If You are Not an Addict then do Not Seek Help For Drug or Alcohol Abuse Problems
It should go without saying really that if you are not an addict then do not seek help for your drug or alcohol abuse problems that you might be having!
Now what exactly does that double negative mean?
It means that most people who find this article are struggling with whether they need to seek help or not.
There is a difference between a drug problem and a drug addiction. There is a difference between a drinking problem and alcoholism.
So what is the difference? What separates the two, and what is the solution for each of them?
If you get a little crazy or out of control when you use drugs and alcohol then it is possible that all you have is a drug abuse or alcohol abuse problem.
But if you get a little crazy when you try to go 30 days clean and sober with nothing at all, then it is more likely at that point that it is real addiction.
In other words, the problem is not the booze or the drugs. The problem is not the chemicals themselves. If it truly is, then that is just an abuse problem, not a full blown addiction.
But alcoholics and addicts come to realize a deeper truth in their lives: that their problem is actually much deeper than the chemicals themselves. Their problem is THEM. Their problem is the addict that lives inside their head, and causes them to want to self medicate so badly. That is what actually drives their addiction.
So what you need to do is to identify if you have a drug or alcohol problem, or a drug or alcohol addiction. Depending on which you have, the solution will be different.
If you decide that you do not really have a full blown addiction and that all you have is a problem, then what you need to do is to treat it like a problem. Most people can solve their own problems and so you can certainly do that with just a small amount of help. I would suggest that you go to counseling or see a therapist who can help you with your problem.
Now if you do that then you should be able to take care of your drug or alcohol problem and go on about your life. Problem solved.
Of course the key at this point is to be honest with yourself and see if your problem actually goes away. If it does not then you likely have an addiction, which will require more help than what you originally planned on.
If and when you decide that your problem is much larger than you thought, then you are ready to take serious action and ask for help. At this point if you are confident that you cannot stop drinking or using drugs on your own then you should definitely seek inpatient treatment somewhere.
Mostly this battle comes down to the simple idea of: “Can I moderate my drug or alcohol intake, or do I need to stop entirely?”
If you try to stop entirely and you find that you cannot (but constantly justify your using by arguing that you do not WANT to stop yet) then you are probably addicted.
The decision to stop entirely is the big turning point in your life. This is where you need to arrive at if you want your life to get better.
The progression usually goes like this:
* Fall in love with drugs or alcohol and start using them heavily.
* Use escalates, some consequences occur.
* Person starts to question their problem or addiction.
* The person attempts to moderate their use, with various degrees of success.
* The addiction might subside for a while, but resurface stronger than ever after a “slow period.”
* The person slowly comes to accept that they cannot moderate successfully (this part can take decades).
* They reach a breaking point and finally surrender, realizing fully that their addiction has them beat, and that they can never use successfully.
* They ask for help.
* They agree to take action.
* They follow through on that action.
* They start taking suggestions.
* They push themselves to change their life.
* They keep pushing for personal growth.
For me this describes a full progression from addiction to recovery. They are not necessarily steps but more of a process that occurs slowly over time, with many of those processes overlapping.
Basically what you need to do though is decide on how serious your problem is, and then take the proper action to resolve it.
My basic suggestion is:
Drug or drinking problem = counseling.
Drug or alcohol addiction = Inpatient rehab.
Good luck.
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