How Does Being Defensive Undermine Your Quest for Recovery?
There are many ways that being defensive can undermine the quest toward recovery. To do this, many addicts resort to using defense mechanisms that allow him or her to continue with their destructive behaviors. The addiction will convince its victims not to stop any way it can so that the behavior can continue.
Denial of the Addiction
Denial is one of the most popular defense mechanisms among addicts. Many claim they can stop whenever they want to or that they do not have a problem when in reality, the addiction is tearing them down mentally and physically. According to the NCBI, many patients have a grandiose idea of invulnerability and autonomy that can lead to the inability to acknowledge that abuse leads to addiction, which can lead to a loss of independence.
While in denial, the addict begins to lose their relationships, jobs, and self-esteem and despite the need for recovery, they will not get it until something drastic occurs in their lives such as an arrest or hospitalization. If you or a loved one is suffering from substance abuse or addiction, get help today at 800-934-3781(Who Answers?).
Casting Blame for the Addiction
Blaming others for your addiction will keep you from taking any responsibility for your actions.
Many addicts find it hard to take responsibility for their actions and cast blame on someone else. The decision to use was the addicts and no one else is at fault for beginning of the addiction. It is important for the addict to accept responsibility for their actions in order for them to seek recovery treatment.
In order to absolve himself or herself of the responsibility, he or she will blame anyone they can in order to continue their addiction.
Lying to Continue
According to the NIDA, an addict will do anything from lying to physical harm to keep taking their drug even if it means criminal acts. Many addicts will lie in order to go out and get their fix. Not only does this allow the addiction to worsen, but it also breaks the trust he or she has with their family because loved ones will never know if the addict is telling the truth or lying to get their drug of choice.
Many times, loved ones are painfully aware of the lie but do not want to deal with the ramifications of confronting the addict with it, thus delaying their need for treatment.
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Rationalization to Use
There are multitudes of excuses the addict can toss out to use their substance of choice. For example, an alcoholic may claim it was necessary to drink at the company Christmas party due to their peers. By rationalizing their use, they can continue to deny that they have a problem and remain oblivious to their need for treatment.
Being defensive can undermine the quest for recovery because it gives the addict an excuse to continue on the path of destruction. Denial, lying, and rationalization allows them to lie to themselves about having a problem with a substance while blaming allows them to put their addiction on someone else without having to place any responsibility on themselves.
The necessary steps such as acknowledgement of the problem and taking the responsibility for their actions are vital steps in the process of recovery and without these actions; he or she will be unable to become sober by seeking out treatment before something drastic occurs.
For immediate help finding a treatment center that can save your life, get help today at 800-934-3781(Who Answers?).