<If you put your mind to it, you can achieve anything>, <where there’s a will, there’s a way>, or <with determination, anything is possible>. These are motivational phrases that in certain contexts are useful and help motivate oneself to achieve a goal. However, in the case of addictions, they can be harmful.
Desire, willpower, or determination alone will not be sufficient to recover when a person suffers from a substance abuse disorder. Addiction is a disease, and like any other disease, wanting to recover will unfortunately not guarantee success in overcoming the addiction. Therefore, professional help must be sought. CCAdicciones offers you a detoxification treatment so that the desire to overcome an addiction becomes possible and you can do so with complete safety. Regardless of the addiction, and whether it is a substance or behavioral addiction, we have a treatment.
Willpower Is Not Enough
Addiction is a disease that is completely stigmatized and judged by society. An addict, and even a former addict, carries the stigma of being or having been an addict. They are labeled for having an addiction, which causes feelings of guilt and shame that lead them to hide it.
Willpower and addictions are often linked. For a long time, addiction has been associated with a vice, and it has been claimed that those who use substances do so because they want to, and that if they do not stop, it is because they have decided not to. Associating overcoming an addiction solely with having strong willpower is a mistake that will prevent going further and truly understanding what addiction is and what it entails. The danger of giving credibility to this false belief affects multiple aspects.
Debunking Myths
According to the premise that everyone is responsible for their actions and that when consuming a drug, it was the user who decided to do so, we could highlight different observations. Making this statement is staying on the surface of the problem, as various elements may have pushed an individual to use drugs. A difficult family, work, or financial situation, a mental health problem, or social pressure, among many other factors.
No one starts using substances with the intention of becoming addicted. Moreover, everyone thinks that although that possibility exists, it will not happen to them. Consumption can be used as an escape route because it is momentarily seen as a solution to their problems. The individual may not even be aware of the repercussions their act of consuming may have and does so for recreational purposes. A poor decision, such as consuming a substance several times in a row, may be enough to develop an addiction if the person has the necessary genetic predisposition.
The danger of thinking that willpower is sufficient to overcome addictions will pose a problem for the addict’s family members. They may believe that every time the addict swears they will stop using and then relapses, breaking their promise, they do so because they are a selfish person incapable of leaving their vices behind. An addict is a sick person who struggles to control their impulses and behavior due to the overwhelming need they feel to use.
For the addict themselves, linking <if you want to, you can> to overcoming an addiction will also have negative repercussions. They may desperately want not to use because of the harm they are causing their family and themselves, and yet be unable to achieve it. This fact makes them feel bad, think they are weak, and blame themselves for not wanting it badly enough.
The Importance of Attitude in the Recovery Process
Although having willpower will not be synonymous with overcoming an addiction, having a positive attitude and the desire to abandon this toxic habit and start a new life will contribute to achieving the ultimate goal: not using.
It is true that being determined to recover, being motivated, and having self-determination to face an addiction will be positive and facilitate the recovery process. It is important to have a positive attitude and believe that one is capable of saying goodbye to drugs forever, but always complementing it with a detoxification treatment supervised by professionals.
Seek Help to Overcome Addiction
Two people can consume the same drug and dose for the same amount of time, and one may be able to make the decision not to use anymore while the other cannot. Despite wanting to stop, they are unable to. That is, one of them develops an addiction and the other does not. Is the one who continues using doing so because they want to? Will willpower be sufficient for addictions?
The fact that there are people who can use drugs and not develop an addiction, and others who, on the contrary, develop a very strong dependence with just a few doses, is what serves as the basis for fueling the myth that individuals who continue using do so because they want to. There are other factors, such as genetic ones, that cause a person to develop an addiction and their brain to be affected by the disease.
Addiction Treatment
It is common for the first reaction, both from the addict and their family, to be thinking they can overcome an addiction on their own. Therefore, seeking help from addiction experts is postponed. And although in a smaller percentage it may be possible to succeed alone, it is extremely complex. It is not the norm, all guarantees will not be in place, the chances of relapse will be higher, and a severe withdrawal syndrome will be experienced.
The most effective way to overcome an addiction is to seek help from professionals to begin a detoxification treatment. In such a difficult situation, neither the addict nor their family should bear the responsibility of overcoming an addiction on their own. It is not necessary. That is why addiction experts exist who, thanks to their knowledge, will teach you the method and tools to overcome addiction. Ultimately, their mission is to make the entire recovery process easier.
CCAdicciones is a therapeutic, detoxification, and rehabilitation clinic that offers specialized treatment to combat addictions, with intensive support, special techniques, and a proprietary method.
There is always a way out
Willpower and addictions are intertwined terms. However, it is important to make clear that willpower alone will not be enough to overcome an addiction. If you want to stop using a substance but find yourself unable to achieve it, at CCAdicciones we can help you. Our medical team will advise you on the treatment that best suits you, depending on your case and circumstances. It is essential to fully adapt to each of our patients, as no two cases of addiction are the same.
Get in contact with us to begin a recovery process. With the necessary help, overcoming addiction is possible. Feel free again and regain control of your life.
