Why Drug and Alcohol Dependency Breaks Down Trust
One of the most challenging parts of recovery from alcohol and drug addiction is the repairing of relationships where trust has been broken. While chemical dependency still remains a problem, the relationships we used to hold dearly often fall by the wayside. The physical and psychological components of addiction often lead us to act in ways we otherwise wouldn’t—leading us to betray those we love the most. During the drug and alcohol recovery process, we learn in inpatient treatment how to eliminate these negative behaviors and lead lives of character and integrity. As we fully begin to understand why drug and alcohol dependency naturally breaks down trust, we become better able to contextualize our broken interactions with others, and can seek greater measures of healing for ourselves and our relationships.
Why Drug and Alcohol Dependency Breaks Down Trust
From the moment we first begin to drink alcohol or use drugs, trust becomes a central issue in our addiction. We believe that we cannot trust ourselves to handle the challenges or negative emotions we face, and we believe that we cannot trust others to lend adequate support. We also seek escape through drug and alcohol use, losing our faith that the Universe will take care of our emotional, physical and spiritual needs. As alcohol or drug dependency develops, the shame and secrecy we must embrace in order to foster its survival isolates us from others further. We leave the circle of trust of our families, friendships, and communities, and place our trust in the next drink or drug high, instead.
Our alcohol and drug dependency becomes all-consuming, and we begin to break the trust we painstakingly built over time with others. Our bosses and coworkers may stop trusting us with important projects, due to our inability to perform at optimal levels or display the responsibility we once did in our work. We find ourselves shattering relationships with loved ones, hurling unkind words and repeatedly breaking promises as we place the addiction in a higher priority than our intimacy with others. Because we are numbing ourselves with alcohol or drugs, we lose our sense of vulnerability, removing our open hearts from each interaction. Chemical dependency also tends to numb our feelings, making us less available to and less empathetic to those around us. Ultimately, as drug or alcohol addiction worsens, we find ourselves lying to, stealing from, and alienating those we love, as we attempt to preserve our need to drink and use drugs.
Recovering Trust in Alcohol or Drug Rehabilitation Programs
Part of any credible alcohol or drug recovery program is a focus on how addiction has affected the relationships. In individualized therapy sessions, we can learn how to confront our past behavior and make amends to those whose trust we have broken during chemical dependency. We also can learn to adjust negative self-beliefs in ourselves, allowing us to gain a greater measure of self-trust, confidence, and integrity.
Related posts:
- Overcoming Trust Issues in Your Relationships
- How to Earn Your Childrens Trust After Drug and Alcohol Addiction
- Regaining Your Child's Trust After Dependency
- Removing the Shame of Drug and Alcohol Dependency
- Why Balance Matters After Alcohol and Drug Dependency
- Common Conflicts That Arise After Chemical Dependency
- Why Physical Abuse Breaks the Spirit
- Low Self Esteem as a Root Cause for Dependency
- Steps to Seeking Help for Drug and Alcohol Dependency
- How Will Romantic Relationships Change After Recovery
- Five Ways to Build Trust in Your Marriage
- Alcohol and Drug Use During the Coming Out Process
- Neurotoxicity in Drug and Alcohol Dependency
- Learning to Trust Again After Betrayal
- Unearthing Root Causes for Dependency With Psychoanalysis
- Signs of Denial in Chemical Dependency
- Freedom From Psychological Dependency
- How Do I Know If I Need Drug and Alcohol Treatment
- How Honesty Can Affect Your Spiritual Growth
- Five Freedoms to Relish in Recovery
