Betrayal as a Root Cause of Dependency

For many, betrayal lies at the root of drug and alcohol dependency issues. Whether we have experienced deep betrayal by an immediate family member, a close confidante, a boss or a trusted caregiver, we often carry the experience with us. Perhaps worse, we carry the implicit messages that betrayal bears—that we are essentially unworthy of fidelity and honesty. For some, the solution is to keep their guard up, while others repress their feelings by burying them in drug and alcohol use.

The Prevalence of Betrayal as a Root Cause of Dependency

Perhaps the primary reason that betrayal is such a frequent root cause of dependency is simply that acts of betrayal transpire so often in our society. Studies estimate that nearly 40 percent of women and 60 percent of men will betray their partners by engaging in extramarital affairs at some point during marriage. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, approximately 1.3 million women and nearly 835,000 men become physically assaulted by an intimate partner each year. Every two minutes, another woman is sexually assaulted in the United States, and nearly three-quarters of rape victims experience heartbreaking acts of betrayal, raped by people they know and often trust.

The Emotional Pain of Betrayal and Chemical Dependency

The second reason that betrayal frequently lurks behind alcohol and drug dependency is that these feelings are exceptionally difficult to deal with. These acts of betrayal cause deep emotional and physical pain that often leads victims of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse to self-medicate in an attempt to cope. Sometimes, the simple knowledge of such serious betrayal can lead the psyche itself to self-protect with denial and repression of emotional and mental pain.

Sadly, alcohol and drug recovery programs that do not seek out and address emotional root causes with adequate counseling or hypnotherapy often overlook emotional pain buried deep within the psyche. Some dependent individuals may remain repressed, without experiencing the knowledge of betrayal in their conscious minds. Because the emotional effects of betrayal have never been treated, relapse often occurs until dependent individuals receive professional treatment that seeks out and heals their emotional trauma.

Related posts:

1. Low Self Esteem as a Root Cause for Dependency
2. Rejection as a Root of Dependency
3. Revealing Dependency Roots With Art Therapy
4. Depression and Alcohol Dependency
5. Unearthing Dependency Roots Via Hypnotherapy
6. Explosive Anger and Chemical Dependency
7. Denial as a Defense Mechanism
8. Obscuring Emotional Pain With Dependency
9. Hazards of Unresolved Emotional Pain
10. Why Physical Abuse Can Lead to Dependency
11. Acknowledging Your Emotional Pain
12. How to Tell If You Have a Chemical Dependency
13. Criminal Activity and Drug Addiction
14. Common Relapse Rates in Drug Recovery
15. Signs of Buried Emotional Pain
16. Types of Denial in Dependency
17. Can Dependency Be Cured
18. Physical Symptoms of Cocaine Dependency
19. Healthy Ways to Express Emotional Pain
20. Taking the Fear Out of the Withdrawal Process