All too often, I see clients plagued by addiction and have yet to admit that they have a problem. Be it alcohol or drugs, the outcome is the same, where their thinking becomes skewed and irrational. Trying to navigate through life with this dark cloud over your head makes it impossible to control your behavior, let alone seek therapy. With this problem being at the forefront of all that you do, tending to other psychological issues adds to the ongoing onslaught of mood swings, bad decisions, and tenuous behavioral outbreaks. These outbreaks fringe upon relationships with parents, spouses, and friends who suffer embarrassment, confusion, and the unbearable thought of losing that loved one. These outcomes become ignored because the user of these drugs or alcohol can’t see beyond that next injection, that next snort, or that next drink.
The question remains: How long can the avoidance of excessive use continue before something tragic occurs that ends your life or damages you so severely that the normal function of the body is seriously impaired? Sadly, this has become a reality, and many never recover, let alone find help. Is the denial that great that one loses sight of what’s essential to a life that means something? The answer is yes! The denial continues, and reaching that person becomes impossible, where other modes of aberrant behavior become prominent and controlling.
As a therapist, not being able to connect with a client in a reasonable, logical way is frustrating. Still, I understand the personal dynamic faced by those who are addicted and that the addiction will get worse if the habit isn’t corrected. Those who read this sobering article know that your acceptance is the first step toward a new beginning, but it won’t be without challenges. Getting the help you need requires admitting you have a problem!
This Article was Last Updated On: March 21, 2026
Wow, it is like you are looking at my life with a loved one without knowing us. To say it is hard dealing with this situation is an understatement. You feel lost and sad.
To watch your child decline for any reason is disappointing especially when this decline is due to their negligence. When this child/adult fails to seriously assess their emotional condition to determine the reason(s) as to why they abuse alcohol or drugs, the habit is not only drinking or using drugs but the overbearing life condition that brought them to this point of abuse. Addictions are the end result to a life condition that has never been addressed. In order to master the use, one must first admit how it all began and that beginning is what requires treatment.