For decades now addiction has been a difficult problem to deal with, and many feel that it is something that is completely misunderstood and therefore extremely problematic when it comes to successful treatment. Whether it be drinking or some other form of addiction, the addiction itself is not the cause, instead it is a way for many people to deal with feelings of being overwhelmed and helpless. It quickly spirals out of control when one addiction turns into a cycle, and the cycle keeps one feeling hopeless over a new behavior. While it may relieve many addicts to know that their behaviors are more of a compulsion that many ordinary people have, it should be noted that if you have tricked yourself into believing you are powerless over alcohol or drugs, you may be lying to yourself.
For an addict, often times there is a feeling of vulnerability. If a tense situation arises, for instance a problem at home or some other serious ordeal, the addict may turn to their drug of choice to deal with the problem, thus using the pill or bottle as a substitute for dealing with the situation directly. Many addicts often experience a time frame as to when they will be most vulnerable to their urges. It can happen days, weeks or even hours before their next encounter with drugs or the bottle, but many addicts fall victim to the urges again and again because they did not take the time to find out what drove their addiction. Any event or circumstance that come before the impulse to drink for instance may be a clue of sorts to why an addict can feel so helpless. It is somewhat of a distraction scenario that isn’t positive, the addict should instead be asking themselves what made them so vulnerable at that point.
Paying attention to any single episode of thinking about drinking may not be enough to see the underlying theme behind all of one’s addictive acts. But the more occasions spent focusing on the precipitating circumstances behind that first instant of addictive thought, the easier it is to solve the mystery.
