Chemical Dependency in Recovery

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Hi it's Dermot again. If you read my last blog, you will know that this is a follow up to that blog and part of a "Recovery from Addiction Series", If not read on:

Chemical Dependency

 

Chemical Dependency is very hard to explain properly in the context of a blog as I could be writting all night, and you reading all night. If you do want further information on Chemical Dependency, I suggest you Google it Here are a few links you can look at at the bottom of the page.

CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY IS A PRIMARY DISEASE

•          It has Identifiable Signs & Symptoms:

•          -It’s Progressive.

•          -It’s Chronic.

•          -It’s the cause of many cancers or aggravates ither illnesses.

*         -It Kills.

HOW IT EFFECTS US

•          Mentally - Thought functions are distorted.

•          Physically - Deterioration of the whole body.

•          Emotionally - Numbed to feelings.

•          Spiritually - Loss of morals & values.

•          Socially - Isolation.

MENTALLY

•          Psychological Cravings - Thoughts of drinking & using.

•          Denial & Delusion - Incapable of honesty & lives in ulterior reality

•          Distorted thinking -Irrational  negative thoughts.

•          Paranoia - Extreme anxiety and social phobia

•          Black Outs - Memory lapses when intoxicated

•          Memory Loss - Loss of short term memory

•          Psychosis - Complete psychological break down, can be violent.

•          Alcoholic Seizure fits - accute withdrawl from alcohol & some benzodiazapines

•          Strokes - Anurisms due to high blood pressure caused by excessive use.

•          ARBI – Wet Brain or Korsikovs Syndrome.

PHYSICALLY

•          Chemically dependant - Whole body, including cells are addicted to a chemical

•          Throat Cancer - aggravated due to the excessive use of alcohol & drugs.

•          Mouth Cancer - aggravated due to the excessive use of alcohol & drugs

•          Aesophogitis - aggravated due to the excessive use of alcohol & drugs

•          Reflux - aggravated due to the excessive use of alcohol & drugs

*          Coronary Diseases- Can be caused and or aggravated due to the excessive                use of alcohol & drugs

•          High Cholesterol - Will be raised especially due to alcohol

•          Emphysema - Due to smoking cigarettes, hash, heroin and other substances.

•          Lung Cancer - same as above, however alcohol abuse can also be causal.

•          Stomach Ulcers - caused and aggravated by alcohol & drug abuse.

•          Stomach Cancer - same as stomach ulcers.

•          Cirrhosis - caused by excessive abuse of alcohol

•          Pancreatitis - a knock on effect from liver dissorders.

•          Kidney failure - Excessive alcohol use

•          Anaemia - Abuse of all drugs & alcohol.

•          Septicaemia - Especially common in drug users who inject.

•          Hepatitis - Same as septicaemia.

•          Arthritis & Rheumatism - Like ataxia, long term abuse of alcohol & drugs.

•          Ataxia & circulation problems - legs swelling inability to walk properly, very                  poor circulation, high probability of clots & strokes.

EMOTIONALLY

•         Shame & Guilt - Cannot face themselves for the past, continue to use & drink

•         Fear & Anxiety - Fear of fear itself & fear of an uncertain future without alcohol.

•          Self pity & Depression - In ability to take responsibility and action

•          Self Loathing& Very Low Self Worth - same as shame and guilt, self hatred

•          Anger - angry at everything, volatile & reactive.

•          Resentments - Hate the world for their perceived misgivings.

•          Emotional Isolation - Feels very alone even amongst family.

•          Egotistical - Counter acts all the negative thoughts & feelings through inflated             ego.

•          Blame - Like resentments, the inability to take responsibility, full of excuses.

•          Deceit - Lies and dishonesty mainly to protect addiction.

•          Emotionally Immature - stunted emotional growth due to addiction.

SPIRITUALLY

•          Disconnected from Life & Reality - No sense or feelings of Hope, Faith, or                   Love

•          Morally Dead - Cannot distinguish between right & wrong, uncaring.

•          Loss Of Values - No passion for anything.

•          Loss Of Faith - Lost

•          Hopelessness & Suicidal - Desperation, attempted & completed suicide.

SOCIALLY

•          Social Rejects - People will not want to socialise with them

•          Cannot face other People - Full of fear and paranoia

•          Irrational Fears - Always predicting that only the worst will happen

•          Stop Socialising - Isolates, agrophobic

•          Become a Recluse - as above

•          Job Loss - due to absenteeism, or under the influence at work.

•          Un employable - no confidence to look for work or unfit to work.

•          Family rejection - eventually family cannot tolerate anymore.

•          Drain on state & family resources - disability, un employment assistance,                     multiple admissions to Accident & Emergency Departments and Jails.

DEFENCE MECHANISMS

•          “It’s the Only disease we will deny having” through Ego, expressed as:

•          -Denial & Self Deception.

•          -Diversion & Not sharing specifics.

•          -Isolating.

•          -Overly Compliant & Busyness.

•          -People Pleasing.

•          -Rationalizing & Minimising.

•          -Inappropriate Humour.

•          -Blame & Attack.

•          -“I will go to the grave defending what put me there”.

•          -All this is fuelled by self:

“FEAR”

•          If someone gave you a bottle of Poison to drink & you know that if you did it                 would most likely kill you,

•          Would You drink it?

•          Alcohol & or drugs have been doing it for years.

If you are reading this article in "Recovery from Addiction Series" Chemical Dependency, then hopefully you are in recovery or are a family member. In that case you won't have to be suffering any of those symptoms anymore. It is a very sobering thought though, as anyone in addiction, including me, are only ever only an arms reach from the next drink. All it takes is one drink or one drug to bring it all back.

"I would not wish that existance on my worst enemy, so why would I even contemplate going down that road myself again. I've been in that hell and when you've been to Hell, everything else is Heaven."  

My next article is on Choice, stay tuned.

The articles in "Recovery from Addiction" Series, are the opinion of the author and if you would like to contribute to it, please leave a comment in the comment box below. If you want to subscribe, for free, to any further blogs of mine please leave your email in the blue box below.

Recovery is about growth and everyone does grow at a different pace. My advice to anyone in early recovery is to wait at least 2 years before making any major life changing decisions that might have emotional ramifications. An example: get a mortgage, get married, change career, emigrate. In light of this everyone has dreams and we all do want to better our lives in one way or another, so it is important in early recovery to start to put those dreams into reality by creating achievable goals which can be reached in time. I found in my early recovery, although I had dreams, I wasn’t aware of creating goals and my life unfolded by default. It turned out well for me, but had I had clear goals, I do feel that it would have been even better.

I do try to learn from my mistakes, and that is why they are little miracles in themselves that happen for a reason. I am a growth seeking being I will continue to seek change in myself. What motivates me is the Pain – Pleasure, which moves me away from my pain points (a lack of finances, time & peace of mind) to my pleasure points (freedom of finances, time & peace of mind). The way I have found to achieve this freedom and to move away from the “Groundhog Day” of life is through on line marketing. I have taken this step into the abyss, I’m not tech savvy at all, and with the support of SFM, I am working my way through it. The internet is here to stay and is the future for all of us, so don’t get left behind because it is gaining momentum. If you want to learn what I am learning and are in a point in your life where you want change, then I offer you, through my mentors, a no obligation FREE 7 day video series to watch.

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/media-guide/science-drug-abuse-addiction-basics

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/media-guide/science-drug-abuse-addiction-basics
 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substance_dependence

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