How many times have you thought about reaching out to someone but then stopped yourself because you were worried it had been too long since your last contact?
How often have you thought about asking for help but stopped yourself because you didn’t want to “be a burden” to a friend, family member, or neighbor?
Too often, people get stuck in their heads and find reasons to stop themselves from doing things that might make them happy or asking for help when it is really needed. This applies to getting treatment for mental health or help for drug addiction too. People think about getting help but let their minds put up mental roadblocks. But admitting you need help for addiction does not have to be as big a deal as you think.
Admitting You Need Help For Addiction
Admitting you need therapy for drug addiction isn’t easy because the science of drug addiction doesn’t want it to be.
Drugs change the way your brain functions, lowering the efficacy of the prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain that encourages good behavior, moderation, and rationality. At the same time, drugs increase the efficacy of the other parts of your brain that reward impulsivity, risk-taking behavior, and drug abuse.
So you not only have the science of drug addiction working against you, but you have your natural urge to rationalize your behavior.
Rationalizing behavior looks different for everyone.
- Some people see the signs that they need help for drug addiction, but then they figure they haven’t hit rock bottom yet, so there isn’t a “real” problem yet.
- You might be close to admitting you need help for addiction, but then you look at other drug users and figure you aren’t “as bad as that” yet, so there isn’t a “real” problem.
- You might feel embarrassed or ashamed, so you don’t ask for help.
Whatever the case may be, you don’t have to wait to get therapy for drug addiction.
Getting Help for Drug Addiction
Rock bottom doesn’t have to be a “goal” that you aim for before getting help. You can raise the bar on “rock bottom” by simply agreeing you are ready for help because you are tired of how drugs make you feel.
Addiction can impact:
- Mood
- Sleeping pattern
- Cognitive abilities
- Appetite
- Physical health
- Decision making
So if you are tired of feeling tired, angry, or stressed, reach out to facilities like Liberty House to learn about therapy for drug addiction.
If you are tired of feeling like you have no control over your life, you can make a simple phone call or send an online message and get information on how you can break free of addiction with a residential treatment program.
If you are experiencing consequences of addiction, like problems with your relationships, don’t wait until the relationships cannot be fixed. Ask for help at any point. There is no shame in reaching out to treatment centers, and the longer you avoid it because of mental roadblocks (I haven’t hit bottom yet; I am not as bad at that guy; I don’t want people to judge me), the worse things can get.
If your job performance has diminished, don’t wait until you are fired to get help. There are laws protecting those who want to get therapy for addiction. You can contact Liberty House to learn about our programs, government protections, and how you can take time off work to get treatment today without anyone else knowing.
Tips for Getting Help
Still, those mental roadblocks can be a challenge. To really come to terms with the fact that you need help, you need to recognize that “help” means support from others.
- Find someone you trust and tell them you need help with drug addiction. You don’t need to make a big announcement to your entire family. You can find one trusted person who might be able to support your decisions and help you make that first call.
- Be honest about your situation. If you aren’t honest about why you want to get help for yourself or others, you won’t be able to find the right rehab program.
- Accept help from others. Admitting you need help for addiction can open you up to a world of support from others. Your family might want to participate in family therapy programs with you. Friends might want to visit you. You will have access to a supportive care team during your stay. You will make new, sober friends and connections during treatment.
Whatever happens, know that you are not alone. Everything is confidential, so your information is protected. The sooner you simply pick up the phone or email, the sooner you can have a confidential source for help. There is nothing to fear about asking for help. Call our team today.