Denial is a commonly used word in drug and alcohol addiction. Many times when someone doesn’t repond to therapy or a particular program, it is often said that they are still in denial about their problem. If a client is unco-operative in group, or one to one settings, often denial is the reason given.

What is denial?

A simple explanation might be a failure to realize or acknowledge the seriousness of a condition or it’s consequences.

Is denial limited to drug and alcohol addiction?

No. not really. When people are told of the seriousness of any medical condition, there is a percentage of clients who will deny what is actually happening to them. Many people with high blood pressure, or advanced heart disease, do not change their ways. Many don’t even take their medications properly.

The same is true with drugs and alcohol. The interesting thing is that the percentage of people in denial is about the same regardless of the condition. It is no more prevalent in addiction, than it is in obesity, heart problems or cancer. It just gets talked about a lot more in addiction. Denial is a problem, but it isn’t the only one.

A comment was sent in the other day asking about rapid detox. This is a medical procedure in which withdrawl is induced while under a general anesthetic. While the client is asleep a drug is infused in their bloodsteam that removes all the narcotics from their body rapidly and efficiently. The worst part of the withdrawl, from the standpoint of physical symptoms takes place while sleeping so there is no discomfort.

Depending of the clients previous level of usage, the anesthetic make take from one to four hours. The client then wakes up in theory up to 90% through the worst stages of withdrawl. From that point onward it is like any other detox with different drug regimens available to cope with the remaining pain and anxiety. Other drugs may be prescibed and implanted to prevent relapse.

The drawbacks of this procedure boil down to two things. It is a medical procedure with some risks that can only be evaluated by your physician. The other is the cost. It runs from $5,000 to $7,000. Without insurance many clients cannot afford it.

Drug and alcohol addiction thrive on indecision. Is this the right choice? Is this the best decision for me? Do they understand my unique situation? These sometimes can be the circle of indecision or perfectionism that leads to no where but more suffering. Questions are always good. Finding qualitiy information to answer those questions is also a great endevour. There does come however a time to make a quality decision based on what you know. Most decsions do not require you to know 100 % of the availiable information to make a good choice. If you know 80 % you will most likely make a great choice. The extra 20 % will reqire a monumental effort to get and most likely will not affect your final choice.

You will never have perfect answers. The search for the perfect solution will just keep us stuck in the rut we are in. With drug and alcohol addiction that means more damage to our bodies and our minds. It also means more destroyed realtionships in our families and our lives. After doing a good and reasonable amount of fact finding about your problem. make a choice and follow it.

As you go down a new path you can always look for ways to improve your decision. You can always make new destinctions that will turn a good desion into a great one. A great life is not a “perfect life”. Find a really good drug rehab and work on improving your life. You will never find the perfect program, it doesn’t exist.

When talking about drug addiction and drug rehab is far too easy to get jaded and moralistic. It becomes very easy to forget that a human being is connected to every story and that without exception, no one set out to become an addict. No one planned to get physiologically and mentally dependant on a drug or alcohol. This is not to mean we are not responsible for our lives and our actions, but sometimes in all the rhetoric it is easy to forget how difficult and uncomfortable withdrawl can be.

Drug and alcohol withdrawl and detox can be very uncomfortable. Even with some of the drugs to switch and taper off with it is still no bed of roses. People need compassion and support during these times. Encouragement, which is free to give, can be one of the most potent and helpful drugs of all. Find an competent physician and detox, and move forward. It is no cakewalk, but the results are worth it.