If you’re asking yourself this question, then it’s probably a sign that you’ve recognised something about your behaviour that may not be healthy. Your drug or alcohol usage may be reaching a level where it is having serious consequences in terms of your physical, emotional and financial wellbeing. Perhaps your compulsion around watching porn or gambling is costing you your sleep, your self-esteem and your closest relationships. These are the kinds of circumstances that could lead you to wonder whether you need professional help. We can suggest asking yourself the following questions, which may help you to decide whether to speak to a counsellor at a rehabilitation centre.
1. Does your addictive behaviour appear to be getting progressively worse?
One of the hallmarks of addiction, is its progression. For some, the disease will take months or years to progress to a point where the addict feels he/she is experiencing serious negative consequences as a result of their behaviour. For others, the progression happens in a matter of days. But in all cases, the using or acting out behaviour becomes noticeably worse over time and periods of abstinence become less and less.
2. Are you making increasingly larger compromises to accommodate your addictive behaviour?
Many addicts relate to setting benchmarks for themselves in terms of what they will and won’t do to maintain their addictive behaviour. However, due to the progressive nature of the disease, these benchmarks always shift as the addict compromises more and more of their values to continue acting out or using.
3. Have you been approached by friends or family who feel you may have a problem?
At first, addictive behaviour may not be difficult to hide. But what many addicts can attest to, is having to tell lies and manipulate in order to make their behaviour acceptable. This may cause concern amongst their circle of friends and family. More often than not, those people will ask questions and try to figure out what the problem is. Your closest relatives and peers will most likely be the ones to notice that something is wrong before anyone else does.
“So do you really need to visit a rehabilitation centre?”
The truth is that no one can really answer that question for you. It’s a personal choice. But consider this – you have absolutely nothing to lose. Think about it this way – if you visit a rehabilitation centre and a counsellor recommends that you might benefit from treatment, you will be one step closer to getting help for your problem and changing your life for the better. Alternatively, if you visit a rehabilitation centre and the counsellor recommends that addiction might not be your problem, you will undoubtedly leave more informed and empowered to perhaps pursue other ways of learning how to make better choices and adapt your lifestyle. It really is a win-win situation.
If you or a loved one is in need of treatment from drug or alcohol addiction,contact us for a free consultation and we’ll support you in your recovery journey.
