Given how complicated addiction is, the answer to this question is both yes and no. Yes, some addicts do turn to drugs or alcohol in a bid to escape some sort of suffering. No, because not all addicts do that.
There are several ways through which people get addicted. While the end result is addiction, they may have started out using substances for various reasons:
- To fit in with a particular group
- Out of curiosity to see how it feels
- As a way to have fun
- To numb some kind of pain
- To help deal with stress
The last two reasons help explain how people use addiction to escape human suffering. These individuals often start out in some kind of pain. It could be physical, emotional or mental. They may have tried other methods to numb or deal with this pain but nothing worked. So finally, they turn to drugs to self-medicate and stop the pain.
Getting high –being lost in that euphoria- gives them an escape from the suffering that is part of their life. For as long as they are under the influence of alcohol or their drug of choice, they don’t have to deal with their unpleasant thoughts, emotions, or reality. It’s an escape.
The problem is that addiction ends up creating more problems than it’s worth. Once an addiction takes hold, the person becomes preoccupied with getting the next high, hiding the addiction from friends and loved ones, or dealing with withdrawal symptoms. It takes over their lives, often leaving them worse off than before.
We Can Help
At the Robert Alexander Center for Recovery, we understand how painful life can sometimes be. We know how tempting it is to just lose yourself in drugs and alcohol hoping to find some kind of relief or escape. We’ve also seen first-hand how destructive these substances can be.
That is why we’re dedicated to helping our clients receive affordable drug and alcohol addiction treatment. Our Kentucky rehab center offers different addiction treatment programs designed to help those battling addiction to break free. We emphasize using evidence-based therapies in all our treatment programs –from detox to intensive outpatient and outpatient treatment –to improve recovery outcomes.
When you gain admission to one of our treatment programs, you’ll undergo several therapy sessions (both individual and group) where you’ll explore the root causes of your addiction. Our addiction treatment experts will then teach you different skills to help you deal with your pain and emotions. These include communication skills and socialization skills. We aim to help you achieve emotional and mental balance as well as assist you in finding constructive ways to express your emotions and build healthy supportive relationships as opposed to losing yourself to drugs or alcohol.
Contact us today and let us help you beat addiction and reclaim your life.
