According to a recent report from the United Nations, only 1 in 7 drug addicts receive treatment for drug addiction. This is mainly because most addicts are in denial.
Denial makes addiction hard to overcome. While addiction can be the root cause of many other issues in your life, denial makes it more difficult to seek help at a drug rehab in Austin.
There are several reasons why someone might be hesitant to admit that they have an addiction problem or that they need help dealing with their addiction issues.
This article discusses the causes of denial and ways to help.
What Is Denial?
Addiction denial is a type of self-deception that occurs when an individual refuses to accept their addiction and its related problems. It can also be an effective coping mechanism for people who have been diagnosed with an addiction problem.
For some people, addiction denial can become a vicious cycle. They may deny their addiction at first, but when they are faced with the consequences of their actions, they will often start to accept them. However, for other people, addiction denial may last for a very long period. This can lead to more problems in the long run because it means that the individual is not taking steps to help themselves get better or move towards recovery from their addiction. People deny their addictions because of the following reasons.
Confirmation Bias
Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out only information that confirms your beliefs. A confirmation bias can be both positive and negative, depending on how it influences your decision-making.
If you believe you are right, then a positive confirmation bias will make you seek out positive facts and avoid negative ones. A negative confirmation bias may make you seek out only negative facts and ignore other types of evidence. When it comes to addiction, people who have addictions may ignore other types of evidence that don’t support their position on their addiction.
Shame
Addicts often have trouble admitting that they have an addiction problem because they believe it is shameful and embarrassing. To protect themselves from public humiliation, many addicts lie about their behavior when asked about it by family members or friends who suspect that something is wrong with them. This is especially true for people who don’t have a lot of experience with addiction or don’t think they could ever be addicted.
Fear
Sometimes, addicts are afraid of other people’s judgment, so they try to hide it to protect their reputations. They may also be afraid that if they find out about the addiction, they may tell others, which could make things difficult for them in their social circles.
Disregard For Future
Addicts often don’t take into account the consequences of their actions. They may have a hard time seeing past the immediate rewards of addiction, especially if they’re in denial about how it affects them physically or financially.
How To Help Someone Who Is in Denial of Their Addiction
When someone you love is in denial about their addiction, it can be frustrating and confusing. You want to help them, but you don’t know how. Here are some tips on how to help someone who is in denial about their addiction:
Get Support From Other People: You can talk with other people who have gone through similar experiences and understand what it feels like to be in denial about addiction. This may help them get through the tough times more easily.
Encourage Them To Seek Help: The best thing that you can do for someone who is in denial about their addiction is to encourage them to seek help from professionals that specialize in helping people with addictions, such as counselors or therapists at rehab facilities or organizations.
Don’t Force Anything: Understand that they are dealing with a serious problem and that you cannot change them. They are in denial and cannot see their problems. You can make suggestions about how they can get help, but don’t force your opinions on them if they aren’t ready for it yet. You can be there for them and support them through their addiction, but don’t try to fix things for them.
It’s difficult to recognize addiction when you are in the middle of it. However, the first step to ending your addiction is recognizing and admitting you have a problem and need help. The next step is taking that first crucial step towards getting better by making the call for help. There are many treatment centers all over the country dedicated to helping people with substance abuse or drug addiction problems like yours.