There are many barriers that get in the way of long-term addiction recovery, from addiction stigma to provider access and more. Yet one that’s common to most people’s experience is the hurdle of denial in addiction. Denial often keeps you from owning up to the fact that you have an addiction in the first place. So how can you move beyond the addiction denial stage and finally break through to lasting healing?
Understanding the Common Recovery Stages
As we explore addiction denial, it’s important to understand the six common stages of recovery needed to achieve long-term sobriety:
- Acknowledging your problem: The first step to healing from addiction is admitting you have one. This means moving past any denial in addiction that you may have.
- Quitting your substance use: You physically stop using addictive substances.
- Getting help: You obtain professional help for your recovery at an addiction treatment center.
- Learning proper coping strategies: You develop healthy self-soothing techniques to keep addiction triggers at bay in recovery.
- Staying accountable: You understand the consequences of your addiction and seek accountability from your community so they don’t happen again.
- Having a long-term foundation: The skills, knowledge, and support systems you have in place help you to pursue recovery on a daily basis.
What Does Denial in Addiction Look Like?
Accomplishing the first recovery stage doesn’t happen if there’s denial in addiction. You’ll never take the next steps to change if you don’t believe there’s anything that needs changing.
Denial is something that everyone can experience, no matter your life circumstances. When you’re unable or unwilling to face the facts, denial acts as your mind’s defense mechanism when your situation gets tough, shares Harvard Health Publishing. Being in denial means you are struggling or refusing to accept what seems overwhelming or stressful, according to VerywellMind.com.
When it comes to addiction denial, you will distort the reality of what’s happening with your choices and actions. You may ignore any consequences of your substance use and tune out concerns expressed by your loved ones. If you are aware of the negative impact of your substance use, you may blame others instead of yourself.
Denial in addiction is a very common experience. Denial becomes a coping mechanism that keeps you from acknowledging your problem and enables you to keep the status quo. It is also incredibly difficult to admit your problem when you’re in the midst of it. Consequently you may go through various stages of addiction denial, including:
Typical Stages of Addiction Denial
- Minimizing: You don’t view your substance abuse as really that bad. You may feel that others are blowing it out of proportion.
- Rationalizing: You think you deserve the opportunity to use, whether it’s to help you relax, get through a tough time, or reward yourself for your accomplishments.
- Deceiving yourself: You convince yourself that your behavior is actually good for you, or that it isn’t something to worry about right now.
- Shifting blame: You view your need to use substances as someone else’s fault, not yours.
- Compartmentalizing: You think your addiction is only harming yourself and doesn’t affect your family, relationships, and work responsibilities.
Why Does Addiction Denial Happen?
Denial in addiction can occur for a number of reasons. Addiction denial may insulate you from your fears of others’ judgment and the resulting shame. It may make you feel better to view your addiction as “just a phase” that you’ll eventually get over and not see it for what it really is.
Denial can also be an easy way out. You may have come to accept your addiction as part of your life and identity. You view your substance abuse as something that helps you fill any voids. This denial allows you to avoid the hard work of facing your problems and pursuing recovery.
Replacing Denial in Addiction With Reality (and Recovery)
If you think you (or your loved one) may be in denial about your addiction, how can you get past this addiction denial stage and begin your recovery journey? Some practical ways you can overcome denial in addiction and embrace reality include:
- Seek therapy: Getting professional help allows you to gain a healthy outside perspective. A therapist will help you recognize your addiction as a real problem and provide you with the tools you need to start recovery.
- Realize the consequences: Take inventory of the consequences your addiction has caused you and your loved ones. Let this be your wake-up call to make changes.
- Educate yourself: Learning about addiction through online resources, articles, podcasts, and books can help you overcome denial by identifying addictive behaviors in your life.
- Journal: Write down the actions you took each day and reflect on how they’ve affected you. Soon you’ll notice trends of substance abuse and the ensuing consequences.
Break Through the Addiction Denial Stage Today
Don’t let addiction denial keep you from the healthy, substance-free life you deserve. If you’re ready to finally embrace reality and start your recovery, we can help at Sana at Stowe in New England. Our compassionate, holistic drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs can help you overcome denial, heal the root causes of your addiction struggles, and learn to live a sober life. Call our team today to get started.
