Justifying an Addict’s Actions
It’s tough to believe your loved one is an addict also because you’ve convinced yourself that all of the constant excuses you make are valid. You even start to frequently justify their addiction.
“It could be worse, they could be dead or hurting other people.”
“They’re not addicted. I know they can stop at any time. It’s no big deal.”
“This is only a phase and it’ll pass.”
“As long they eventually make it back home after a while, it’s not so bad.”
Blaming Yourself for their Addiction
Another reason why it’s tough to realize your loved one is an addict is because you feel if you accept it, your fear of self-failure and defeat becomes real. You can then start to blame yourself for their addiction and begin to feel strong emotions of pain and embarrassment. No one wants to feel as if they’ve failed their loved one, because part of your love is to protect them from harm’s way. Thus, you fail to believe and accept someone you love is an addict, making it tougher to finally come to the realization that they indeed are.
Some choose to ignore the problem altogether and become so strong at ignoring their loved one’s addiction that they grow convinced there’s no addiction to begin with. Others choose to not acknowledge their loved one’s addiction because they fear if they do and confront them, they’ll offend their loved one. The thought of them being in a recovery program or at a treatment facility center may not sit well with them at first, and it also be hard for you to deal with when you imagine it.
Realizing their Addiction isn’t Your Fault
It’s important for you to realize that this isn’t your fault, nor can you control this in any way and you can’t fix it at the snap of a finger. The emotions that you feel are all normal, because after all you are a human being. However, it’s important that you do the right thing and acknowledge your loved one’s addiction to start their process of getting help and treatment for a successful recovery.
Is there anyone close to you whom you fear may have an addiction? Do you suspect someone close to you may be unwilling to acknowledge one their close loved one’s signs of addiction? Think about some of the before-mentioned obstacles and how they apply to you.
To begin a loved one on their road to recovery from their addiction, call The Discovery House today at 888-962-8208.