Dealing with addiction denial

At its core, addiction is defined as the continued engagement with a behaviour or substance despite negative consequences. This means that if we are addicted to cocaine, for example, we will continue to use cocaine even if we are starting to feel it casting a shadow over our lives. Lots of people deal with addiction denial. This can be a huge barrier to acknowledging there is a problem – and, therefore, to getting help. But why is addiction denial so common, and how does it manifest? How do you approach this problem in others and learn to identify it in yourself?

What is addiction denial?

The basics of denial

We’ve all experienced denial before – the difficulty in accepting something as truth. When this happens, we refuse the truth – often, because that truth is hard to live with. Denial is, in short, a ‘state in which a person is unable or unwilling to see the truth or reality about an issue or situation.’

The risks of denying addiction

We may initially think of denial as a useful emotion. It allows us to carry on without our lives, even if it feels like things are crumbling around us. But this is only sustainable for a while. If we deny something, we can risk (either consciously or inadvertently) burying our heads in the sand. This kind of response to difficulty is usually a defence mechanism to help us manage dangerous or harmful situations that are tricky to process. One of these situations is addiction.

The support group Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) work on the tenet that acceptance is one of the key principles that underpin recovery. Without acceptance, we cannot move forward with our lives. In essence, then, denial acts to position us in a kind of stalemate – unable to recognise our addictions, and therefore, unable to act against them. This can lead to a deepening of addiction, and also a rift forming between us and those around us.

The risks of consistent addiction denial can be severe, as continued engagement with substances or difficult behaviours can lead to:

• Deterioration in physical health
• Exacerbation of chronic stress
• Drug-induced (or exacerbated) mental health symptoms
• Increased risk of financial difficulties
• Increased risk of social isolation
• Increased risk of educational or occupation difficulties
• Increased risk of drug-related death
• Increased risk of overdose

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, ‘prevention efforts and treatment approaches for addiction are generally as successful as those for other chronic diseases.’ This means that addiction is a treatable condition, and you do not need to live with the consequences of addiction for the rest of your life.

However, most people will struggle to access treatment until addiction denial has been broken and recognition has occurred—the acceptance of this position as the key component standing between recovery and severe, life-changing risk.

The link between addiction and denial

As we can identify, the risks of addiction denial are potentially life-threatening. But how and why do so many people experience addiction denial?

There are many factors feeding into this. To fully understand addiction denial, we need to consider how a dependency or substance use disorder can lead to psychological and physiological changes and how these changes can, in effect, perpetuate the cognitive distortion that we ‘don’t have an addiction.’

Cognitive distortions

A cognitive distortion happens when we start to think in ‘irrational thoughts that can influence [our] emotions.’ Arguably the biggest cognitive distortion in individuals dealing with substances is either that what they are experiencing ‘is not that bad’ or that they ‘need’ their addictive stimulus to cope. When we have relied on something to ease difficult thoughts and feelings for a while, we begin to associate that behaviour with self-soothing. It then becomes tricky to extricate ourselves from that act, as we can find it hard to know that the thing we turned to for help has actually caused us harm. This can lead to us denying that we have an addiction.

Physiological changes

Addiction is not just a psychological phenomenon. It is also a biochemical one. Substance use disorders, in particular, have the power to alter the way we process information, interfering with several components of our central nervous system in a way that leads us to see the substance as a friend, not a foe. These changes include:

• Reward system changes (due to dopamine surges)
• Cravings and withdrawal symptoms (perpetuates the belief that the drug makes us ‘feel better’ as it eases withdrawals)

Recognising denial in yourself

It can be hard to suddenly ‘snap out’ of addiction denial. But there are ways you can look out for it. Addiction denial can look like this:

• Claiming that the drink/drugs/behaviour is not the problem
• Claiming that you are not addicted as you do not drink/use drugs as much as others around you
• Claiming that you are not an addict because you still engage with responsibilities
• Claiming that your substance use is not your fault and is due to situational stress or previous experience
• Claiming that you are using/drinking less now so that the problem is gone

You can also use the above points to help you recognise addiction denial in a loved one.

Supporting yourself (or a loved one) through addiction denial

Managing this kind of relationship to addiction is quite complicated. This is often why addiction counselling is used in order to help individuals establish a clearer understanding of the role certain substances or behaviours have had in their lives and how they can work to address this. However, there are ways to begin to tackle addiction denial before accessing support. You can begin this journey by:

• Being objective about your substance use (i.e. keeping a written record of what is used and when)
• Learn about addiction
• Use addiction self-screening tools or tests
• Trying to avoid minimising
• Being honest with yourself and those around you about your physical engagements with substances
• Begins honest with yourself and those around you about your feelings towards substances
• Making a list of the tangible ways that substance use has impacted your life

The aim of overcoming addiction denial is to regain perspective. When we live in a situation for such a long time – especially when we come to believe that the situation is helping us survive difficult times – it can be tough to reconfigure this relationship. If addiction denial is preventing you or a loved one from moving towards recovery, it may be time to access formal support. One of the most common early steps is a brief intervention – a form of support designed to help individuals recognise addiction facilitated by an objective clinical specialist.

Get help

At Primrose Lodge, we know that addiction is a very heavy weight to bear alone. This is why we strive to offer the best specialist, confidential support in the sector.  We provide individuals struggling with dependency the opportunity to engage with innovative treatment. Our rehab programmes are fully flexible and unique to you. From addiction counselling to monitored detox, all our interventions are facilitated by clinical professionals. Take the first steps towards lightening the load of addiction by contacting our team for an initial consultation.