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Some people never manage to recover from their drug addiction, with it eventually killing them – for some sooner rather than later. It is possible for any person to recover from substance abuse, so it is a real shame that there are so many doubts. Here are just six reasons why this can happen:
1. The Person Has an Untreated Dual Diagnosis
A dual diagnosis refers to a situation where a person is dealing with something like untreated depression or chronic anxiety alongside his or her addiction. People in this situation can become caught in a vicious cycle; their mental health problem cannot be properly treated because of the substance abuse, and the fact that they are self-medicating means they are reluctant to give up alcohol or drugs. There are also many people who do not even realise that they have a dual diagnosis and that it is this that is holding them back from recovery. Individuals in this position can recover with the help of dual diagnosis treatment where both conditions are treated together.
2. The Person is Ambivalent towards Recovery
It takes a good deal of effort to break free of addiction, so those individuals who are not fully committed just might not have sufficient determination to achieve lasting sobriety. One reason this happens is that the person is still holding on to the hope of being able to one day drink or use drugs safely again. It is only by becoming 100 per cent committed to recovery that there is a real chance of staying free of addiction.
3. The Individual Has Not Had Access to Suitable Resources
The one thing that is now obvious about addiction treatment is that there is no one approach that works for everyone. In order to break free, the person has to find the resources that will be most appropriate to his or her needs. Some people keep on trying to use the same approach to recovery repeatedly even though it has not worked for them in the past – in order to break free, these individuals would probably be better off trying a completely different approach.
4. Inability to Let Go of Anger and Resentment
Anger and resentment are dangerous for those in recovery as it prevent the person from making good decisions. There are many examples of people in early recovery who became angry, quickly leading to a relapse. It is understandable that individuals feel angry about stuff that has happened in the past – many substance abusers have suffered severe mental, physical, or sexual trauma – but the problem with resentment is that it is like drinking poison to destroy your enemy. It is also common for individuals falling into addiction to have poor anger management skills; however, strategies for dealing with this type of emotion can be picked up in rehab or by working with a therapist.
5. Going it Alone When Trying to Quit Alcohol or Drugs
Some people do manage to give up alcohol or drugs without much help, but this is the exception rather than the rule; the problem is that too many people struggling with addiction believe that they are one of the exceptions. If you have already been trying to break free of addiction without help and have failed then this is a clear sign that you need to try a different approach. This is important for you to understand because if you keep on doing the same things, the same things are going to keep on happening to you.
6. Misunderstandings about Recovery
A misunderstanding about recovery is another common reason why many fail to make progress. One myth is that getting sober will be all about living a life of sacrifice whereby the person spends all of his or her time missing alcohol or drugs, but the reality is that sobriety is all about getting something much better. It is also a misunderstanding to believe that recovery is about getting back to square one; it is all about creating a brand new life that is better than anything you have ever experienced before. Wrong information about recovery can mean you never develop the motivation to change, so it is vital that you question any negative beliefs you may have about the process.
