When I was in the throes of active addiction, a period of my life that is now more than sixteen years behind me, I was on a crash-course to my own demise. There was no talking to me. I had loving grandparents that tried to get through to me, the only ones in the thick of it who never gave up on me, but I didn’t listen to them.
I stole from them. I stole from others. My whole life was consumed by the vicious cycle of being in severe emotional pain, and the constant need to keep numbing that pain. I understand active addiction because I lived it, but I came out of it—a story I share in my book Free Yourself From Yourself and the program I teach that goes along with it.
Are you worried that you or someone you love may be headed towards addiction—or may already there? Here are some signs to look out for.
Self-medicating—when partaking becomes less about being recreational and having a good time socially, and more about numbing pain
Hiding usage—when the user doesn’t admit to others just how much is being consumed, and how often
Avoiding social situations—when bowing out of an activity is preferred because it may impede the ability to imbibe
Mismanaging priorities—when everything else in life centers around the substance, leading to missed days at work, not paying bills on time, and more
Engaging in self-destructive behaviors—when the user will do anything to get a fix, even if it goes against the user’s health or morals, or compromises the user’s financial stability
Stashing the “goods”—when the panic of not being able to partake of the object of the addiction sparks the need to keep supplies on hand, but hidden from others
Blacking out—when the user overuses so badly, they can’t remember what they were doing when they were using
Not being able to stop—when the user can’t give up using
Denying there’s a problem—when the user can’t face or admit that their addiction is controlling and ruining their life
If you find yourself or someone you love exhibiting any of these signs, it’s time to get help.
As long as you have breath in your body, it’s never too late to turn your life around. Learn how with Free Yourself From Yourself. Order your copy today.