The decision to seek help for addiction is the most important decision we will ever make. There are many psychological blocks that keep us from taking this vital step toward recovery. We often feel too ashamed or guilty to admit that we have a problem and open up about our struggles. Yet, once we are able to summon the courage to speak frankly about our problems with addiction, we will be well on our way to a happy, joyous, and free life in sobriety. Finally opening up about our struggles can be a frightening prospect. Laurie Leinwand, in a 2016 Good Therapy article entitled Why is it So Hard to Ask for Help, explains, “We all have moments in our lives when we require the assistance of others. We don’t ever know all there is to know or have the skills to do everything proficiently or successfully. We certainly don’t expect that of others, either. So it makes sense we would have occasion to ask someone for help at some point. The biggest reason many seem to have for staying stuck rather than reaching out is fear. People fear they will be rejected or told ‘no,’ fear being seen as ‘less than’ or weak, or fear being ‘found out.’” These fears can keep us from addressing the problem, which continues to perpetuate the painful cycle of addiction that we feel trapped in. There is no weakness in opening up about our problems with addiction. Margie Warrell, in a 2015 Forbes article entitled Asking for Help Reveals Strength, Not Weakness, explains, “As with so many things that would serve us (and others), our fear is what gets in the way. Fear of over-stepping a friendship. Fear of appearing too needy. Fear of imposing. Fear of revealing our struggle and having people realize we don’t have it all together after all. But here’s the thing: When you don’t ask for help when you need it, you assume all of a burden that might easily (and gladly) be shared. But you also deprive those who’d love to assist you of the opportunity to do so.” When we open up about our struggles and ask for help, we are doing something courageous. We are facing our fears, accepting our problem, and working toward a solution.
Your story can become one of courage and redemption in sobriety. You can begin building a brighter future by making the decision to reach out for help today. Oceanfront Recovery, a men’s treatment center located in the heart of beautiful Laguna Beach, is staffed with passionate clinicians and care providers dedicated to helping clients begin to heal from addiction. For information about individualized treatment options, please call today: (877) 279-1777
