One individual shared their story on The Guardian of a close friend who struggled with addiction, and the frustration they experienced from being lied to about their friend’s desire to seek treatment. Here is an excerpt from their story: “As her story collapsed, my anger increased. I knew this trip [taking her friend to rehab] was going to be a fiasco, turning into diversions and demands…I also knew she had a serious habit again, and was going to want to use now. It was clear she didn’t really want to go to rehab.”
Too often, we hear exactly what we want to hear from our loved one (“I think I’m ready to go to rehab now”) only to be dismayed when they fall short on their promises (“I just need a little bit more time, that’s all”). It’s frustrating to be told time and time again that they will seek help, only for more excuses to arise. Why do our loved ones lie to us?
It’s not that our loved ones necessarily mean to lie to us or throw us around in uncertainties – addiction has a painstakingly misguided way of “hijacking” the brain for much of its functionality. Harvard Health states that the word “addiction” is derived from the Latin term “enslaved by” or “bound to”; when drugs are consumed, the neurotransmitter dopamine (responsible for feelings of pleasure) is released in the brain as the drug’s chemicals mimic those that are naturally in the brain. From there, the hippocampus (responsible for memory) stores memories of pleasure associated with the drug – as the brain becomes used to these feelings of pleasure, it eventually learns a habit of functioning based off of the drug’s effects. This is why detoxing from substances at home can be deadly – quitting “cold turkey” or without proper monitoring can really be harmful to the brain and body.
At this time, your loved one’s brain is so focused on obtaining and using drugs that their brain is telling them to do nearly anything to satisfy that craving. For some with addiction, it takes hitting “rock bottom” or getting into legal trouble to get into rehabilitation – for others, family interventions really pave the way for seeking help after consequences have been addressed.
Transform your life, inside and out as you find freedom from addiction. At Tree House Recovery in Orange County, California, we’re helping men create the sustainable changes necessary to build a sustainable recovery. Call us today for information: (855) 202-2138
