BROADCASTS.com

We all know about the first denial associated with addiction. The person that hasn\u2019t been using substances or engaging in troubling behavior for very long. They are able to maintain some normalcy and can even hide their addiction. As they spiral downward, everyone around them can see what is happening; they are clearly addicted. But denial is real, and the person is quite literally blinded to the fact that their lives have become unmanageable and they need help. Interventions are staged, loved ones are brutally honest and usually, the individual is able to come to grips with the truth. They can admit that they are sick and can\u2019t do it alone. They accept help. It\u2019s a major step in the process of recovery. Some even say it\u2019s as much as half the battle.\xa0\nThe individual abstains from the addiction and seeks help. In the absence of their addiction, they have been able to find clarity. They gain tools to cope and the soul that seemed to be dead or greatly diminished returns to full health. It\u2019s a miracle. Loved ones often say things like, \u201cThe real (enter name here) is back!\u201d The person who was out of control earlier has now attained newfound happiness. They make amends, gain back trust, embark down a path of healing and restoration of their lives and families. They have triumphed. It\u2019s human nature to want to declare victory and rest from the battle. Bask in the glory of overcoming great adversity. But what happens when a year or more into sobriety, something happens and relapse occurs? Shame comes screaming back. \u201cI\u2019ve been through so much, I\u2019ve overcome so much, I\u2019ve earned so much trust back, I don\u2019t know what happened, but I\u2019m ok. I\u2019ll get back on the right path. Nobody needs to know I took some steps backward.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m strong, I know how to recover, I\u2019ve done it before, I can do it again.\u201d \u201cWhat would people think if they knew I had slipped up again? I don\u2019t need help with this because I\u2019ve learned all there is to know about addiction, seeking help now would only bring negative consequences, I\u2019ll double my efforts in private. I can do it alone.\u201d\xa0\nThis second great denial is more dangerous than the first, it\u2019s often more fatal. It\u2019s why almost all of the people you know who have overdosed and died seem to have been doing so well. They had achieved some long term recovery. They had figured it out. It\u2019s a shock. It wouldn\u2019t have been a shock years earlier when everyone could tell they were struggling. But it\u2019s so surprising now. That person was stuck in the second great denial. Unable to admit that they once again, needed some help. They couldn\u2019t do it alone.\n\n--- \n\nSupport this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/comethisfar/support