The “Insanity” of Alcoholism and Addiction

This is a concept I will borrow from the Twelve Step program and apply the psychology science to it, because it applies to everyone with addiction or alcoholism whether we are involved in the Twelve Step program or not.

The "insanity" of alcoholism-addiction refers to the odd thinking behind a symptom that is present in virtually everyone who is caught in active addiction. This "insanity" is the repeated belief that "this time I'm going to quit" and believing in our heart that we will be able to, despite multiple previous failed attempts. Soon thereafter, we once again reach the point where we have had enough of our drinking or using, and we once again say, with all honesty, "THIS time, I'm done with it." This cycle will repeat itself time after time, but we still keep insisting on stopping drinking or using on our own... "MY way."

To a "normal" person, it would become quickly obvious that "MY way" isn't working, after repeated failed attempts to stop using or drinking. However, it is a nearly universal symptom of addiction that the we keep doing the same thing over and over, and failing. The problem is that as we keep trying to do it "MY way," it keeps us from admitting that we need help, and seeking and accepting that help.

It has a lot to do with a need for control in people with addictions. They don't want to surrender their ability to get drink or drug... just in case. Doing it "MY way" leaves me in control, so I still have a pathway back to drinking or using just in case recovery is too hard or I'm having a bad day. Many people aren't even self-aware of this need for control, it's just part of their addiction.

This insanity affects people with addiction in another way, too. After being in recovery for a while, the addicted mind starts thinking: "hmmm, I can have a drink or two," or "I can rip a line" and we convince ourselves that we can control our drinking or using THIS time. After all, we've been in recovery for years, things are different now... right? However, experience and medical research have both shown, repeatedly, that people very quickly end up exactly where they were before, after that ONE drink or hit. Believing that we can one day drink or use "responsibly" and control it... is insanity.

Your brain on drugs (or drink)

Given the power of the mind, and its ability to dominate us, it is not at all surprising that alcoholism-addiction is deeply affected by the state of the mind. Conversely, given that alcohol and other drugs of addiction are mind-altering substances, it is hardly surprising that the reverse is also true. Addiction alters many of our mind's normal processes, and this "insanity of alcoholism-addiction" is one such way (see "The Brain in Alcoholism and Addiction" (click here)).

Rationalizing our drinking and using

Drugs and alcohol affect our mind, so it's not surprising that alcoholic-addicts are famous for their twisted, illogical thinking. This “insanity” amounts to an extreme form of “rationalization”, which is the strongly ingrained human nature to substantiate our behavior with plausible reasons, even if these reasons are illogical and untrue. We may even start believing our own lies and excuses to drink or use, even if they're really far-fetched.

The psychological basis for this "insane" thinking is two-fold: first, we as humans have an innate drive to always present ourselves in the best possible light to others, and second, because of “cognitive dissonance.” Cognitive dissonance occurs when the mind knows that our drinking/using and related actions aren’t proper and conflict with our deeply ingrained beliefs about how a person should behave (see "What is Cognitive Dissonance, and Why Does it Keep Me Addicted?" (click here)).

This inconsistency between our ideas, beliefs, and values and our actual actions creates dissonance, a great psychological discomfort, which we feel as guilt, remorse, shame, and self-loathing. Our mind knows that the easiest way to stop the psychological discomfort is by stopping the drinking or using, but we can't. The mind is then forced to try to relieve its discomfort by warping thoughts or interpretations of thoughts and actions to rationalize our drinking or using behavior. It's just normal human nature forced to extremes by the toxic behaviors of alcoholism-addiction.

Our obsession for our substance forces us to lie, cheat, steal, sneak around, neglect people and responsibilities, lose people and property, and our actions therefore become more and more out of line with our fixed concept of how a person should behave. Our disease is a progressive one, and as the behaviors worsen and the list of wrongs lengthens, we end up with great psychological pain - great "cognitive dissonance." This becomes extreme in the alcoholic-addict because as the disease progresses more and more of the behavior becomes exposed to and known about by other people and the guilt and shame and remorse builds and builds.

(article continues below)

---

Want to get the whole story?

A doctor in recovery provides a guided tour through the brain changes, genetics, and psychology that cause addiction... and how to use this information to beat addiction.

This successful book enables addicts and alcoholics to understand why addictive substances hold such power over them, and it allows non-addicts to understand addiction and all the behaviors that go along with it. Loved ones, teachers, clergy, supervisors, healthcare professionals... anyone who encounters addiction will find this book an eye-opener.

The book is presented in everyday language with a sense of humor that makes it a fun read.

This important book is available in e-book and paperback versions, and for download of free samples at amazon.com Click Here

---

(article continues...)

The obsession with drink or drug

Our obsession with our substance, be it alcohol or another drug, also fuels this "insanity." What started as a dysfunctional coping mechanism -- a way for us to smother bothersome psychological and life stressors -- has become an obsession. When we are without it, our mind becomes increasingly obsessed with getting it, and pushes out all other thoughts.

The obsession creates great anxiety in us, which can only be satisfied by obtaining more of our drink or drug. The drive to do this is called a compulsion. Our addicted brain will go to any lengths to answer this compulsion, even lying to itself… again, rationalization. Thus the brain tries to convince itself that this time it won't be a bad thing. This is the basis of the "insane" thinking.

Putting an end the the "insanity"

The thing is, simply the absence of drinking or using does not cure this disordered thinking, and it certainly does not eliminate all the psychological pain, as is pointed out by this alcoholic-addict: “The ideas that got so deeply embedded in our lives during drinking do not all disappear quickly, as if by magic, the moment we start keeping the plug in the jug. Our days of wine and “Sweet Adeline” may be gone, but the malady lingers on” (Living Sober, page 69). The “stinking thinking”, the residual disordered thinking that creeps into the mind of the alcoholic-addict in recovery, is an attempt by our disease to talk us into believing that it’s ok to have a drink or drug: this time it’ll be different.

So, if we want to keep our sobriety these obsessions and thoughts that have ruled us for so long must be overcome. Psychological therapy, psychotherapy, of some sort is urgently needed. However, professional psychotherapy is very expensive, and many of us had already tried it and have continued in our insanity. The psychotherapy provided by a program of recovery that is designed to address the dysfunctional thinking behind addiction, such as the 12 Step program (click here), SMART Recovery (click here), or an in-patient or out-patient addiction recovery program (click here), is by far best-suited to the specific issues of alcoholism-addiction.

Thanks for reading! Please feel free to leave comments, or to email us with your stories, comments, questions, or words of wisdom at recovery.folio@gmail.com. Please register for free as a member of our recovery community to get notifications of new articles as they come out (click here).