When anyone is amid drug addiction, feeling powerless is one of the hardest things to come to terms with. It is hard to admit to yourself that your life has become so unmanageable that you no longer have any power over your own life or mind. While that powerless feeling can feel like an end for you, it is also the beginning of a new chapter. In most 12-step recovery groups, the first step towards recovery is admitting that you are powerless over drugs. This is one of the hardest things to do because, to overcome your addiction, you must first admit to yourself that you have an addiction. The power of admitting you are powerless is the first step to getting your life back.
A person would be considered powerless over drugs when, even though they know the drugs are causing harm to them in every way, they continue to use the drugs anyway and they simply cannot stop. Most people who are still in active addiction don’t realize what they are feeling is powerlessness because they may still be in denial over their addiction. They may be blaming what they are feeling or going through on everything but their drug use or use the drugs to further “cope” with their feelings.
What Does it Feel Like to be Addicted?
Unmanageability is one of the most common feelings you have when you are powerless over drugs. You can’t seem to juggle anything in your life including work, family, or household responsibilities because you just can’t wait until you have that next hit. Many people try to control this feeling by limiting themselves to how much of a substance they are going to use or only using on certain days of the week. This might work for a while but eventually, you will slip back into your destructive ways and will do virtually anything necessary to get the drugs you feel you need.
The powerlessness of drug us also makes one feel hopeless. They may feel this way because they see no way out of the never-ending cycle of addiction. The feelings of hopelessness and despair are very persuasive in keeping people in this cycle of addiction. They may feel that life no longer holds any meaning or value, so what it the point of trying to quit anyway?
The Mentality of Drug Addiction
Mental obsession also makes those suffering from addiction feel powerless. You are powerless over that drug because you have a completely irresistible urge to get high. And when you aren’t getting high, all you can think about is when you can get high again. This is the powerlessness of the mind for which the drugs have a complete hold of. For those in addiction, mental obsession feels more like life or death.
This is actually how it feels to them and there is no reasoning or bargaining that can stop them until they have satisfied the obsession. When mental obsession has come into play, a person will feel like they have lost all self-control. That is because they have. They are powerless over their own lives because of drug use.
Treatment for Drug Addiction
There is also a positive side to admitting to oneself that they are powerless over drugs. Once they admit they are powerless is when the real healing can begin. A person cannot fix a problem if they can’t admit to themselves that there is a problem. Being powerless does not mean you are helpless. You are only helpless when you remain in denial of your addiction. Admitting powerlessness is the first step to living a healthy and sober life. If you are ready to get the help you need, Garden State Treatment Center is ready to help you get your life back on track. Now is the time to start your journey in recovery. Let us help you do it!
Published on: 2020-07-22
Updated on: 2024-02-16
