Have you ever heard that to begin the healing process, a person must reach their lowest point, ‘Rock Bottom”? What do you even think that means? What does it mean to “hit bottom”?
Is it a prudent decision to delay seeking help for your drinking problem until after you are divorced, have been declared bankrupt, or are risking another DUI ticket? Not in a million years.
Taking a gamble by waiting until the lowest point is both dangerous and pointless. How? Think about the application of that principle to a condition like cancer. We can do nothing to remedy cancer until it has disseminated to other bodily zones. Huh! Will you take it?
Let us examine alcoholism in terms of a sickness. What do we understand about actual disease? Well, prevention, routine examinations, early detection, then…oops quick recognition? Where did “hitting bottom” go?
Obviously, that is the issue. When treating other diseases, we do not wait until the patient is almost gone. Starting effective therapy is essential to maintain progress, and implementing recovery-sustaining changes in the patient’s life is key. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the same technique is effective at preventing a client from becoming dependent on or abusing alcohol. Patients have been disinclined to seek medical attention during the initial stage when remission is feasible and probable because of misconceptions, stigma, and the notion of “lifelong recovery.”
What caused that to occur? The same error we all do is made by 12-step programs: extrapolating from their own experiences. Furthermore, extrapolating conclusions about drinkers as a whole from a small group of terminal alcoholics is ineffective. However, the 1 percent of patients for whom the paradigm appears to work — genuine believers who believe themselves to be typical — have virtually always created treatment programs. Most of us cannot use the techniques derived from their experience since they are unique circumstances, and they are neither transferable nor efficient.
However, numerous individuals can be persuaded if “true believers” speak out loudly and persistently enough to drown out disagreement. This is exactly what has happened with twelve step-based programs. Recall how everyone thought the globe was flat, and the universe circled around Earth not too long ago.
Everyone now, including criminals and certain law enforcement officers who appear to lack the necessary training, assumes that these programs serve as an effective treatment model and that the underlying mythology is in some way true. Therefore, don’t let justifications like “I’m not that poor,” “I don’t drink as much as Taps,” and similar statements deceive you. No matter what that could mean for you, you don’t have to reach the depths of despair. Take immediate steps to ward off disastrous consequences and to prevent the need for drastic action. Grab hold of your issue while it’s still just that—an issue—rather than when it’s a life-threatening avalanche hanging over your head.
When you reach your breaking point, you are at your lowest. The idea of reaching your addiction’s lowest point, or “rock bottom,” is a warning sign that something needs to change. It serves as a signal that outside assistance is needed and necessary.
But in actuality, there are various degrees and manifestations of it. There is always a new bottom to hit with addiction, which is a sobering reality. Let’s dispel a few misconceptions about reaching your lowest point.
Myth: You have to lose everything to hit rock bottom
Every person’s struggle with addiction is unique, and therefore there is no universal criterion for rock bottom. The lowest point for one person may be when they steal to support a habit or when they lose their employment. Another person’s marriage being destroyed would be the final straw.
Comprehending what caused that situation and seeking aid is more important than the exact event.
Call someone if you are contemplating change and quitting your addiction, but are unsure if you have reached your lowest point. It’s possible that you haven’t yet reached your lowest point and that you’ll be able to recover without having to go through the agony of discovering just how low your addiction can take you.
Myth: Rock bottom makes you want to change
Many people believe it to be a turning point, but in truth, it might do nothing to persuade you to get help. Most people who suffer from addiction to drugs or alcohol have experienced numerous setbacks, yet still consume the substances consistently.
Rock bottom is simple to romanticize since it marks the moment when a person is ready to accept that they need help. Fixing that issue later allows them to sustain their habit longer because they won’t have to attend to their addiction now.
Myth: When you reach rock bottom, you will seek treatment
Some addicts think they need to hit their absolute lowest point before seeking help, or that once they do, they will want to go to rehab.
It’s a common misconception among addicts that their position is not yet dire and that they will change once they reach their lowest point.
There is no assurance that your feelings will alter when you reach the lowest point if you haven’t sought treatment yet, because you’ve been too terrified to make the move. There is always an opportunity to get help!
Myth: Hitting rock bottom makes relapse less likely
The struggles you faced along the way to sobriety should serve as reminders of your motivation for seeking help in the first place. Simply because you have experienced rock bottom once does not guarantee that you won’t again. Because of their illusory sense of immunity, individuals frequently leave treatment and relapse within a few days.
You beat your addiction every day by getting treatment. Waiting until a crucial “rock bottom” point makes the addiction more resilient and deeply rooted.
Myth: You need a push factor
Let your unease, discontentment, or anxiety regarding your addiction prompt transformation. Therapists concur that self-motivation, as opposed to a bad environment acting as a push element, is the key to change. The germ of transformation is already there; the key to successful recovery is being ready and eager to change.
