Let’s be honest: Drugs and alcohol make you feel absolutely great. That’s why people use them.
But addiction makes you forget a powerful truth.
Overtime, drugs and alcohol no longer make you feel great. Instead, they destroy your body’s ability to feel happy and calm, so you feel anxious and lousy most of the time. Then, when you drink or use, they give you a boost. But you no longer feel great; you just feel normal.
Once you stop believing the many lies of addiction, you can reclaim your life and feel great without ruining your finances, your health, your family—and your future.
Keep reading to see if any of these other lies sound familiar.
Lies Addicts Tell Themselves
The Lie: I can stop whenever I want to.
The Truth: It’s very easy to put this to the test. To see if you really are still in control, make a pact to actually cut back or eliminate your drug or alcohol use.
The Lie: I won’t be able to cope without using.
The Truth: You think that drugs or alcohol are helping you cope (and maybe they were when you first started using). But continued use has destroyed your body’s own natural ability to handle stressful situations. Continued use has also created a bunch more problems that you now need to deal with. If you stop using, your problems will grow smaller while your body’s ability to handle them will grow stronger.
The Lie: Life won’t be fun without drugs or alcohol.
The Truth: This is one of the most common worries out there, but think back to before you started using. Did you enjoy the spark of meeting someone new? How about playing beach volleyball on a perfect summer day? A good movie with friends? What about walking your dog? The reality is that addiction robs you of the ability to enjoy anything but drugs or alcohol. Recovery brings it all back. Life will be more fun, not less.
The Lie: I don’t use every day, so it’s not a problem.
The Truth: This is perhaps one of the most dangerous lies, because it justifies destructive behavior for so many people. If you crave substances, use them to escape or cope, and can’t quit on your own, then you have a problem. The nature of addiction tells us that this problem will only grow worse. The earlier you seek help, the easier things will be for you.
The Lie: I’m not that bad. I still work, take care of my kids, pay my bills, etc.
The Truth: You don’t have to be unproductive to be battling addiction. But that doesn’t mean you’re not hurting your health, your family and your happiness. Is that drink really making you feel good anymore? Will your next hit deliver the same high that it used to? Or are you now using just to feel OK? The magic lies in the fact that, with help, you can go back to feeling every-day good without using or drinking anything.
The Lie: I don’t care what happens to me.
The Truth: This is the saddest lie of all—and it’s the drugs or alcohol that’s telling you this, not your true self. You may never imagine that life can be good or worth living again, but it can. Millions of people have found this to be true. Whether or not you believe it or not, give life another chance. If you’re in crisis now, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline for discreet help right now at 1-800-273-8255. Reach out to a friend or family member and ask them for help. You can get better.
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Hope and Happiness at The Raleigh House
The Raleigh House is a treatment center located in Denver that believes everyone deserves the chance to live a free, happy and peaceful life. We have all the tools needed to help you not only get sober, but also build a new and better life. We can also help you address co-occurring conditions, like depression or anxiety, that may have led to and fueled your addiction. The bottom line? Everyone deserves a better life than addiction can offer. Contact us today to learn more about our drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs.
