How Does Denial Affect Addiction

How Does Denial Affect Addiction Addiction Addictive Behaviors Print Addiction and the Power of Denial Acceptance is necessary to begin the recovery process By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Updated on April 26, 2019 Astronaut Images / Caiaimage / Getty Images More in Addiction Addictive Behaviors Caffeine Internet Shopping Sex Alcohol Use Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Acceptance is key to accepting and understanding reality, to make change and plan for the future. When we are in a content state, acceptance comes naturally. But when we are hurting, acceptance can be much more difficult and we may enter a state of denial.   What Is Denial? Denial is a state where you deny or distort what is really happening. You might ignore the problem, minimize peoples concerns or blame others for any issues. In terms of addiction, whether its to alcohol or gambling, denial is a powerful coping mechanism to delay facing the truth.   Denial is very common, particularly in those struggling with addictive behaviors. No one wants to identify as an alcoholic, drug abuser or gambling-addict; denial allows them to make the reality more flattering. In denial, a person may resort to various behaviors, including: Minimizing: If the addiction is brought up, the person may act like youre blowing things out of proportion or exaggerating. He or she may say things like its not that bad or people do way more than I do.  Rationalizing: The addicted person will rationalize her addiction, saying shes stressed and needs a little help getting through or that shes earned a reward for her hard work.  Self-Deception: Self-deception is a powerful denial mechanism where the individual convinces himself that things arent that bad or as severe as they really are.   Addicts use denial in order to continue engaging in addictive behaviors. Continued denial can cause destructive consequences, from health issues to harmed relationships.   How Denial Can Be Overcome Unfortunately, overcoming denial is not an easy process. For anyone with an addiction, it often takes hitting rock-bottom, or life gets so difficult that the person is forced to cope with the reality of her problems. It is an opportunity to accept the situation, begin to seek help and move forward.   There are other methods that can help end denial by stressing reality, such as: Therapy: An addiction therapist can help addicts face their problemsJournaling: Keeping a journal on addictive behaviors, whether its writing down how many drinks you have each day or how much money you spend at the casino, can give real proof of the extent of the issue.  Consequences: Negative consequences, such as the depletion of a bank account, end of a relationship or loss of a job due to addiction can be a major wake-up callEducation: Many people simply do not realize they are addicts, but by reading educational materials on specific addictions, may recognize particular behaviors in themselves Denial is a powerful coping mechanism that addicts can use to justify or rationalize their addiction. This is a state that can vary in duration; for some, it may be just a few weeks. For others, it can be months or even years. As long as this state persists, treatment cannot begin in earnest and will often end in relapse. With therapy and support, the addict can begin to accept reality and take the first important steps towards a full recovery.   The 9 Best Online Therapy Programs