Life can be hard, it’s the plain truth. Things can go terribly wrong without warning, and sadly, bad things do happen to good people. You realise that stress, anxiety, and depression aren’t just something that happens to other people, they describe you. Sometimes it all gets to be just too much and we find ourselves seeking some kind of escape, but where? Most of us can’t just pick up and leave our homes, jobs, families behind and start over, we feel stuck and tied down. So, what to do? Unfortunately, this is where a surprising number of us turn to drugs and alcohol for relief. Take a pill, have a few drinks, and voila! You feel better! Unfortunately, the feeling doesn’t last, and you are back down in the dumps again. No worries though, just take some more pills, have some more drinks, and everything will be fine! The problem is, it won’t be, not really, and one day if you are lucky, you will realise that the pills and drinks are now part of your problem, a BIG part, and things are far worse than they ever were.
It might help to know you are not alone in this, there are more than 2 million people suffering from addiction in Australia, and it can happen to anybody! If you think addiction is happening to you, then please, go visit one of the excellent rehabs in Melbourne where you can get the help you need to get clear. No one will judge you there, their only mission is to help you help yourself, and get you back to leading a life that belongs to you, not a box of pills or a bottle.
One of the hardest things for people suffering from addiction is admitting to themselves that they have a problem. How could this happen to me? I’m a good person! That is absolutely true, but it doesn’t make you exempt from bad things happening to you. So, how do you know? You will need to start by asking yourself some hard questions.
Do other people in your life use drugs and alcohol? If they do, what do you have in common? Are they depressed, or stressed out like you are? Then take a look at people you know who don’t use. How are they doing? Are they happier, more productive, less stressed? Take some time to think carefully about it, don’t judge, just observe.
The people in your life who don’t use drugs and alcohol might be family, or friends, employers, teachers, clergy- people you love and/or respect. Ask yourself, am I hiding my use from them? If so, ask yourself why. Are you ashamed? This isn’t going to be easy, but if you don’t take a long hard look at yourself and admit that you have a problem, things are just going to get worse for you. At some point, you are going to have to ask someone for help. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
