Dr. M.K. (Khal) El-Yousef, founder of Fairwinds Treatment Center, located in Clearwater, FL, uses a dual diagnosis process to treat patients who suffer from alcoholism and other addictions. Under this type of methodology, Fairwinds will first study the patient's background. After finding the underlying psychological cause for the addiction, they will treat him or her with a combination of clinical and therapeutic practices.
Part of these treatments involve breaking the vicious cycle of excuses that addicts use to continue to feed their destructive ways. In part one of our two-part series, we look at five excuses to look out for if you believe someone you know could be an alcoholic:
1. "I have a good social life and still have my job"
A study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that if one spouse is more of a heavy drinker than the other, the chance they will divorce increases. Dr. Kenneth Lenoard, the lead author of the study, studied 634 couples over nine years. When both couples drank heavily or neither did at all, the divorce rate sat around 30 percent. When one spouse drank heavily, the divorce rate rose to 50 percent.
Just because an alcoholic's social life is OK now doesn't mean it will be in the future.
2. "I need to drink to be social. Everyone else does it"
Alcoholics often make excuses to justify their bad drinking habits. Using other people as an excuse to continue drinking provides alcoholics with a reason to consistently drink. An addict will also look for situations that involve drinking. Because they're in a scenario that includes friends or family, they often believe they have to drink to stay accepted within those social circles. The reality is their drinking actually tears apart those circles.
3. Denying responsibility or the negative effect of their behavior
Psychotic denial is one of the key symptoms of excuses made by alcoholics to not seek treatment. Their excuses are not them being stubborn in the classic sense, like a person who consciously denies trying new food or flying in an airplane, but a subconscious defensive mechanism built up by years of negative experiences.
Alcoholics who deny treatment often blame others for what they believe to be unfair attacks. This often leads to self piety, resentment and more drinking.
4. "I can stop whenever I want to"
The truth is very few alcoholics can stop their addiction by going "cold turkey." As we just discussed, alcoholics are often involved in a vicious cycle they struggle to get out of. They may need help realizing and accepting that there is a problem before seeking treatment.
5. " Everyone dies anyway, I want to go out on my terms"
An addict's destructive cycle, which makes them want to go out on their own terms, may look something like this: They drink to feel good. The more they drink, the less meaning they find in everyday life. The less meaning and joy they find, the more likely they'll turn back to the bottle.
In reality, drinking is actually a cloak that hides an alcoholic from finding joy in anything else. They can not find joy beyond the bottle if they continue to drink.
Fairwinds Treatment Center specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of alcoholism, as well as an array of other addictions.We have a staff of full-time psychiatrists, nursing professionals and licensed therapists that use a dual diagnosis process to treat both the visible health issues with a patient, as well as the underlying causes for the disease. In doing so, they can better ensure patients don't relapse during their recovery.
If you are interested in learning more or would like to set up an appointment, please contact Fairwinds Treatment Center today.
