Often as family members of an addicted or drug abusing person we find ourselves frustrated especially when we want to help our loved one and they seem to be buried in denial. When we speak to the individual we hear from them some excuses that top the charts. If we do not know much about recovery ourselves we can fall victim to their stories. We call them “Myths”.
Myth number one; I can control this on my own! When you hear messages like this especially when they come from an individual that is successful in other areas of their lives we tend to want to believe them. But the truth is many of us have tried to convert our successes of other areas of our lives into recovery success and failed. Recovery takes work to overcome addiction, there is no magic pill!
Myth number two; AA or NA does not work for me! This is a common myth, the truth is it is not that AA or other twelve-step programs do not work. It is usually the case that the individual did not do the work AA suggests.
Myth number three; The president of AA (or NA/CA/CR) does not think I am an addict! This is a bold one, because no one at AA or NA would ever tell an individual that they do not belong! Additionally there is no hierarchy in AA, there is no president just trusted servants.
Myth number four; I just can’t get to meetings, they are at 7 o’clock and I can not get away from work in time to make it. The truth is there are meetings every day at nearly every hour of the day in most of the towns across the United States, Canada and the world!
Myth number five; It’s not that bad! If it was not that bad then you would not be reading this!
Myth number six; The people there are not like “us”. The truth is whether it is inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, AA, NA, Smart Recovery or anything in between there is a place for you or your loved one. Certainly if you drive to a meeting in the inner city and you are a farmer you will find people that are of different, cultures, educational achievement, race, ethnic group etc… However, the fact of the matter is you will always be embraced and valued.
Myth number seven; I am unlucky! People that have lost jobs, failed out of college, been charged with DUI, or other drug or alcohol related crimes or challenges are not unlucky they are affected! Two plus two always equals four no matter how you add them up.
Myth number eight; I can’t do it! Wrong, wrong, wrong, recovery is there for everyone. No one is hopeless. No matter what the drug or how far down the scale of life people have fallen there is help available and people can, do and will recover if they take action!