When addiction takes over the brain, it creates a break in realities attached to drug or alcohol use. Causes for relapse can be varied, but find one common source: the broken thoughts addiction tells men who are fighting for recovery.
It Wasn’t That Bad
Addiction is not one to readily accept responsibility or face up to the truth. Instead, addiction lies, manipulates, deceives, and avoids the truth as steadfastly as possible. Addiction doesn’t believe that the consequences of its chemical dependency on mind altering substances were that bad. Rather, addiction chooses to believe that the good times were all the time and the bad times were merely bumps in the road.
Men can fall into the trap of this broken thought if they start engaging in “euphoric recall”. Telling “war stories” can have a purpose in connecting with others. Ultimately, telling tales of the “good old days” is supposed to serve as a warning: things with addiction can be good, really great, until they get bad- very bad. Unfortunately, euphoric recall can lead the brain in another direction. The more golden day stories the brain tells, the more the brain forgets about the days of struggle, sickness, and despair. As a result, the brain starts to chemically believe that addiction wasn’t that bad, that things could be different next time, and that recovery isn’t the right lifestyle for you.
You Can Have Just One
Once the brain starts believing that addiction wasn’t all that bad, it starts rationalizing and justifying reasons to use again. The greatest delusion faced by all addicted or alcoholic men is that they can return to a state of normalcy regarding the consumption of mind-altering substances; which is to say, they can have just one. For decades, men attempting recovery have proven insanity to be true to its definition about having “just one”. Insanity is conversationally defined as trying the same thing over again expecting different results. Men have tried to drink or use “normally” only to relapse into problematic behaviors. Part of the reason men try and fail over and over again is because of addiction’s attachment to taunting just one.
The man who creates change creates himself. With our innovative treatment programs and adventure based recovery, we’re transforming men’s lives inside and out. Call Tree House Recovery today for information on our men’s addiction treatment programs in Orange County, California: (855) 202-2138
