Dear Diary I Think am Addicted, Carlsbad Therapy
Common Signs and Symptoms of Addiction
ADDICTION
“I can choose to let it define me, confine me, refine me, outshine me, or I can choose to move on and leave it behind me.”
~Unknown
Dear Diary, I Think I am Addicted
Dear Diary, I thought I had it under control… but the truth is… it was controlling me. The first time I did drugs, was to enhance my environment and increase the enjoyment of the raves I attended. I told myself I was fine and just because I was doing it again did not mean that I had a problem. I was having some fun and blowing off steam on the weekends.
What started out as an enjoyable experience quickly became an out of control issue. I went from using ecstasy and other club drugs to using crystal meth for weight control. I have no idea when I became addicted or when things shifted… what I do know is this… at some point that shift from enjoyable experience turned into something that was destructive. (Diary Entry of an Addict)
ADDICTION SIGNS
“Addiction begins with the hope that something “out there” can instantly fill up the emptiness inside.”
~Jean Kilbourne
Common Signs and Symptoms of Addiction
Addictions never start out as addictions… addictions can take on many forms including an addiction to drugs or alcohol, exercise, food, love, gambling, shopping, work and so on. Having an addiction is like having a craving that can’t be satisfied no matter how much you try… so you do more to chase the high or euphoria. Addiction is compulsive and addicts will stop at nothing to get what they want or need to fulfill their addiction. Admitting you are an addict can be extremely difficult and hard to recognize which is why would like to offer you some insight.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Addiction:
• Inability to consistently abstain.
• Impairment of behavioral control.
• Craving or increased “need” for drugs or rewarding experiences.
• Diminished sense of self and connection to others.
• Cannot deal with reality, emotionally dysfunctional.
How to get Help:
• Admit you have a problem: the most important step, in order to overcome your addiction you must first come to accept that you have one.
• Reach out for support: there are many recovery communities that hold weekly and daily meetings. Seeking support from other peers that have the same addictions can help an individual know they are not alone in their battle.
• Seek assistance from a professional: sometimes we do not realize that our addictive behaviors stem from unresolved issues from our past or even traumatic events that have taken place throughout our lifetime.
Struggling with Addiction
Help, Hope and Recovery
If you are currently struggling with an addiction, the first step to getting help is admitting you have a problem… the next step is deciding something has to change and then doing something about it. Reach out for support by joining a recovery support group. In a group setting, you spend time with people who understand exactly what you are going through. Having someone else that understands exactly what you are feeling because they have gone through the same thing can be helpful.
The benefit of groups that include individuals with similar issues, you begin to realize you are not alone; you hear their experience, strengths, and hopes, which can be very healing. The next level beyond joining a group, is taking a step to seek out therapy to help you understand what problems you face that got you into your addiction in the first place. Groups are a wonderful way to enhance your road to recovery… the reality is, the negative feelings such as loneliness, sadness, frustration, anger, shame, or anxiety will come up again… the only way you will have a real chance at true recovery is to resolve the underlying issues that got you where you are now. By seeking the assistance of a professional therapist, you can face the problems that led to your addiction.