Approximately five months ago I had dinner with a thirty-five-year-old male named Alexander who suffers from acute depression, has relationship issues, and who is drug and alcohol dependent. As explained by Alexander, it is his alcoholism and drug addiction and his severe depression that had the most to do with his continual relationship issues.
I recall hearing that a history of mental health issues, chemical dependency, and unhealthy and abusive drinking routinely take place in the same family. What is more, I remember hearing that in such situations, a person needs to get treatment for both medical conditions and that addiction and mental health problems many times occur in the same person.
As affirmed by Alexander, he is so overwhelmed by his relationship difficulties and by both of his medical conditions that he basically has little or no drive to do much of anything. What is especially unfortunate about this is that earlier in his life, Alexander managed to finish four semesters of graduate school in criminology.
Alexander’s condition 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 healthy about these difficulties or if he is a person who has to hit life’s bottom before he gets drug and alcohol dependency counseling that results in long lasting sobriety.
The Need For a Counseling Protocol He Can Believe In and a Physician He Can Trust
If it would be beneficial I would assume that I could recommend more than a few blogs and websites that could possibly help him learn more about drug abuse symptoms, the stages of alcoholism, substance abuse information, and relationship problems. In my humble opinion, however, Alexander needs to find a treatment protocol he can believe in and follow over the long term and find a therapist he can trust.
I could be mistaken but it seems to me that Alexander more likely than not needs to look in the mirror regarding his drug addiction signs and alcoholic symptoms and understand the fact that he cannot abuse drugs or even drink responsibly if he wants to get sober, stay sober, and start on the path to long-term recovery.
It may be asked how therapy would help his drug and alcohol dependency. For starters, there are quite a few newly produced doctor-prescribed medications that can help Alexander through his withdrawal symptoms, through the alcohol and alcohol detoxification process, and help him avoid a drug or an alcohol relapse.
Second, Alexander would learn to acknowledge the fact that there is entirely nothing productive about substance abuse and excessive and careless drinking and that messing around with one or both conditions is the road to legal problems, shattered relationships, financial difficulties, a premature death, deteriorating health, and poor work and school performance.
Third, treatment for his relationship difficulties and his depression might help him manage these mental health problems more effectively and perhaps create less of a need for him to engage in addictive behavior.
The Relevance of Support Groups Like Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous
There are feasibly numerous friends, other individuals, and family members who would like to help Alexander with his drug abuse and his excessive and abusive drinking. He probably would experience greater sympathy from a recovery group such as Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous, however, instead of getting guidance from individuals who do not drink or who have never taken drugs.
When Individuals Accomplish Things They Like and About Which They Are Zealous
There’s a philosophical viewpoint that proclaims that individuals who do things they like and something about which they are dedicated arrive at an astonishing place in life. Stated more exactly, when people do what they enjoy, they hardly ever experience an uneventful life or boredom. If they get involved in something that is worthwhile, furthermore, they become more complete and experience more pleasure and joy in life and in their relationships.
When this is examined in more detail it becomes apparent that this positive perspective is the exact opposite of a life that is rooted in drug and alcohol addiction because such a lifestyle removes the satisfaction and joy that life has to offer.
Since Alexander lacks the determination to carry out much of anything in his life, it is apparent that he desperately needs some hope for a healthier existence. And the sad thing is that hope is all around Alexander if he could only get to the place in life to get the counseling he requires for his acute depression and alcoholism and drug addiction and remain in his treatment protocol.
More Positive Relationships, A Wonderful Life, Self Respect, and Productive Change Are Possibilities
Alexander is simply too young to be defeated in life. He doesn’t realize this right now but if he can learn how to abstain from drugs and alcohol through alcohol and drug rehabilitation and get the counseling he needs for his severe depression, he can turn his life around and start living with direction, self-respect, and passion.
More solid relationships, beneficial change, self respect, and a wonderful life are certainly possibilities for Alexander if only he could become inspired to get the professional rehab he requires, follow through with his therapy regimen, live his life in an addiction-free and healthy manner, and learn how to cultivate a more positive attitude about life.