We do not want to admit we have a problem

Without a shadow of a doubt, even taking in to account a degree of denial, we absolutely know we have a problem with alcohol, drugs, eating or gambling way before we decide to ask for help with our addiction or dependency.  Whilst our addiction is negatively affecting all our life areas including work, health, financial, social, and personal relationships, we continue with this spiralling daily destructive thinking and behaviour.

No matter what age or gender, anyone can be susceptible to developing an addiction. The time it takes for it to start to negatively affect us will be different for everyone but ultimately we will all need help. The trend, however, is usually later rather than sooner. The arguments “I’m too young to have an addiction,” “I don’t drink spirits,” “cannabis isn’t really a strong drug and I have been smoking it for years, “I’m using laxatives as I need to lose weight before I go on holiday,” are just the excuses we use to try and convince others there is not a problem.

In reality, we know there is and so do they!!  Yet still we daily persist with our addiction – that has not been enjoyable for a long time – but due to our body becoming tolerant we need to drink, drug, gamble etc more to try and get the pleasurable feeling we used to get.  However, that feeling has now been replaced with depressive mental episodes, paranoia, isolating from others and suicidal ideation. 

Generally, we will see our GP and get prescribed anti-depressants but this medication is completely nullified by alcohol, drugs and our associated behaviours so it does not work. We think we should be feeling better but the combined situation actually makes us even more depressed.  The only way to stop the downward spiral getting worse is to accept that we need help sooner rather than later.

We also delay because we are afraid to give up our ‘crutch’ and cannot envision a life without it.

What is the impact of delaying asking for help?

One area that has seen a huge unnecessary rise in convictions – when there should have been a reduction – is for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  From the year 2014 to the year 2022 there has been a rise of 40% and, at the time of publication, convictions for “over the limit” for alcohol or drugs were, for the first time, nearly equal. It is a growing problem with evidence that 1 in 20 fatal crashes are due to drug driving in the UK. Driving under the influence of cannabis doubles the risk of a fatal or very serious accident and driving under the influence of cocaine increases the risk by a factor of 10.

What is very clear is that just because we haven’t had a drink or drug for a few hours it could still be in our system.  For example, it takes one unit of alcohol one hour to leave the body either via urine or on our breath.  Therefore, should we get stopped and breathalysed, we will more than likely be over the limit even driving to work or the supermarket early in the morning.  We know we should not be driving if we have used a mood altering chemical – and that includes alcohol – but for some inane reason we think we are not going to get caught and get behind the wheel without the slightest consideration for the lives of other road users. 

Once we have been caught, it seems to be the tipping point for the decision to finally agree to be admitted to a residential addictions  rehab or detox clinic. This will be something we have resisted before. Even now, our motive  may be to get a lesser sentence or penalty if the magistrates / judge think we have taken steps to make changes and have sought professional help.  We may still not want to really give up our drinking or drug addiction. The reality is that even if we do not want to admit we have an addiction with alcohol or drugs we really do  know that we have a problem with them and therefore we should never  ever take that option of getting behind a wheel.   

We will usually try other options before residential addictions rehab

At The Haynes Clinic we get a proportion of people who, before they have been admitted for treatment, have taken the step of going to a hospital A and E only to be discharged after 24 hours as the hospital’s policy it that they will not now block a bed with someone who has an addiction. Others have seen their GP but there is very little that they can offer and there is also the local Drug and Alcohol team whose teams are very financially stretched and are unable to offer immediate help.  These factors can delay the process for anyone wanting help. 

The only real option for immediate help is through the private sector and being admitted to a residential specialist addictions treatment facility.  Certainly, this is the only option for anyone needing an immediate medicated detox from alcohol and certain drugs.  The delay in taking this option is usually  down to the individual taking many months in trying different options to cut back by “doing it their way” – which never works but allows the addiction to create more damage in their life and the lives of others around them.

Addictions treatment is not cheap

However, accessing private residential addiction treatment does come at a financial cost. Many will find the price too much without the additional help of family members contributing.  This could be due in part to their not taking steps to address their addiction sooner so they have ended up losing their job.  It is becoming more common for those people who have decided not to prolong  getting help for their addiction to take two weeks holiday from their place of work and to be admitted  into a residential  addictions unit to be helped.    Also, as their care comes under the doctor attached to residential addiction clinic then the medical notes are not shared and need not go on someone’s general medical record without their permission.   

More younger people are now going to into residential addictions treatment

Over a reasonably short period of time the general age for someone  accessing residential addiction treatment has come down substantially.  This is in part due to the long lasting effects of the pandemic and the working from home regime.  People in their 20s or 30s tend to delay asking for help as they think that, being so young, their problems could be a phase or they believe that others that they mix with are behaving in a similar manner.  It is important that people are challenged by family and friends about their unacceptable behaviour as they themselves do not always see it.  They need to accept that people around them are not being critical of their behaviour to be unkind but are being constructive and caring in wanting them to  get help sooner, rather than later, when more damage may have been done.

Generally, people seek medical help immediately if they feel they may have a health condition.  It is unbelievable, but true, that it is the last thing that anyone with an addiction does, even though it is ruining their life. People should seek help sooner way before they damage their physical health or are affected so much mentally that they consider that taking their life is the best option. People who seek help are shown how to change their thinking and behaviour and get a life free from addiction. The choice sounds like a no brainer….