The Different Stages of Addiction Denial

The addict who is going through substance abuse will not be able to understand that he is truly suffering from a problem. All that he cares about is that he gets daily dose of substance by hook or by crook. The temporary pleasure that he gets from substance is enough to make him feel better from all the stress and problems that he is going through in his life.

When an addict is recommended to join a drug rehab center, he may go through numerous stages of denial before he admits that he is ruining his life because of drug or alcohol abuse. Here are the stages of denial that a addicts goes through:

Stage 1

The addict feels that he is consuming a very low amount of drugs/alcohol and he is not addicted to it. He underestimates the seriousness of the addiction problem he is suffering from. In most situations, it has been observed that the addict lacks knowledge about the disease he is or he may suffer from due to addiction.

Stage 2

The addict starts making use of excuses or come up with stories to justify his addiction. During this stage of denial, the addict may say sentences like “If you had similar problems like mine, even you would have taken up drugs”

Stage 3

When the family members and close ones of the addict becomes do not take the excuses made by the addict seriously, he can become more aggressive or violent or defensive by blaming others for his addiction instead of accepting taking the responsibility of addiction on himself. For instance, if the marriage of an alcoholic is on the verge of separation due to his drinking habits, he may blame his wife for the problem.

The only way to overcome the stages of denial is intervention by seeking assistance from an addiction treatment center. A drug rehab or alcohol rehab center will do a good job in freeing the habits of addiction and restoring his normal life.

Alcoholism can be cured. To learn more about drug treatment, non 12 step rehab and long term drug rehab call now and get a FREE phone consultation!