Addiction and Isolation: The interaction of the two

Suffering from addiction is one of the loneliest feelings you can imagine. There used to be a stigma surrounding substance abuse, addiction, and other mental health disorders, which is why someone can feel alone. There was a false perception that people brought addiction on themselves and no one was brave enough to talk about it. 

Fortunately, the veil has been lifted and the general public is educated enough to know addiction is just as serious as any other illness and affects millions of people. Loneliness and isolation seem to remain common amongst addicts and can make the addiction and any other underlying mental health issues much worse. Therefore, there are a few important points that people who suffer from addiction need to know.

Why Do Addicts Isolate in Addiction?

One of the first questions people often ask when it comes to addiction is why people with this disease isolate in the first place. People who end up addicted to alcohol or drugs are using these substances to cope with other issues that might be unfolding in their lives. People use alcohol and drugs to cope with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and more. They’re using these drugs and other substances to hide from their feelings and escape from reality. Some of the feelings they often experience include fear, guilt, and denial. These emotions can quickly build and lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed.

It’s this feeling of helplessness that’s associated with the actions above that drives people to isolate. If an individual has suffered from verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual abuse, the feelings can be much more intense. Isolation can lead to broken relationships and make the addict feel even more alone. This cycle can have a terrible impact on someone who needs to recover.

Why is This So Bad?

Isolation can lead to serious problems. During isolation, people can feel like they can’t connect with others on an emotion or physical level. They feel disconnected from the outside world. Side effects of this are depression and can worsen the impacts that come with substance abuse. Some people might even feel like there is nobody who cares about them and feel total despair. 

As a result, people won’t feel motivated to reach out and ask for help. People do have the capacity to beat addiction; however, they cannot do this on their own. They need to admit they have a problem and ask for help. 

How Can Someone Get Help?

Trying to get out of the cycle of loneliness and isolation requires work on the addict’s behalf. First, they’ll need to grieve their separation from drugs and alcohol. When someone is struggling with addiction, the only friends they seem to have are drugs and alcohol. Therefore, it’s normal for someone to experience somewhat of a grieving process as long as they know this friendship was toxic and destructive.

Then, they need to reach out and talk to family members and friends. Make amends with them. Generate peace with them. The people who have always been there are going to continue to be there no matter what. These relationships might be damaged and broken but they can be repaired.

Let Us Help You!

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, please let us know. We’re proud to serve the greater Los Angeles area and want you to know you are not alone. Contact us today to get on the road to recovery. 

 

Tips for Explaining Depression to My Mother

Explaining depression to anyone is a difficult task unless they have experience with it. However, explaining it to someone you love is even harder. For some people, there’s no harder person to explain depression to than their mothers. Because of that, it’s common for them to ask, “What are some tips for explaining depression to my mother?” How Should I Go About Explaining Depression to My Mother? Admitting that you have depression is just the first step in getting over it. Next, you need to let others around you know that you suffer from depression. This step includes talking to your mom about it. Since this task could be the hardest, you might ask, “What are some tips for explaining depression to my mother?” Get Help From a Rehab Center First, you have to ask yourself why you’re afraid to tell your mom that you have depression. If you’re worried that she won’t understand, then you might want to get professional help. Addiction and depression treatment centers tend to offer dual diagnosis treatment for those with addiction and mental disorders such as depression. For this reason, they can break the news to your mother in a peaceful way that she can understand. In fact, rehab facilities often offer family therapy. This service acts as an educational course for those who don’t know much about addiction or other mental illnesses. It’s usually part of a dual diagnosis program. Through this counseling method, you can gain professional assistance to tell your mom. Starting the Conversation If you want to do it yourself, the first step is just to start the conversation. Believe it or not, there isn’t a special strategy. Remember that she’s your mother, so you should be able to talk to her about anything. However, you could try beginning the conversation by saying that you have something to talk to her about. Afterward, simply explain how you’ve felt recently. Remember not to get too emotional. Instead, stay calm to help your mother stay calm as well. Plan Out What You Will Say Lastly, if you don’t know what to say, it’s hard to explain depression to anyone. Before you approach your mom, plan out your wording. In the end, you’ll likely feel better about telling her once you work out everything that you want to say. Get the Help That You Need Today to Overcome Depression and Addiction Getting treatment for depression is important because it can quickly lead to substance abuse. At Grace Recovery, we help people with comprehensive addiction and depression treatment. We aim to provide quality treatment that you can count on. Some of the services that we offer include: On-site detox Residential treatment Aftercare Meditation Acupuncture Get more answers to your question, “What are some tips for explaining depression to my mother?” Don’t let the fear of telling your mom keep you from getting treatment for depression. Reach out to us today at *DM_DirectNumber format=period* so that we can help you.

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