These are the lies your addiction tells you…
Your voice – the voice of reason, the voice of self-worth, the voice of freedom
versus.
the Addiction’s voice – the voice of deceit, the voice of betrayal, the voice of your captor – i.e. the lies your addiction tells you
- ‘it’s nobody else’s business, you’re not doing them any harm’
Friends, family, colleagues and strangers may not be aware of your drinking/using. But your behaviour, your mood, and your appreciation and interpretation of the world around you WILL be impacted and these people WILL feel the effects.
So thinking that it’s just your problem is not true. You have a hugely negative impact on those around you long before your addiction gets to a crisis point.
- ‘Drink and/or drugs is one of the few thing you enjoy, and you deserve a treat’
Drink/drugs are toxins. They are unnatural pollutants for your body that come with serious negative connotations on your physical and mental health – what kind of a treat is that?
This is a classic lie your addictive voice tells you. It’s only once you are living a cleaner life that you can fully appreciate this notion of a ‘treat’ as the horrible lie it is.
- ‘you’re not as bad as them so you’re doing ok’
‘You’re not an addict, they are an addict!’, ‘ok you spend £400 a month on it, but I heard that Mr X is now spending nearly £800 a month’, ‘you’ve still got a job, you’re not on the street or anything’, and so on.
As soon as you start comparing yourself to someone else, that should tell you one thing – you are not honestly ok with how much you are drinking/using and you should address it now.
- ‘you should be grateful for drink/drugs for helping you cope with the world’
Many addicts report their heads tell them that their drinking/using is a necessity. That their addiction is the happy place and the real world is the dark place.
It’s totally untrue. Drink and drugs create a fake happy, a fake safe place.
There is a happiness and peace that comes with a clean life, one which you simply can’t achieve whilst using/drinking.
- ‘Well if they are, I may as well too!’
All the versions of this lie are so easy to go unnoticed because they create a mood of optimism and happiness which are easily hidden within other people’s responsible drinking/using.
‘the sun’s out, you’ve got to have a beer when it’s sunny!’
‘you’ve not got the kids this weekend, you deserve to enjoy your weekend fully’
‘made it to the end of the week and if Jean in accounts is having a gin I can too’
In isolation, these thoughts aren’t signs of a problem – but be aware of using them as an excuse that fuels an addiction.
And finally, the one useful and 100% true fact that your addiction is accidentally telling you
We’ve been looking at the lies your addiction is telling you and you may see this listed as a classic ‘lie’ an addict in deceit tells themselves.
…’you can stop any time you want’.
Do you know what though? That is true. You can stop. Living a life free from drinking/using is achievable. You are in control and you do have the power to stop.
People like you can, and do, take control and become healthy and happy. We’re not saying it’s easy, we’re saying it’s worth it.
If you feel you need additional help with your drinking or drug use, our Outpatient Detox is totally discreet and tailored to you. You don’t need to ‘check in to rehab’; the treatment is flexible around your life.
Get in touch today for a call back from our friendly, discreet and experienced professionals. We can’t wait to hear from you.
If you feel you need additional help with your drinking or drug use, our Outpatient Community Detox is totally discreet and tailored to you. You don’t need to ‘check into rehab’; you detox from home and the treatment is flexible around your life.
Get in touch today for a call back from our friendly, discreet and experienced professionals.
*for heavy users/drinkers, suddenly stopping can have negative health implications. Seek medical advice before ceasing completely. The NHS has lots of information and advice for anyone confronting their addiction.
