One of the scary things about drug addiction is it often means our own thoughts are working against us. Denial can mean we accept the unacceptable, and you act in a way that causes harm for yourself and other people. Here are just 6 of the thoughts that can keep you trapped in drug addiction:
1. This is as good as it gets
Substance abuse and low self-esteem tend to go hand-in-hand. This feeling of low self-worth can mean people accept a quality of life that is well below what they are capable of achieving. If you don’t truly believe that quitting drug addiction is going to improve your life, you are not going to have much motivation to take this step.
2. People can’t change
‘It’s just the way I am’ is probably the most disempowering thing a person can believe. This type of fatalism means that the person just endures the suffering of drug addiction because they don’t believe there is any other choice.
3. I’ll quit when the time is right
Waiting for the right time to quit drug addiction is just like waiting to win the lottery even though you haven’t bought a ticket. You could die tomorrow as a result of this behaviour, so the only right time to quit. You don’t wait to hit rock bottom – you decide that you’ve had enough already, and this becomes your rock bottom.
4. I can do this alone
Addiction is a formidable foe, and you are going to be at a disadvantage if you try to tackle it alone. There are some people who manage to quit alcohol or drugs without too much help, just like there are people who smoke cigarettes all their life and never get lung cancer – it doesn’t mean you should do the same. Getting help gives you the best chance of recovery – isn’t this what you want?
5. Terminal uniqueness
Terminal uniqueness is a type of delusional thinking where people believe they are going to escape the usual consequences of negative behaviour. It is called ‘terminal uniqueness’ because there is a high risk that thinking this way will get you killed.
6. I’m too old or too young to quit
People are never too old or too young to quit something harmful – this is just part of the denial. There are plenty of example of 16 year olds who felt too young to quit and still felt the same way when they were in their fifties.
