No doubt, if you have a loved one who is are abusing drugs or alcohol you’ve probably heard all the excuses in the book. And if you are abusing, you’ve probably used them all too. Here are some common myths addicts convince themselves are true, but are not.

I can stop anytime I want

For an addict, using alcohol or drugs make them feel in control of their lives. Many addicts convince themselves that they only use by choice -- that they can stop anytime they want. But in reality, it is just the opposite. Drug and alcohol addiction controls the lives of the addict so much, they harm themselves and the ones that they love. Addicts cannot stop themselves, they need help from a treatment facility or program.

An intervention can be a powerful tool a family can use to encourage someone who is abusing drugs or alcohol to seek the treatment they need. However, a poorly executed intervention can actually make matters worse. Here are 5 things not to do during an intervention.

Prescriptions for Opioids, or Painkillers

Over the past 20 years, prescriptions for opioids, or painkillers, has increased more than tenfold. And, not surprisingly, painkiller addiction has also tripled in just the last decade alone. While you may think these drugs are not as dangerous as “illegal” drugs, the truth is, according to Centers for Disease Control, painkillers kill twice as many people as cocaine and five times as many as heroin.

High Risk of Addiction

Opioids, such as oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and meperidine (Demerol) are among the most powerful painkillers available. Originally designed to treat severe acute pain, such as following surgery, opioids are being increasingly used to treat chronic conditions such as arthritis, migraines, or back pain. This is highly controversial, however, because opioids target the the same brain receptors as heroin and carry a high risk of addiction.

Finger-Pointing Doesn’t Help

“Whose fault is it that I’m an addict?” Depends who’s doing the asking… Many people with the disease of addiction or alcoholism believe they are born that way. Please note, this blogger does not intend to go into any kind of deep psychological essay about the nature of addiction or physiological aspects of the disease. I am here to share to my experience and strength and hope; that an addict, any addict can stop using, lose the desire to use and find a new way to live. That’s it. I, personally, do believe that I was born with this disease.

When I first came to the program of Narcotics Anonymous in the spring of 1995, I had no idea I was an addict or that I even had a disease. I learned in Step One that I’m powerless and that my life is unmanageable. Come to find out, I have a disease, not a moral deficiency. The disease model, in the NA definition, works for me (and countless others) in that we can see ourselves more humanly. We were slaves to the drugs. Rather than me being a bad person, I was a sick person that made bad choices. I have a disease that tells me that I don’t have disease. It is also the only disease which I can self-diagnose. The First Step frees me: Every day, I admit I’m powerless over my disease.

Pain is Subjective

A bad car accident, a slip and fall, a pulled muscle, surgery… the list is endless as to why we must take pain medication. As varied are the reasons, so are the different medications available, depending on the type of injury from over-the-counter pain relievers like plain old aspirin to Schedule 2 (Class 2) drugs like Morphine and Oxycodone. According to the US Department of Justice, Office of Diversion Control, Class 2 drugs “have a high potential for abuse which may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.” 1 This is the US Government telling us that these drugs are highly addictive!

One of the first preventative measures begins with telling our doctor that we are in recovery. Although many, if not most doctors are aware of the precautions in prescribing pain medication, they may not be aware of your history of alcohol or drug abuse. This is why it’s imperative to be honest with our health-care providers, so as not to invite disaster.

How does one learn to be helpless?

Learned helplessness…sounds like an oxymoron, right?

The idea of ”learned helplessness” originated from experiments on animals. Researchers would put a hapless creature in a situation where they were faced with unpleasant stimuli from which they tried but could not escape. Eventually, they just accepted their situation and stopped trying to escape. Even when researchers added a means of escape, they would fail to make use of it. They had learned to be helpless.

How do you know when you’ve hit it?

We’ve all heard of the term “hitting rock bottom”…but where exactly is it? Is it the same rock bottom that others hit?

For many, “rock bottom” is a point an addict reaches when they are finally willing to seek help. Things are now so bad for them that it is impossible to deny their problem anymore. Hitting rock bottom may result due to a particular event, or it can be a slow decline over time.

Substance Abuse Among the Elderly is a Growing Concern

Because of the unique life challenges that older people face, they are particularly vulnerable. Not only do they have a higher risk of abusing alcohol and drugs, but they are also a part of the population that tends to be ignored, as most media attention on substance abuse focuses on younger people. However, as the elderly population is projected to grow in the U.S. and other western countries, it is likely to become a greater problem in future years.

Senior substance abusers tend to fall into two categories:

• Those who have managed to live past 65 years of age despite the fact that they have abused alcohol or drugs for many years.
• Those who turn to alcohol or drugs later in life in order to deal with their changing life circumstances:


• - Loneliness
• - Grief due to the death of loved ones
• - Boredom/ lack of meaningful employment
• - Health concerns/ chronic pain
• - Reduced cognitive functioning
• - Fear of getting old
• - Family problems
• - Financial hardship

A Hidden Epidemic

Elderly substance abuse is sometimes referred to as a hidden epidemic, because it can be a lot harder to diagnose substance abuse in older people. A primary reason is that tools used to diagnose substance abuse tend to be biased towards younger people; there is often a focus on the ability of the individual to fulfill work commitments and family responsibilities. However, older individuals tend to have fewer such commitments, so it weakens the effectiveness of these standard diagnostic tools.

There is no doubt that, for many addicts, facing their addictions head-on at a rehabilitation facility can be a difficult process. But what loved ones often do not plan for -- are the even more difficult days following an addict's time at a recovery center. The truth is, the first few weeks after rehab can be even worse worse for the struggling addict. They leave the facility facing shattered relationships, uncertain futures, and many times unemployment or even no place to call home. What’s worse -- they face these terrifying issues with less support than they had at the facility.

The first few weeks after treatment are critical to preventing a relapse-- and there are several things an addict can do to reduce the likelihood of relapse.

The impact of addiction is felt well beyond the person struggling with the disease. Family, friends, co-workers, and even neighbors can be impacted by the many problems addiction brings.

Lies, violence, legal troubles and more bring hardships to those around you -- and many times those with loved ones abusing drugs or alcohol suffer a wide range of emotions. Feelings of guilt, anger and everything in between can be especially difficult for those closest to you -- such as parents, siblings, spouse or partner, and most of all, children. One family member addicted to alcohol and drugs means the whole family suffers.