There are plenty of people who are dealing with addiction to substances of various kinds, but they won’t admit it. They may be what the medical community calls high-functioning addicts. These are individuals who, despite meeting all the criteria of addiction, can still perform at work, have relatively healthy relationships with those around them, etc.
Addiction treatment in Los Angeles is available for people who feel they’re either addicted to a substance or are close to reaching that point. What if you have someone in your life who you feel needs help, though, and they’re not willing to get it?
There’s a secret to dealing with addiction denial, and it’s worth talking about, since these situations happen more often than you might think. Let’s discuss that secret right now.
Have an intervention
Having an intervention for someone who you believe is an addict or who is starting to exhibit addiction behaviours could not be considered a secret. Most people know what an intervention is and how it can be potentially beneficial.
The secret is in how you approach the intervention. You need to make it as impactful as possible if you hope to crack the shell of denial that this individual has built up around them. That can be challenging, but it is absolutely possible if you carefully plan what you’re going to say beforehand.
Run down the ways this person’s behaviour is impacting you
When you have the intervention, make sure that all the individuals in this person’s life who mean the most to them are present. That might include family members, teachers, their boss or co-workers, or anyone else whose words will have an impact.
When each of you speaks, be sure that you explain in detail how this person’s behavior is affecting you. Try to be as specific as possible, taking examples from real life. If you can describe particular ways that this individual’s addiction behavior is having a negative impact, that might be enough to get through to them.
Shatter their illusions
Many times, the addict has created a story in their head that does not match reality. You need to persuade them that the way they’re seeing the world is not the way things really are.
Try to appeal to them on a human level with an emotional appeal. This is not about attacking them, accusing them, or delivering an ultimatum. Rather, you are trying to convince them that you are coming from a place of love.
Make sure they understand that you’re attempting to work with them to come up with a viable solution. Be ready with counterpoints and arguments that can break through the false narrative with which this person has been living.
None of this will be easy to do, but you need to be ready for a confrontation. You’re about to provide a wakeup call to this individual that is probably going to be most unwelcome.
It’s critical that you take this action, though, or the problematic behavior will likely continue.
Jeffrey Grant, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.
