Millions of people across the globe suffer from different kinds of drug addiction, but only a small percentage seek treatment – this is despite the fallouts, wreckage, loss, heartache, among other consequences.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) says that 96 percent of people actively addicted to substances and not seeking help believe that they don’t actually need it. The rest 4 percent felt that they need treatment but they don’t seek it or didn’t find the help they needed.
While the struggle is deeply personal, people fail to seek help, here are the most common reasons why they don’t seek help for drug and alcohol addiction.
Top 3 Reasons Why People with drug addiction Don’t Seek Help
- Denial
One of the biggest factors that allow addiction to drugs, gaming, and eating disorders, among others to thrive is denial. This denial makes a person oblivious of the actual roots of their problems. While many people who have an addiction know that they are struggling in life and that they are depending on their addiction to cope, they may not realize that it is the cause of all their problems.
A failed relationship or job loss can drive someone to abuse drugs while blaming someone else for their problems. This is instead of realizing that the drinking or the drugs was the very thing that subjected them to losing those things.
- Shame
The stigma surrounding addiction to drugs and alcohol, for instance, has prevented many people from opening up about their struggles. It has made them find it difficult to admit there is a need for addiction treatment.
Shame, therefore, becomes the biggest barrier to seeking drug and alcohol treatment. When someone experiences shame, they feel unworthy of help or attention, and that makes them feel like they aren’t worth saving.
- Fear
Fear is real, and what many people going through addiction dread is going to rehab center – or what recovery may mean. Recovery isn’t a one-time thing; it is a lifelong journey and commitment that is made every day.
Recovery takes motivation, determination, and courage, to enter a program for drug and alcohol addiction treatment. Sometimes, it can be emotionally and physically tasking, and this is what many people fear to go through.
This is particularly so if someone has entered a recovery program before and relapsed. They may be afraid of another letdown. But the good thing is, all these fears can be surpassed. The willingness or desire to get help is a good step towards achieving recovery from addiction.
What to Do for Help?
If you or a loved one feels that it is time to get help, it is important to act quickly. Have a plan in place and talk to a drug treatment specialist ahead of time. You have to remember though that when people are in active addiction, they can create any possible means of avoiding help, so, be prepared for this.
The earlier the intervention, the sooner the individual can return to normal development and healthy functioning. Don’t let denial, fear, and shame deter you or your loved one from seeking the one thing that will change your life. Seek help today!
