You’ve probably heard it before – “I had to hit rock bottom before I realized I needed help.” It’s true that you can’t force someone to recover from addiction unless they accept that they need it, but somewhere along the line we’ve decided that this point doesn’t come until the addict has hit the lowest of lows. What exactly is rock bottom, though, and how do you know if you’ve reached it?
Rock bottom can mean different things to different people. A near-death experience can be a definite wake-up call. Maybe you almost got into a car accident while high with a loved one in the car. Your spouse might have left you and taken your child, or perhaps the state took the kid away because of your drug use. You may have pushed away all your friends, lost your job, gotten arrested, or developed a serious medical condition from substance abuse. Any one of these things could potentially be rock bottom, but the truth is that many people carry on using no matter the negative effects, because that’s simply the nature of addiction.
This idea that you have to hit rock bottom can be dangerous, because if you never feel that you’ve reached it, you might never seek help. It’s hard to say where this thinking came from, although one of the 12 Alcoholics Anonymous steps involves acknowledging that you are powerless against your addiction. Some people might take this to mean that there is no hope, or no single incident that can really make a difference.
Sometimes people can recognize that they’re in desperate need of help and still continue using. It could be that some underlying mental health issue is preventing them from getting clean, like depression or anxiety. Maybe they’re punishing themselves for something and think they don’t deserve to live a happy life. Some people are just self-destructive and sabotage any good things that happen to them. You have to learn to love yourself and treat yourself as though you deserve good things before you can truly accept help.
Consider the person you love most in the world – a spouse, family member, child, even a close friend. What would you say to them if they were living your life? Imagine that you had to watch as they ruined their health, pushed away friends and family, lost their job, spent money they don’t have or even began stealing to support a drug habit. Most likely, you’d tell them that they deserve better and encourage them to seek help. If there is someone out there who feels that way about you, you’re not only hurting yourself but the person who loves you. Even if you think you don’t deserve anything good, do they deserve the bad?
Waiting until you reach the mythical bottom is only going to harm you in the long run. Typically, the longer it takes someone to get into treatment, the more likely they are to not complete it or to end up relapsing.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504.