Author: Ann Schiebert

Types of Reality Distortion Systems

I’m Not an Addict cont’d

More Things to Resist:

2.  Family members who want you to drink/use with them.  This is a particularly important lure to resist.  If you come from a family in which drinking/using is part of the get together, or celebration, having someone NOT drink/use can be threatening to the entire family system.  Abdicating from the family rituals could highlight their own issues with drugs.  Often, a person in recovery will be told, "Oh yes, I really support your being on the wagon, but just one won’t hurt….come on, for old times sake!"  Resist, resist, resist!  The family dynamic will try to rationalize reasons for relapse.

3.  Relationships based on using.  For many of us in the Reality Distortion System of, "I’m Not an Addict," our organizing practice for social interaction has been using/drinking.  The moment one interacts with old using pals, he/she has entered a using ritual.

4.  Using rituals connected to sports.  For many addicts, beer, pot, wine, etc. have a strong connection to sporting events. Time to take a break from these until there is enough of a support system and enough of a move from the RDS, "I’m Not an Addict," to a Reality Clarity System (I AM an addict).

5.  Driving routes connected to using. Many of us in the Addict RDS, discover ourselves surprisingly in front of our drug dealer’s house without even having a memory of how they got there.  It feels like the car has a mind of its own!  But beware because this is the, "black hole of addiction," in which our rational thought is not accessible and the pleasure center in the brain takes over. Avoid all roads that led you toward purchasing drugs/alcohol.

6.  Boredom. Make a daily plan. I know, it’s a drudge.  Make it anyway.  So often time just flew by because we were high or intoxicated.  Time didn’t matter.  Now, we don’t know what to do with ourselves.  Become involved in hobbies, community recovery supports, volunteering, sports, exercise.  There is absolutely no reason to be bored.

7. Concerts.  These provide a very slippery place for those moving from the RDS of, "I’m NOT an Addict," to the RCS of  "I Am an Addict."  For many people, music and drinking/drugging have strong connections.  In the early stages of moving to your RDS to a RCS, resist attending concerts.