Addictive Thinking Understanding Self-Deception

Addicts often experience low self-esteem, feel incompetent, feel worthless, have inferiority, inability to use will, have delusions of grandeur, have lots of anger, are always right, life is unfair, self-centered, self-righteous, can be jealous, hypercritical, obnoxious, inconsiderate, feel cheated, and expect to be put down, criticized, and rejected. Often time’s addicts believe that disaster is inevitable and they can sabotage themselves.

       Often times an addict may suffer from a mental illness too. What may be normal to a person that is a non-mentally ill may be viewed different for someone who is mentally ill. They have irrational thinking and can often reject rational arguments. They also have a different concept of time, they don't want a delay, and the concept of the future doesn't apply. Since their thinking is distorted they take drugs to feel justified and complete. Addicts are like people who get sunburned , they can be withdrawn, clingy, possessive, provocative, don't often believe in God because they feel they are God and experience omnipotence which is the feeling of having unlimited power.
        Denial, rationalization, and projection are the 3 most common traits seen among addicts. Denial is not lying necessarily because lying is conscious while denial is unconscious or willful so often they don't know they are doing it because of the irrational thinking. Rationalization means they have good reasons instead of true reasons, divert attention from the truth, and preserve the status quo which it's often why addicts don't think they have a problem. Projection is placing the blame on someone else.
        They can feel guilt and no shame. Guilt is what they have done; shame is who they are which can lead to corrective action. Guilt can be undone by making amends but amends can't change defective material that they feel they are made of. This can be helped by support from counseling; people who have had similar experiences, and people they care about. They can feel futile to change, don't want to be powerless, must believe they are adequate person, but can become a constructive person if they have they love and support from their family. This will add color to their life.

The 3 C's for an Addict's Family

• You didn't cause it
• You cannot control it
• You cannot cure it