Denial in Alcohol and Drug Addiction - What Were They Thinking?

The state of denial is a defining characteristic of drug and alcohol addiction. But it can also understand a difficult concept.

Denial can be described as a type in which the mind refuses to accept a problem. It is a safety valve for dealing with stress. One way to an overwhelming problem that causes a high level of anxiety control to deny that it exists. This belief can be so strong, it is impossible to tell what is true and what is wrong.

In people withchemical dependency, denial grows to the point where they lose the ability to accurately cope with daily situations. They try to twist fact to conform to give them permission to continue using.  When confronted, it becomes 'I don't have a problem, you have a problem.'

Denial is not lying.

Denial is not like to people pointing at each other, 'you have a problem, no I don't, yes you do, no I don't'. It is more usually unintentional and beyond the realm of awareness.

An analogy might be someone telling a person they are snoring, the person who is snoring is not aware they are doing it at the time. Another example is sleeping, one are not really aware of it when it's happening, but it is evident to every one watching the sleeper.

The progression of denial

1. Minimizing.

The user says they use less than they are actually consuming. They will underestimate or refute the seriousness of the problem and consequences.

2. Excuses and rationalizing.

More and more excuses are made up and repeated to the point where they appear as fact to the user. Elaborate stories are concocted to justify use or situations set up to which drinking or drugging is 'only understandable'. For example, 'if you had my job you'd drink too'.

3. Blaming and playing the victim.

Denial comes into play by placing blame on another person or event rather than taking personal responsibility. It then seems to be the responsibility of another person, not the user to solve the problem. For example, drinking water causes a student homework and do not miss class and get a bad note. He blames the teacher does not like him, and thinks that teachers should lighten.

Denial contributes to the addiction process by the user in isolation from reality. Punching through denial is like adding fact to fact, on a balance beam. Unfortunately, it usually takes one to close and personalCrisis tip the scales for the recognition of reality. An example would be an encroachment, and accidents or medical evidence.

After rejecting recognized the recovery process can begin. There is a wealth of information before about how to get a start on the resolution of the denial of the drugs and alcoholism.