Anxiety or depression can cause a great deal of emotional pain. Unfortunately, a number of people choose to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs, which can make matters worse. Most of these substances are themselves depressants, and others can make you very anxious.
Far too many people sit alone in their rooms and drink the night away because they are too scared to change their bad habits or ask for help. Does this sound familiar? Dealing with your emotional pain in this way won’t get you anywhere. If the behavior continues, you can become addicted, which brings a very large set of problems along with it. Alcoholics and addicts live shorter lives and have less fulfilling relationships (if any at all), and many hide from reality until they sober up or die. Is this the life you want for yourself?
Addiction to anything makes you selfish, and when you exhibit that behavior, it puts other people off and pushes them away. If you are a person who gets a lift from drinking or taking drugs, ask some (sober) friends if you have a different personality when you are under the influence. You may not realize that you have been behaving badly, and knowing the truth could help you stop the self-destruction. However, if you are only asking your drinking buddies what they think, you are not really asking.
The illusion that you are better, stronger, more attractive, or more likable when you are intoxicated may give you some false bravado and allow you to socialize in ways that you can’t when you are not self-medicating. The problem is that you will be your old self again very shortly and probably not feeling great about what you did the night before. The truth is that drugs or alcohol may make you think you are together when the opposite is true. Understanding that the effects of intoxication are only temporary and will actually set you back may help you reconsider abusing substances.
Sometimes getting help can be difficult, as the addiction may keep you from seeking out the support you need to break the habit. You may find individual counseling to be a better resource. Seventy-five percent of people who get sober don’t do it through rehab or AA. They do it with a therapist. It’s important to find someone with experience in the field. An evaluation by a psychiatrist may also be helpful if you have mood issues. Taking medication may help, but it’s important to take it only under the supervision of a licensed professional.
Additional assistance may be only a mouse click or a phone call away. You can contact the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service at 800-662-HELP, or go to www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov to locate a substance abuse treatment facility near you.
The bottom line is that alcoholism or drug addiction will directly interfere with your ability to have relationships. No relationship can survive it. If you want to keep what you have or expand your horizons, it’s worth giving up the habit.
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