members of the family not be present. If that's the case, don't be alarmed or upset. If the counselor feels that you will coddle the addict or cave-in if the scene gets too difficult, or you won't be strong enough to deal with how stressful the intervention will be, they might suggest that you not be there. Try not to be hurt by the counselor's suggestion.
Your goal in an intervention is to make sure that the addict seeks treatment immediately. Everyone in the room must be committed to working toward that goal and to learning what it will take for the addict to succeed in the goal.
Often times, a family member or friend will believe that it's only the addict that needs to take action. The fact is that everyone participating in an intervention has something to learn, something to do. Intervention is a way for family members or friends to vent their emotional feelings about the addict's behavior and learn ways to deal with it as well as open the eyes of the addict enough to let them see they need help.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Can You Make An Addict Stop?
When a loved one is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it can be the most maddening thing for the people around them. For someone who was sober, it's hard to understand why the person who has the addiction just won't stop the behavior. After all, don't they see their destructive ways? Can't they see how they're hurting themselves? Don't they know that they're hurting everyone else around them?
The answer is no and that is an answer that is sometimes hard to accept. Many times the people around an addict will try to talk them out of the behavior. At first it may start with a simple conversation. For example, "You've been getting drunk a lot lately. Don't you think you should stop?"
That simple conversation can begin to escalate very quickly when the behavior continues. For the person who has the addiction, it feels like everyone is ganging up on them. They don't understand. They don't know what you're going through. And they're right. Unless you know what it's like to be an alcoholic or drug addict you don't know what it's like for the person going through it.
And they don't know what you're going through having to watch them be self-destructive by hurting themselves and everyone else around them. No amount of pleading or nagging on your part is going to get through to them enough for them to see that they have to change. When trying to talk reason with an addict, the conversation can quickly turn argumentative. Tempers flare; things are said to each other that end up breaking down a relationship instead of helping it.
Does that mean it's hopeless? Absolutely not. There's always hope to get through to a person who has a substance-abuse problem. But you can't always do it alone. In cases where an addict won't listen to the people around them and does not seek help, an intervention may be necessary.
The answer is no and that is an answer that is sometimes hard to accept. Many times the people around an addict will try to talk them out of the behavior. At first it may start with a simple conversation. For example, "You've been getting drunk a lot lately. Don't you think you should stop?"
That simple conversation can begin to escalate very quickly when the behavior continues. For the person who has the addiction, it feels like everyone is ganging up on them. They don't understand. They don't know what you're going through. And they're right. Unless you know what it's like to be an alcoholic or drug addict you don't know what it's like for the person going through it.
And they don't know what you're going through having to watch them be self-destructive by hurting themselves and everyone else around them. No amount of pleading or nagging on your part is going to get through to them enough for them to see that they have to change. When trying to talk reason with an addict, the conversation can quickly turn argumentative. Tempers flare; things are said to each other that end up breaking down a relationship instead of helping it.
Does that mean it's hopeless? Absolutely not. There's always hope to get through to a person who has a substance-abuse problem. But you can't always do it alone. In cases where an addict won't listen to the people around them and does not seek help, an intervention may be necessary.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Is There A Cure For Addiction?
Medical science has come a long way in developing cures for many 21st-century diseases. With so much study and so much support available to substance abuse addicts, is easy to assume that we've reached a point where we can cure addiction.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. While there are many treatment programs that have high success rates with substance abusers who follow the program, there is no cure for addiction. Once you have some type of addiction, you will always have the tendency toward that addiction even if you stop drinking alcohol or using drugs for years.
However, it is not a death sentence to those who are suffering from addiction or for the people who have to live with the person who is an addict. While you'll never get to a point where you can control alcohol again, you can control the addiction. The key to success for people who have managed to control their addiction is to work the program. Studies show that when a person is an alcoholic or drug user, and they faithfully commit themselves to taking the steps needed to control their addiction, they have a higher chance of succeeding long-term than those who don't follow the program.
It is important to note that one can't be "cured" of alcohol or drug addiction. Once you are an addict you then become a recovering addict and will need to maintain your commitment to stay in recovery for the rest of your life. Even after 10 or 20 years, if a recovering addict lets their guard down and is convinced that they can fall off the wagon just this once, it can be detrimental to their recovery. No matter how much time has passed, the body remembers addiction and it will be much easier to fall victim to substance abuse again.
For this reason, having a strong supports system in place around the addict can help ensure continued recovery success. Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and group support meetings for drugs help the recovering addict stay on track by reminding them of their sobriety and what it takes to stay that way. It also helps to know that other people have stayed in recovery for a long period of time, therefore giving the addict a much-needed boost that they too can succeed.
Remember, many drug and alcohol abusers suffer from low self-esteem. By continuing to work on building self-esteem, and not blaming themselves for the past behavior, but learning from it and learning to move on, the recovering addict can learn to get on with their life and leave their past mistakes behind.
While it is possible for an addict to learn to live without alcohol or drugs, the person must change their behavior and deal with the feelings that brought the addiction about. By learning to live life in a new way, the person can then control their addiction.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. While there are many treatment programs that have high success rates with substance abusers who follow the program, there is no cure for addiction. Once you have some type of addiction, you will always have the tendency toward that addiction even if you stop drinking alcohol or using drugs for years.
However, it is not a death sentence to those who are suffering from addiction or for the people who have to live with the person who is an addict. While you'll never get to a point where you can control alcohol again, you can control the addiction. The key to success for people who have managed to control their addiction is to work the program. Studies show that when a person is an alcoholic or drug user, and they faithfully commit themselves to taking the steps needed to control their addiction, they have a higher chance of succeeding long-term than those who don't follow the program.
It is important to note that one can't be "cured" of alcohol or drug addiction. Once you are an addict you then become a recovering addict and will need to maintain your commitment to stay in recovery for the rest of your life. Even after 10 or 20 years, if a recovering addict lets their guard down and is convinced that they can fall off the wagon just this once, it can be detrimental to their recovery. No matter how much time has passed, the body remembers addiction and it will be much easier to fall victim to substance abuse again.
For this reason, having a strong supports system in place around the addict can help ensure continued recovery success. Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and group support meetings for drugs help the recovering addict stay on track by reminding them of their sobriety and what it takes to stay that way. It also helps to know that other people have stayed in recovery for a long period of time, therefore giving the addict a much-needed boost that they too can succeed.
Remember, many drug and alcohol abusers suffer from low self-esteem. By continuing to work on building self-esteem, and not blaming themselves for the past behavior, but learning from it and learning to move on, the recovering addict can learn to get on with their life and leave their past mistakes behind.
While it is possible for an addict to learn to live without alcohol or drugs, the person must change their behavior and deal with the feelings that brought the addiction about. By learning to live life in a new way, the person can then control their addiction.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Who Is Most Likely To Become An Addict?
Most people have heard the phrase "that would never happen to my kid," or "that would never happen to my husband or wife," uttered at some point in their life. As mentioned earlier, addiction does not discriminate. It knows no age, race or social status.
The truth is that alcohol and drug abuse can happen to anyone and at any age. But there are some people who are more vulnerable to falling into addiction than others.
• Children of alcoholic parents are three to four times more likely to become alcoholics than children whose parents do not drink.
• Children who start drinking before the age of 15 have a higher likelihood that they could become alcoholics than children who start drinking after the age of 15.
• The earlier you have your first drink, the higher likelihood that you will develop alcoholism.
• Children who have an older brother or sister who drink or take drugs have a higher likelihood of becoming addicted themselves.
• People who have low self-esteem or want to escape their problems have a greater risk of becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol.
• People who are known to "hold their liquor well" have a greater chance of becoming alcoholics.
It is interesting to note that research from a 1996 study of adoptive children and their adoptive parents and children with their biological parents showed that genetics do carry some weight in whether a person becomes an alcoholic. This gives some credence to the idea that some people are pre-disposed to becoming alcoholics.
This study showed that adoptive children who had alcoholic parents had fewer instances of becoming alcoholics themselves than children who lived with their biological parents who were alcoholics. When further research was done connecting the adoptive child to their biological parents, the connection of higher instances of alcoholism when a parent was an alcoholic could be seen.
While that is startling news, it doesn't mean that just because you have a parent who is an alcoholic that you'll become an alcoholic. Education on how alcoholism or drug addiction starts and how you can prevent it from happening to you goes a long way in preventing alcoholism.
Self-esteem plays an enormous role in addiction. People who come from loving and stable homes can still suffer from depression and low self-esteem, making them more vulnerable to becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. Because of this, teen depression should never be considered "just normal" based on a child's age. Depression is not normal. And while many teens become depressed as a normal course of growing into adulthood and finding themselves, it should never be taken lightly. Any experimentation with drugs or alcohol during the teen years, coupled with depression, can lead to future addiction if left alone.
The truth is that alcohol and drug abuse can happen to anyone and at any age. But there are some people who are more vulnerable to falling into addiction than others.
• Children of alcoholic parents are three to four times more likely to become alcoholics than children whose parents do not drink.
• Children who start drinking before the age of 15 have a higher likelihood that they could become alcoholics than children who start drinking after the age of 15.
• The earlier you have your first drink, the higher likelihood that you will develop alcoholism.
• Children who have an older brother or sister who drink or take drugs have a higher likelihood of becoming addicted themselves.
• People who have low self-esteem or want to escape their problems have a greater risk of becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol.
• People who are known to "hold their liquor well" have a greater chance of becoming alcoholics.
It is interesting to note that research from a 1996 study of adoptive children and their adoptive parents and children with their biological parents showed that genetics do carry some weight in whether a person becomes an alcoholic. This gives some credence to the idea that some people are pre-disposed to becoming alcoholics.
This study showed that adoptive children who had alcoholic parents had fewer instances of becoming alcoholics themselves than children who lived with their biological parents who were alcoholics. When further research was done connecting the adoptive child to their biological parents, the connection of higher instances of alcoholism when a parent was an alcoholic could be seen.
While that is startling news, it doesn't mean that just because you have a parent who is an alcoholic that you'll become an alcoholic. Education on how alcoholism or drug addiction starts and how you can prevent it from happening to you goes a long way in preventing alcoholism.
Self-esteem plays an enormous role in addiction. People who come from loving and stable homes can still suffer from depression and low self-esteem, making them more vulnerable to becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol. Because of this, teen depression should never be considered "just normal" based on a child's age. Depression is not normal. And while many teens become depressed as a normal course of growing into adulthood and finding themselves, it should never be taken lightly. Any experimentation with drugs or alcohol during the teen years, coupled with depression, can lead to future addiction if left alone.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Why Won't An Addict Stop?
The thing that puzzles many people about addiction is the matter of free will. If the person is addicted and they know there is a problem, why won't they just stop the behavior that is making them addicted?
It seems obvious to those people who are most affected by a person who is addicted to drugs and alcohol. After all, they have seen the destructive ways of the person who is addicted. They've lived through phone calls from employers telling them their loved one didn't show up for work again or has lost their job because of incompetence.
Even if the addiction has not escalated to the addict losing their job, there are other destructive signs that the addict's life is spiraling out of control. People who are addicted don't think about their friends or family the same way they do when they are sober. They don't pay attention to commitments, family functions or even paying their bills. Even if they have enough money in the bank to make their payments, the very act of taking responsibility for the job is erased as soon as a drink touches their lips or the first hit is taken.
It can be maddening for the person who is either living with the person who is addicted or is a family member watching their loved one go through addiction because the addict doesn't ever see themselves as being to blame.
That's right. No matter what destructive behavior they have been doing, a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol does not blame themselves. They blame others.
Once you have become an addict in any form, the tendency to fall back to that addiction is always there if you don't continue to do the work needed to control the addiction.
So why do some people succeed in controlling their addictions and some do not? A person living with an addict can see what the addict can't or isn't ready to see, they will continue to blame other people for why their life is so rotten. And that's how they feel. Rotten!
While many addicts hate their lives and complain about how awful it is, they won't blame themselves. By blaming themselves for their miseries, they will then have to take accountability for their addiction. But unless they are ready to look at themselves honestly and admit that they took the drugs or alcohol and they stole from their parents or friends they won’t be ready to make the change. No amount of pushing and crying and screaming from a loved one is going to make them see that they have a problem and that they are the ones that need to change.
For this reason, many times a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol will go through a treatment program several times before it "clicks." They have to accept that they were the ones to take the steps to become addicted and that only they are the ones who can take each step to control the addiction. For many people this process can be grueling, not only physically but emotionally.
It seems obvious to those people who are most affected by a person who is addicted to drugs and alcohol. After all, they have seen the destructive ways of the person who is addicted. They've lived through phone calls from employers telling them their loved one didn't show up for work again or has lost their job because of incompetence.
Even if the addiction has not escalated to the addict losing their job, there are other destructive signs that the addict's life is spiraling out of control. People who are addicted don't think about their friends or family the same way they do when they are sober. They don't pay attention to commitments, family functions or even paying their bills. Even if they have enough money in the bank to make their payments, the very act of taking responsibility for the job is erased as soon as a drink touches their lips or the first hit is taken.
It can be maddening for the person who is either living with the person who is addicted or is a family member watching their loved one go through addiction because the addict doesn't ever see themselves as being to blame.
That's right. No matter what destructive behavior they have been doing, a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol does not blame themselves. They blame others.
Once you have become an addict in any form, the tendency to fall back to that addiction is always there if you don't continue to do the work needed to control the addiction.
So why do some people succeed in controlling their addictions and some do not? A person living with an addict can see what the addict can't or isn't ready to see, they will continue to blame other people for why their life is so rotten. And that's how they feel. Rotten!
While many addicts hate their lives and complain about how awful it is, they won't blame themselves. By blaming themselves for their miseries, they will then have to take accountability for their addiction. But unless they are ready to look at themselves honestly and admit that they took the drugs or alcohol and they stole from their parents or friends they won’t be ready to make the change. No amount of pushing and crying and screaming from a loved one is going to make them see that they have a problem and that they are the ones that need to change.
For this reason, many times a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol will go through a treatment program several times before it "clicks." They have to accept that they were the ones to take the steps to become addicted and that only they are the ones who can take each step to control the addiction. For many people this process can be grueling, not only physically but emotionally.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Stages of Addiction
The Early Stages of Addiction
In the early stages of addiction, many addicts drink or use drugs to relieve problems. If they get high, the problems don't seem as severe. This can quickly escalate to the addict needing more and more alcohol to feel drunk or more drugs to feel high. They may start experiencing periods of blackouts, which is not being able to remember blocks of time or events that happened when they were under the influence of a substance.
Because their addiction is starting to take hold they may start hiding their alcohol or drugs and sneaking "out" to use. Soon, instead of thinking about the normal things in life, the addict will be consumed with thoughts about drinking or using drugs. They will begin to start planning their life around when they can drink or when they can use drugs.
The Middle Stages of Addiction
When a drinker or drug user advances to the next stage of addiction, people will have started to notice this problem. However, the addict won't admit that they have a problem and it usually causes friction between friends and loved ones. They may go to a family function and drink more than they planned to even if they have promised to stay within a limit. The addict will also start playing games with themselves and make promises to others such as not having a drink before a certain hour of the day, or only going out to party a certain number of nights a week. Of course, those promises nearly always are broken.
You'll also notice a strong change in moods and personality in this stage. Constant mood swings are common as the body is trying to balance the levels of alcohol or drugs. You will see this person withdraw, drink or use drugs alone, and start to have their daily life adversely affected by their addiction.
The End Stages of Addiction
In the late stages of addiction, the addict will start to have severe withdrawal symptoms when alcohol or drugs are denied. This is known as delirium tremens or the DTs. Alcoholics or drug addicts who go into treatment will experience the DTs in the first few days of rehab. It can be quite painful, which is why many addicts don't want to go into treatment or don't stay in treatment.
If an addict continues to abuse drugs or alcohol, their life is at risk. Serious health consequences result from addiction, which is why it is so important for people who have fallen victim to addiction to seek treatment.
Many people believe that an addict needs to go through all three stages over a certain period of time before their addiction becomes "bad." But that's not true. Addiction can happen over a period of months or years. It can quickly escalate or be such a gradual process that the people around the addict don't notice that it's happening until the addict has reached the end stages of addiction.
Addiction does not discriminate and knows no age, race, or social status. All you have to do is walk into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and you will see people from all walks of life. It is never too late to seek treatment, although the earlier a person does seek treatment the better. Prolonged abuse of drugs and alcohol will only deteriorate the body faster.
While alcoholism and drug addiction tend to run in families, most experts agree that it is not an absolute sentence. Just because a parent was an alcoholic doesn't mean that the children will become alcoholics or drug users. The key to combating alcoholism and drug addiction within families is support and knowledge.
In the early stages of addiction, many addicts drink or use drugs to relieve problems. If they get high, the problems don't seem as severe. This can quickly escalate to the addict needing more and more alcohol to feel drunk or more drugs to feel high. They may start experiencing periods of blackouts, which is not being able to remember blocks of time or events that happened when they were under the influence of a substance.
Because their addiction is starting to take hold they may start hiding their alcohol or drugs and sneaking "out" to use. Soon, instead of thinking about the normal things in life, the addict will be consumed with thoughts about drinking or using drugs. They will begin to start planning their life around when they can drink or when they can use drugs.
The Middle Stages of Addiction
When a drinker or drug user advances to the next stage of addiction, people will have started to notice this problem. However, the addict won't admit that they have a problem and it usually causes friction between friends and loved ones. They may go to a family function and drink more than they planned to even if they have promised to stay within a limit. The addict will also start playing games with themselves and make promises to others such as not having a drink before a certain hour of the day, or only going out to party a certain number of nights a week. Of course, those promises nearly always are broken.
You'll also notice a strong change in moods and personality in this stage. Constant mood swings are common as the body is trying to balance the levels of alcohol or drugs. You will see this person withdraw, drink or use drugs alone, and start to have their daily life adversely affected by their addiction.
The End Stages of Addiction
In the late stages of addiction, the addict will start to have severe withdrawal symptoms when alcohol or drugs are denied. This is known as delirium tremens or the DTs. Alcoholics or drug addicts who go into treatment will experience the DTs in the first few days of rehab. It can be quite painful, which is why many addicts don't want to go into treatment or don't stay in treatment.
If an addict continues to abuse drugs or alcohol, their life is at risk. Serious health consequences result from addiction, which is why it is so important for people who have fallen victim to addiction to seek treatment.
Many people believe that an addict needs to go through all three stages over a certain period of time before their addiction becomes "bad." But that's not true. Addiction can happen over a period of months or years. It can quickly escalate or be such a gradual process that the people around the addict don't notice that it's happening until the addict has reached the end stages of addiction.
Addiction does not discriminate and knows no age, race, or social status. All you have to do is walk into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and you will see people from all walks of life. It is never too late to seek treatment, although the earlier a person does seek treatment the better. Prolonged abuse of drugs and alcohol will only deteriorate the body faster.
While alcoholism and drug addiction tend to run in families, most experts agree that it is not an absolute sentence. Just because a parent was an alcoholic doesn't mean that the children will become alcoholics or drug users. The key to combating alcoholism and drug addiction within families is support and knowledge.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
What Is Addiction?
Addiction - It strikes fear in the hearts of people who don't know what it is, and breaks hearts for those who are living through it.
Addiction is not only a scary thing to those who live with a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it is often perplexing, filled with anger, resentment, guilt and confusion. How is it that this person they love has been consumed by this substance? What didn’t they do to stop it from happening? Could they have even stopped it?
Researchers have been studying the causes of addiction for many years. Unfortunately, there is no real answer that fits every situation. For many years the belief has been that addiction was caused by lack of willpower, genetics, societal pressures, and family problems. Some researchers and doctors have labeled addiction a disease. But others argue that addiction doesn’t satisfy the true definition of disease. If a person doesn’t drink alcohol or use drugs, they can’t then become addicted to a substance.
What researchers do agree on is that some substances are more addictive than others because of their chemical makeup and how it affects the mood of the individual person who takes it.
It is also a mystery why some people are more prone to becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol than others. While body size and mass can sometimes make a difference, one of the main factors in people becoming addicted is low self-esteem. When a person suffers from lack of confidence and depression, they have a far greater chance of becoming addicts.
However, that’s not the only reason people take drugs or alcohol. Often, people will partake in drug or alcohol use because of the high they get from taking it. Young adults and college students will party with their friends on a regular basis and binge drink. If it weren’t for the high they receive, they wouldn’t drink the alcohol or take the drugs. They might just as easily choose something else. But the affects of alcohol and drugs on a person’s body can help them feel less shy and less inhibited.
It can also help a person who is feeling stress to relax. The attraction to that feeling is so strong, the person will then take another drink or hit. If the person gets the desired result from taking that substance, the behavior will continue. However, if the underlying problem is not relieved, it is easy for the drinking or drugs to continue until the body becomes addicted to the substance.
What are the symptoms of addiction? It's different for everyone but there are common symptoms that you see with all people who have substance abuse addictions.
There are also stages that addicts go through. It doesn't happen overnight, which is why it is important to recognize the different stages of addiction. Some addicts have just a few symptoms. Others may experience all of the symptoms.
Addiction is not only a scary thing to those who live with a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it is often perplexing, filled with anger, resentment, guilt and confusion. How is it that this person they love has been consumed by this substance? What didn’t they do to stop it from happening? Could they have even stopped it?
Researchers have been studying the causes of addiction for many years. Unfortunately, there is no real answer that fits every situation. For many years the belief has been that addiction was caused by lack of willpower, genetics, societal pressures, and family problems. Some researchers and doctors have labeled addiction a disease. But others argue that addiction doesn’t satisfy the true definition of disease. If a person doesn’t drink alcohol or use drugs, they can’t then become addicted to a substance.
What researchers do agree on is that some substances are more addictive than others because of their chemical makeup and how it affects the mood of the individual person who takes it.
It is also a mystery why some people are more prone to becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol than others. While body size and mass can sometimes make a difference, one of the main factors in people becoming addicted is low self-esteem. When a person suffers from lack of confidence and depression, they have a far greater chance of becoming addicts.
However, that’s not the only reason people take drugs or alcohol. Often, people will partake in drug or alcohol use because of the high they get from taking it. Young adults and college students will party with their friends on a regular basis and binge drink. If it weren’t for the high they receive, they wouldn’t drink the alcohol or take the drugs. They might just as easily choose something else. But the affects of alcohol and drugs on a person’s body can help them feel less shy and less inhibited.
It can also help a person who is feeling stress to relax. The attraction to that feeling is so strong, the person will then take another drink or hit. If the person gets the desired result from taking that substance, the behavior will continue. However, if the underlying problem is not relieved, it is easy for the drinking or drugs to continue until the body becomes addicted to the substance.
What are the symptoms of addiction? It's different for everyone but there are common symptoms that you see with all people who have substance abuse addictions.
There are also stages that addicts go through. It doesn't happen overnight, which is why it is important to recognize the different stages of addiction. Some addicts have just a few symptoms. Others may experience all of the symptoms.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Living with an Addict
For a person living with a family member or friend who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, life can be a living hell. Too often, people around you will say that the problem with addiction lies with the person who has the addiction and not with the family. Unfortunately, nothing can be further from the truth.
When a loved one is battling addiction of any kind, it is hard to ignore the destructive behavior associated with the addiction. After all, you are the person who has to watch the one you love get high or drunk and ruin their lives in ways they're not even aware of. Such is the nature of addiction.
It is easy for someone who's not living with someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol to just say ignore it, let them handle it, or just make them stop. If it were that easy, then no one would be addicted to anything. The truth is no one has the power to stop a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol except the addict himself.
Many times a family member will try to help; a friend will reach out to another friend who is battling addiction, only to be sucked in to a never-ending web of broken promises, disappointments, and lies.
Does that mean that if you have a person in your life who is addicted to drugs or alcohol that you are powerless? The answer is no. Not everything is out of your control. You can't stop the person who is drinking or using drugs. But you can control how you respond to them and how you cope with their addiction.
When a loved one is battling addiction of any kind, it is hard to ignore the destructive behavior associated with the addiction. After all, you are the person who has to watch the one you love get high or drunk and ruin their lives in ways they're not even aware of. Such is the nature of addiction.
It is easy for someone who's not living with someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol to just say ignore it, let them handle it, or just make them stop. If it were that easy, then no one would be addicted to anything. The truth is no one has the power to stop a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol except the addict himself.
Many times a family member will try to help; a friend will reach out to another friend who is battling addiction, only to be sucked in to a never-ending web of broken promises, disappointments, and lies.
Does that mean that if you have a person in your life who is addicted to drugs or alcohol that you are powerless? The answer is no. Not everything is out of your control. You can't stop the person who is drinking or using drugs. But you can control how you respond to them and how you cope with their addiction.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Some Things Never Change
One of the most obvious things that has remained the same about addiction is that it still destroys many people's lives just as it always did. The person who can’t control their anger may not see this problem as being so serious and yet, over the years as many people lash out at the various friends and family members they so dearly love, they may not notice their lives taking certain turns that they hadn’t really noticed. Once a person starts to do something harmful to themselves, they often find it very hard to stop and this can eventually color their entire life in a negative manner.
From as far back as the prehistoric ages, there has been evidence of alcohol and drug abuse in society and personal problems have been the rule. In 2000 B.C., an Egyptian priest was noted for having tried to stop his pupil from consuming too much alcohol. "I, thy superior, forbid thee to go to the taverns. Thou art degraded like beasts!" Addiction has been around for centuries and it still destroys lives in the same way that it always has.
If we think about the common trend of our addictive tendencies, we know that it is usually the case that a person starts out with a little of something and then they eventually increase. Then they take it too far and then they can't stop. The significant change today, however, is that today there is more of an opportunity to get help. There is more of an understanding of all the different behaviors that make up an addiction and how a person can specifically go about changing their problem for the better.
In the '70s, everybody thought drugs were just good
times. People didn't really know about drug addiction,
or that such a thing existed. When I grew up in the
'70s I thought you had to take drugs. It was almost
like I didn't think you had a choice. -Aimee Mann
Society has always been full of people who can't make up their mind about whether or not they should quit a bad habit. Between 1,100 B.C. and 1,400 A.D., there were 41 recorded periods in history where laws against “making wine" were initially enacted and then eventually repealed. Determining whether someone is “addicted” has always been a heated point of debate. Still, the prevailing wisdom has always told us that, more times than not, we are hopelessly hooked whether we like it or not. So if we accept this premise, that society is likely addicted to hundreds, if not thousands of items, from cigarettes to television, what is the next step? If many behaviors and products are specifically produced in such a way as to encourage getting “hooked” and keeping mass consumption alive, where do we go from here?
The model of ownership, in a society organized round
mass consumption, is addiction. -Christopher Lasch
Admitting there is a problem is the first step and yet, this may not be such a giant leap if we look upon the history of society. The inability to stop our bad habits has been well known even as far back as 650 B.C. when famous Chinese commentator once wrote that people simply "will not do without beer". He knew about the power of alcohol even before bottles and cans had been invented and he continued to say that "To prohibit it and secure total abstinence from it is beyond the power even of sages." With this as an underlying principle, it certainly seems to be foolish to try and convince society or other people that "They are an addict" or
that "They should quit". In fact, even in the most extreme cases when the person "knows" they have a problem, there doesn't seem to be much you can do or say.
It's an addiction... and addiction is something I should know
something about. -Keith Richards
Regardless of the stubbornness of our disease, it is still the case that many people have recovered from addiction. For those who want to understand this problem better and have a desire to quit, there are many valuable things that can now be said about the multiple addictions that permeate our society. Once we gain a foothold on the most prevalent addiction in our lives, we may soon discover that another one is right around the corner. This may not be a completely discouraging discovery but it may be something that causes us to consider that the problem may be deeper and more complicated than we first imagined. Addiction may be a lot more pervasive to our ego than we first recognized and recovery may involve a more serious approach than we first expected.
Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't
mean the circus has left town. -George Carlin
If we wish apply what we know about multiple addictions, there may still be some hope available to us. This can eventually lead us to make a more positive and lasting change. Still, in order to understand exactly where we can go from here, it will first serve us best to consider where we have come from in terms of our developing understanding of multiple addictions. From there we will be capable of approaching this very profound disease with a bit more wisdom and seriousness than we may have first deemed necessary.
From as far back as the prehistoric ages, there has been evidence of alcohol and drug abuse in society and personal problems have been the rule. In 2000 B.C., an Egyptian priest was noted for having tried to stop his pupil from consuming too much alcohol. "I, thy superior, forbid thee to go to the taverns. Thou art degraded like beasts!" Addiction has been around for centuries and it still destroys lives in the same way that it always has.
If we think about the common trend of our addictive tendencies, we know that it is usually the case that a person starts out with a little of something and then they eventually increase. Then they take it too far and then they can't stop. The significant change today, however, is that today there is more of an opportunity to get help. There is more of an understanding of all the different behaviors that make up an addiction and how a person can specifically go about changing their problem for the better.
In the '70s, everybody thought drugs were just good
times. People didn't really know about drug addiction,
or that such a thing existed. When I grew up in the
'70s I thought you had to take drugs. It was almost
like I didn't think you had a choice. -Aimee Mann
Society has always been full of people who can't make up their mind about whether or not they should quit a bad habit. Between 1,100 B.C. and 1,400 A.D., there were 41 recorded periods in history where laws against “making wine" were initially enacted and then eventually repealed. Determining whether someone is “addicted” has always been a heated point of debate. Still, the prevailing wisdom has always told us that, more times than not, we are hopelessly hooked whether we like it or not. So if we accept this premise, that society is likely addicted to hundreds, if not thousands of items, from cigarettes to television, what is the next step? If many behaviors and products are specifically produced in such a way as to encourage getting “hooked” and keeping mass consumption alive, where do we go from here?
The model of ownership, in a society organized round
mass consumption, is addiction. -Christopher Lasch
Admitting there is a problem is the first step and yet, this may not be such a giant leap if we look upon the history of society. The inability to stop our bad habits has been well known even as far back as 650 B.C. when famous Chinese commentator once wrote that people simply "will not do without beer". He knew about the power of alcohol even before bottles and cans had been invented and he continued to say that "To prohibit it and secure total abstinence from it is beyond the power even of sages." With this as an underlying principle, it certainly seems to be foolish to try and convince society or other people that "They are an addict" or
that "They should quit". In fact, even in the most extreme cases when the person "knows" they have a problem, there doesn't seem to be much you can do or say.
It's an addiction... and addiction is something I should know
something about. -Keith Richards
Regardless of the stubbornness of our disease, it is still the case that many people have recovered from addiction. For those who want to understand this problem better and have a desire to quit, there are many valuable things that can now be said about the multiple addictions that permeate our society. Once we gain a foothold on the most prevalent addiction in our lives, we may soon discover that another one is right around the corner. This may not be a completely discouraging discovery but it may be something that causes us to consider that the problem may be deeper and more complicated than we first imagined. Addiction may be a lot more pervasive to our ego than we first recognized and recovery may involve a more serious approach than we first expected.
Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't
mean the circus has left town. -George Carlin
If we wish apply what we know about multiple addictions, there may still be some hope available to us. This can eventually lead us to make a more positive and lasting change. Still, in order to understand exactly where we can go from here, it will first serve us best to consider where we have come from in terms of our developing understanding of multiple addictions. From there we will be capable of approaching this very profound disease with a bit more wisdom and seriousness than we may have first deemed necessary.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The Changing Perceptions of the term "Addict"
Some things change and some things stay the same. Forty years ago, in American society, the term “addict” had an entirely different meaning than it does today. People who "shot up" were called "junkies" and, for many people, LSD was something the "freaks" did. Today there is much less social division between the use of various drugs. Sure, some things are legal and others are not. Some drugs may be “hard drugs” and others “soft”. Still, all the drugs that exist today tend to fall under a more general umbrella than how they were categorized 40 years ago. The social stigmas that surrounded some drugs as opposed to others have changed. Even the terms "addict” and “alcoholic" are no longer perceived in the same sense as being a "social outcast" but rather refer to people who have become members of a "12-step group". Today there are the 12-step recovery groups for just about every problem you can imagine. The Internet advertises hundreds of groups from "Overeaters Anonymous" to "Self-Mutilators Anonymous" and, once again, the term “addict” has become a household term. We may be surprised to notice how fast things have changed and yet, underneath these changes, there may still be some basic principles about addiction that have always remained the same.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Multiple Addictions
Many people think the term “multiple addiction” doesn’t apply to them. For them, multiple addiction means something that exists for the “deeply disturbed” or the “lost” patients of a chronic hospital wing or mental hospital. “Cross- addicted” or “dual addicted” is often misunderstood to be the “other people” who are suffering from an acute form of addiction that is probably incurable in most cases. “That isn’t me” is the common reaction to the term. “I’m not like that.”
In fact, multiple addiction can apply to almost anyone. Almost everyone has at least a mild addiction to something and in most cases there are probably two or three things you would like to quit but simply couldn’t muster up the energy or attention to do so. We’re all pretty much hooked on one thing or another to the extent that we would probably have a pretty tough time quitting even if we put our minds to it. The fact is, most addictions occur in different forms for different people so that you don’t have to be a “hospital patient” in order to see yourself as someone who possibly suffers from multiple addictions. Multiple addictions are more often the rule rather than the exception.
On the lower end of the scale, many people refer to their “love of chocolate” as an addiction or their “excessive television watching” as being a problem. There are many behaviors, such as co-dependency and anger issues that could be readily defined as addictive tendencies in most people. Multiple addictions are actually more common that most people realize and, just like the most serious addictions to heroin or crack cocaine, it is always the recognition of the problem that is the first step to recovery.
In fact, multiple addiction can apply to almost anyone. Almost everyone has at least a mild addiction to something and in most cases there are probably two or three things you would like to quit but simply couldn’t muster up the energy or attention to do so. We’re all pretty much hooked on one thing or another to the extent that we would probably have a pretty tough time quitting even if we put our minds to it. The fact is, most addictions occur in different forms for different people so that you don’t have to be a “hospital patient” in order to see yourself as someone who possibly suffers from multiple addictions. Multiple addictions are more often the rule rather than the exception.
On the lower end of the scale, many people refer to their “love of chocolate” as an addiction or their “excessive television watching” as being a problem. There are many behaviors, such as co-dependency and anger issues that could be readily defined as addictive tendencies in most people. Multiple addictions are actually more common that most people realize and, just like the most serious addictions to heroin or crack cocaine, it is always the recognition of the problem that is the first step to recovery.
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