Denial and addiction is a serious issue for people who are struggling with substance abuse problems or alcoholism. In fact, many people consider denial to be the mechanism by which addiction is able to stay alive. This means that without denial, addiction or alcoholism could be treated like traditional clinical disease and resolve permanently in almost 100% of cases. However, the urge to use drugs is extremely powerful in an addict and denial is used to facilitate the drug seeking and substance abuse process. Therefore, denial is one of the most critical issues that must be addressed during drug rehab or alcoholism treatment. Understanding what denial is, why it bolsters addiction and how it can be mitigated is crucial to this process.

Some of the most blatant forms of denial in addiction are the seemingly cliché statements that addicts and alcoholics regularly make:

"My problem isn't that bad."

"I can quit whenever I want to."

"My drinking is under control."

"It's not hurting anyone else."

"I don't need help because I don't want to stop."

"I can handle this."

However, real denial goes much deeper than this. Many addicts actually believe that their substance abuse or drinking problem isn't as bad as it really is - even in the face of overwhelming evidence. Some insist that they can control their drinking or drug abuse when it's apparent that the problem is already out of hand. Addicts not only lie to themselves in order to continue drinking or using drugs, they'll lie to everyone around them. However, denial doesn't just come in the form of outright lies.

Often denial comes in the form of isolation, where an addict will become distant from people that would otherwise hold them accountable for their behavior. They may also substitute one drug for another, such as trading a cocaine habit for a drinking habit. But even in the face of alarming proof and dangerous consequences, the cycle of denial will permit an addict to continue to use indefinitely.

This is one of the main focuses of an intervention - to break down the barriers of denial long enough to convince the person to seek serious, long term drug rehab treatment. These programs are usually one of three types:

1.) Residential Inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment

2.) Day/Night or Partial Hospitalization Programs

3.) Outpatient Treatment Facilities

Each of these programs varies in specific therapies employed and duration of treatment, but they all have one common theme: denial management. In a drug rehab setting this is accomplished with a number of evidence based reality therapies that seek to uncover sources of denial, recognize triggers and develop workable plans to expose and change denial patterns when they occur. Some of these therapies include:

*Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

*Biofeedback, Meditation

*Individual or One on One Counseling Sessions

*Group Therapy Sessions

*Family Oriented Counseling

Other therapies may be employed in conjunction with these that aren't necessarily clinical therapies and should only be considered supplementary. This includes massage therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, adventure therapy, psychodrama and much more. To learn more about these and other programs and what they can do to help you fight denial, please use one of our links below.