About a year ago I had lunch with a thirty-six-year-old man named Alexander who suffers from extreme depression, has relationship problems, and who is addicted to drugs and alcohol. As stated by Alexander, it is his alcohol and drug dependency and his extreme depression that had the most to do with his unceasing relationship problems.
I recollect hearing that a history of mental health issues, substance abuse, and unhealthy drinking often take place in the same family. In addiction, I remember hearing that under such circumstances, an individual needs to get treatment for both medical situations and that addiction and mental health issues many times occur in the same person.
As explained by Alexander, he is so defeated by his relationship problems and by both of his medical problems that he in essence has little or no ambition to achieve much of anything. What is especially sad about this is that earlier in his life, Alexander managed to finish five semesters of graduate school in organizational behavior.
Alexander’s circumstance makes me question if he is an illustration of a person who can look in the mirror and see his drug abuse and alcohol drinking problems and do something meaningful about these difficulties or if he is a person who has to hit life’s bottom before he gets drug and alcohol dependency rehabilitation that leads to lasting sobriety.
The Need For a Rehabilitation Regimen He Can Believe In and a Therapist He Can Trust
If it would be beneficial I would assume that I could advise him about several websites and blogs that could possibly help him locate info about drug abuse symptoms, the stages of alcoholism, chemical dependency information, and relationship issues. In my honest opinion, nevertheless, Alexander needs to find a rehab protocol he can believe in and follow over the long term and locate a physician he can trust.
I could be in the wrong but it seems to make sense that Alexander more likely than not needs to look honestly at his life regarding his drug addiction signs and alcoholic symptoms and recognize the fact that he cannot use drugs or drink at all if he wants to get sober, stay sober, and start on the route to long-term recovery.
It may be asked how therapy would help his chemical dependency. For starters, there are quite a few newly created doctor-prescribed medications that can help Alexander through his withdrawal symptoms, through the drug and alcohol detoxification process, and help him avoid an alcohol or a drug relapse.
Second, Alexander would learn to admit the fact that there is absolutely nothing productive about drug abuse and careless drinking and that engaging in one or both conditions is the road to legal problems, deteriorating health, a premature death, poor work and school performance, shattered relationships, and financial difficulties.
Third, treatment for his relationship problems and his depression might help him deal with these medical issues more effectively and perhaps create less of a need for him to involve himself in addictive behavior.
The Significance of Support Groups Like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous
There are possibly several other individuals, friends, and family members who would desire to help Alexander with his chemical dependency and his hazardous and careless drinking. He more likely than not would experience greater acceptance from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, then again, instead of getting advice from individuals who drink in moderation or who have never abused drugs.
When People Accomplish Things They Like and About Which They Are Passionate
There’s a school of thought that emphasizes that people who accomplish things they love and something about which they are passionate reach an astonishing place in life. Stated more exactly, when people do what they enjoy, they almost never go through boredom or an uneventful life. If they get involved in something that is satisfying, moreover, they become more whole and experience more satisfaction and delight in life and in their relationships.
When this is thought about even for a few minutes it becomes apparent that this uplifting frame of mind is worlds apart from a life that is centered in drug and alcohol addiction because such a lifestyle removes the pleasure and joy that life offers.
Since Alexander lacks the drive to carry out much of anything in his life, it is apparent that he desperately needs some hope for a healthier lifestyle. And the unfortunate thing is that hope is all around Alexander if he could only get to the point in life to get the counseling he needs for his intense depression and addiction and adhere to his treatment program.
More Solid Relationships, A Wonderful Life, Self Esteem, and Productive Change Are Possibilities
Alexander is clearly too young to be dejected in life. He doesn’t realize this at the moment but if he can learn how to refrain from alcohol and drugs via alcohol and drug rehab and get the counseling he requires for his extreme depression, he can turn his life around and start living with self-respect, direction, and passion.
More positive relationships, positive change, self respect, and a wonderful life are certainly possibilities for Alexander if only he could get motivated to get the medical treatment he requires, follow through with his treatment protocol, live his life in a drug and alcohol-free and healthy manner, and learn how to cultivate a more positive attitude about his existence.