Whether it’s drugs, sex or alcohol, if you have a dependency issue you will know the score. The urge is so strong that it’s possible to prioritise getting that next fix over everything else – relationships, work and your own health, both physically and mentally. Unfortunately for some people, dependency costs them their lives (in overdose or major withdrawal from alcohol, which untreated can cause fits). The point is, all of our brains are wired to try to seek out rewards. It’s impossible to recover that sense of euphoria experienced in that first hit. That’s why the subsequent fixes, despite more and more are never enough.
Addiction though, like any mental illness isn’t a choice. No one was born with dependency (apart the cases where, babies are born with physical drug dependency due their mother’s addiction). The physical dependency, if it’s a substance can be fairly straight-forward to address. However, the psychological dependency is much harder. Having insight is the first step. After all, how can you tackle a dependency if you don’t believe that it’s an issue? Once you have insight, taking responsibility for your life and being motivated towards change are essential. It’s often a long and difficult process.
The cycle of change shows those stages for those seeking recovery. Is there something in your life that you want to change? At what stage of the cycle are you at?
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