Symptoms of Addiction
Symptoms of Addiction. In our experience, the inability of an individual to maintain healthy relationships and manage their emotions effectively lies at the heart of addiction.
Consequently, addiction spreads rapidly within families. We estimate that each addict impacts at least three relatives on average, altering their relationships through various negative behaviours and emotions shared with the addict, which can hinder recovery to varying degrees:
Denial:
Patient – I can quit whenever I want. I don’t have a problem.
Guilt:
Patient – I’m a failure; I always fail when I try to quit…
Shame:
Patient – I let down those who believe in me. I can’t ask for help…
Anxiety:
Patient – I need to do something else, consume more, or consume less…
Loneliness:
Patient – No one can understand what’s wrong with me, not even I can…
Codependence:
Patient – I can’t stop manipulating to get what I want and need…
Desire for Control:
Patient – I just need to stop using cocaine for the week. If she went with me to parties, I wouldn’t get drunk.
Impotence:
Patient – Nothing I’m trying is working. I can’t stop using…
Denial:
Family member – Our family member doesn’t have a problem or it’s temporary and manageable.
Guilt:
Family member – What have we done to make him/her this way, or what can we do to help him/her change?
Shame:
Family member – We conceal the behaviours and consequences of my addiction or our family member’s addiction.
Anxiety:
Family – What should I do or not do? What if…?
Loneliness:
Family – I can’t share this with anyone or find someone who understands and can help us.
Codependence:
Family member – I can save him/her if I devote more time to him/her.
Desire for Control:
Family member – If I set limits and rules, if I yell at him, if I’m nice, if… I can change him/her.
Impotence:
Family Member – I can’t change my affected family member or rid myself of my feelings.