Handling Emotions

Even without the problems that substance abuse brings, life can be a real struggle for an individual that is unable to handle their emotions. Without emotional maturity, it is virtually impossible to find real happiness. Adults who don’t mature emotionally are also more likely to engage in substance abuse. They turn to chemicals as a means to escape the pain caused by their emotions. It becomes a catch-22 situation, because addiction arrests further emotional development, and they become stuck.

When an addict decides to enter rehab facility and finally gives up alcohol or drug use, they will need to once again focus on their emotional development. If they fail to do so, they will struggle to build a comfortable life away from their addiction.

You often hear that the first step to recovery is recognizing that you have a problem, and need help. But what if your loved one is resistant to drug treatment? What should you do?

The answer, unfortunately, is complicated. Family and loved ones typically advocate seeking help faster than a drug or alcohol addict. While this situation is normal, it is no less frustrating. Professionals call this stage “resistance” and admit that it is one of the most difficult and complicated situations to treat.

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.

Anxiety can lead to substance abuse

Anxiety is something that most people experience before something significant occurs in their life – this could be sitting a test or making a public speech. Occasional anxiety is not a big deal, and can even motivate some to perform better. For others, anxiety becomes a far more destructive force in their life, and can be made worse by alcohol and drugs. In some instances the symptoms of anxiety will be what drove the individual to substance abuse in the first place, but it is also possible for the individual to develop anxiety problems as a result of their alcohol or drug intake.

Uneasiness and apprehension about future uncertainties

People who suffer from anxiety are three times more likely to turn to substance abuse than those who do not have such symptoms. Anxiety is a feeling of fear and concern. It can also be described as a state of uneasiness and apprehension about future uncertainties. It is normal for people to experience a bit of anxiety from time to time, but for some people such feelings can cause a disruption in their life

One of the most difficult things to do, especially for a loved one, is to watch them battle addiction. For many of us, our first instinct when seeing someone in trouble, especially for parents, is to help. But many times this “help” is actually hurting – and you could be enabling addictive behavior.

How do you know? Like many issues dealing with drug or alcohol abuse, there are no easy answers. What’s worse, realizing that you are enabling addictive behavior is a difficult emotion to deal with – and many enablers make excuses for their own -- and their addicted loved one’s behavior.

Two Different Diseases, Similar Symptoms

Once again, after “Jerry” came down off his high, he was left feeling sad and depressed. He often felt lower than before he got his fix. This has been going on since college, maybe even high school. Every time it was the same thing. He’d be feeling down and then have a drink and pop some pills to feel better. This was his cycle, although each time after he came down, he’d feel worse and worse. Everything had been going well in his life; family, career, church, friends, people counted on him.

But lately, his concentration has been lacking and he’s been showing up late or not at all. The promises he’d made to his kids were often broken. His wife would often be angry and until she finally stopped talking to him. His co-workers were often left baffled by his behavior. Jerry had become unreliable and despondent. His boss finally confronted him about his behavior and attitude. “What’s the matter? Do you need help, he asked?”

People who are trapped in addiction can suffer greatly. Their obsession with alcohol and drugs can lead to the destruction of everything they hold dear. It is usually obvious that their addictive behavior is the source of the misery, but the individual may still be unwilling to change. This is because there is comfort in familiarity and change takes a great deal of courage because it is a step into the unknown. it is vital that people summon up the necessary courage to move forward.

There is no doubt that entering recovery is a courageous move. Change is never easy – even when it means that people are leaving a miserable situation for a much better one. Embracing change during recovery takes courage, because recovery is a process and not an event. Becoming sober is just the first step; there will be plenty more challenges ahead.

Pushing against an immovable object is an exercise in frustration, and a big waste of time and energy. Yet for many of us, we do just that when we refuse to fully accept ourselves as we are, warts and all. There are just some things that have to be accepted for what they are. For example, a person may be born with a set of genes that could make them prone to certain diseases. There is nothing an individual can do about their genetic inheritance; all they can do is try to work with what they have. This is acceptance – the ability to effectively “be okay” with things beyond your control.

Self-acceptance can be defined as an unconditional affirmation or acceptance of self, in spite of weaknesses or deficiencies. True self-acceptance is attained when an individual is able to accept those realities, and does not feel the need to protest or change it. Self-acceptance is also liberating, since the individual who has truly accepted themselves has nothing to hide. At 12 Palms Recovery Center, we believe that In order to find happiness in recovery, it is important that an individual develops at least a certain degree of self-acceptance, because living a successful life is as much about recognizing individual limitations as it is about taking positive action. This philosophy allows individuals to focus on those areas where their efforts will be most fruitful.

It’s a situation no manager ever wants to be in. Something is wrong with your best employee, and you just can’t put your finger on it. Maybe their work has become careless or sloppy. Perhaps their breaks have gotten longer and longer. Or maybe their once professional appearance has slipped due to poor personal hygiene.

These are just some of the warning signs they may be abusing drugs. But if you suspect an employee is an addict, what should you do? Here are some steps you can take to help get your employee — and your company — back on track.