” There is perhaps no psychological skill more fundamental than resisting impulse. It is the root of all emotional self-control, since all emotions, by their very nature, lead to one or another impulse to act”. – Daniel Goleman
Why is it that even when I am trying to be conscious and present, I slip into impulsivity and I am unable to pull myself out of the unconscious, impulsive acts ?
If an idea enters my mind, I act immediately on it. I find that I am unable to undestand why I behave impulsively and how to control or stop the behaviour – once I am in the middle of the behaviour, I am either unconscious or everything I try is ineffective.
Where does this compulsion come from ? Especially when I am trying to be present and do “the right thing”. Is this unconscious behaviour the result of my inner dis-ease or my obsession(s) ?
Experience has taught me, that the only way to free myself from this unconscious, impulsive behaviour is to admit that I am the problem. I am the one that needs to change – my behaviour needs to change. I need to stop fighting, surrender and take action. I need to let go and practice my programme consistently. I need to review my programme – am I going to meetings ? Am I doing stepwork ? Am I in contact with my sponsor ? Am I doing service ? Am I in contact with my Higher Power ? Are all my 5 pillars intact ?
This podcast was recorded as a series of lectures given to people in 12 step addictionrecoverytreatment. The purpose of these talks was to teach and motivate individuals to search for their own spiritual solution to their addiction.
Please feel free to contact me directly or go to our site for more information:
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Involuntary commitment or a Section 33, is a law that is currently held in South Africa that allows a qualified person to request a court order requiring someone to be committed and treated involuntarily for an alcohol or substance use disorder. This is known as a Section 33 or more specifically, Section33(1)(a)(b)(c) of Act 70 2008, Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act.
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Provide a national response for the combating of substance abuse and to provide for mechanisms aimed at demand and harm reduction in relation to substance abuse through early prevention, intervention, treatment and reintegration programmes;
to provide for the registration and establishment of treatment centres and halfway houses;
to provide for the committal of persons to and from treatment centres and for their treatment, rehabilitation and skills development in such treatment centres;
to provide for the establishment of the Central Drug Authority, and to provide for matters connected therewith.
This act is aimed at helping families get the necessary assistance for their loved ones who are abusing substances and unwilling to seek help themselves.
Who may Have Somebody Involuntarily Committed?
Any person may request to have someone placed into involuntary commitment in a treatment facility, however, only a qualified practitioner may request the court to commit someone to treatment. The family member may request an application through the court-appointed practitioner. This could be extremely time-consuming though and often in these cases, there is a sense of urgency in order to get the individual help so as to avoid further criminal acts or a potential overdose or death.
A qualified practitioner may request the court to commit someone to treatment under section 33 such as a: – Police officer – Social worker – Spouse – Blood relative – Guardian – Court official In most cases, the family can seek out a private social worker to ensure that the process goes quickly and smoothly.
How Does the Process Work?
The qualified practitioner, (in most cases it is the social worker appointed by the family), will submit an affidavit (provided by the family) for an order of involuntary commitment as well as a psychosocial report written by the appointed practitioner.
In most cases, the social worker will have to base their report from the family’s affidavit and interviews with the family members as they will not be able to interview the individual concerned. This is because in most cases, the person is not willing to go into treatment. The appointed practitioner then submits these documents to the local court. The court will then review the documentation.
The court will issue a summons or warrant of arrest if necessary, in order to get the unwilling individual brought to court. The warrant is issued if there are reasonable grounds to believe the person subject to the application won’t appear voluntarily for a hearing, and that further delay would present an immediate physical danger to the person. Once the person is at the court, they have the right to be represented by an attorney. If the court finds that the person cannot afford a lawyer, the court will immediately appoint an attorney.
The difficult part of the process is that the family will need to testify against their loved one which in some cases can be difficult and traumatic. The court shall order an examination by a social worker, however, the person has a right to refuse the examination. The person’s attorney may present independent expert testimony or other testimony from family, friends, employers, and others concerned.
After testimony and argument, the judge will decide if there is clear and convincing evidence that the person has an alcohol or substance use disorder; and if there is a likelihood of serious harm to self or others as a result of their substance use disorder. If both criteria are met, the person will be committed involuntarily.
What is the Reason for Section 33?
Serious harm is defined as “a substantial risk of physical harm to the person, himself/herself as manifested by evidence of threats of, or attempts at suicide or serious bodily harm; or a substantial risk of physical harm to others as manifested by evidence of homicidal or other violent behaviour or evidence that others are placed in reasonable fear of violent behaviour and serious physical harm to them; or a very substantial risk of physical impairment or injury to the person himself/herself as manifested by evidence that such person’s judgment is so affected that he/she is unable to protect himself/herself in the community and that reasonable provision for his/her protection is not available in the community.
The reason someone would need to be subjected to an involuntary commitment would be because they are a serious risk to themselves or others and need to get help urgently. The likelihood of serious harm must be directly related to substance use and must be a current or imminent threat.
How to Move Forward
The best way to move forward when dealing with an individual that is unwilling to go into treatment is to contact your nearest treatment facility or qualified practitioner. They will be able to assist you on the way forward and best possible procedure going forward and advise you accordingly.
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Where does obsession fit in when it comes to the disease of addiction?
Am I constantly thinking about acting out in some way ? What does “acting out” even mean ? Am I obsessing about spending money, or over-eating, using drugs or alcohol or pornography ? Am I unable to figure out why I do these things ? Do I sometimes feel as if I am compelled by a force ?
Compulsion is the result of obsession. Obsessing can be either beneficial or harmful. If we have a purpose to our lives, obsession can be an asset. When obsession leads to compulsion though, we need to be able to put a stop to it.
“The reason the program is so successful is because alcoholics help other alcoholics. I’ve never met a Normie (our lingo for a person who doesn’t have a problem with drugs and alcohol) who could even conceive of what it’s like to be an alcoholic. Normies are always going, ‘There’s this new pill you can take and you won’t want to shoot heroin anymore.’ That shows a fundamental misunderstanding of alcoholism and drug addiction. These aren’t just physical allergies, they’re obsessions of the mind and maladies of the spirit. It’s a threefold disease. And if it’s partly a spiritual malady, then there’s a spiritual cure.“ – Anthony Kiedis
This podcast was recorded as a series of lectures given to people in 12 step addictionrecoverytreatment.
The purpose of these talks was to teach and motivate individuals to
search for their own spiritual solution to their addiction.
Please feel free to contact me directly or go to our site for more information:
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
Denial plays an important role in addiction. Addicts are notoriously prone to denial. Denial explains why drug use persists in the face of negative consequences. Addiction may often result in the loss of a job, or health, or a family. If an addict remains ignorant of the negative consequences of their actions, then these consequences cannot guide their decision-making.
What Is Denial?
Denial is a state where you deny or distort what is really happening. You might ignore the problem, minimize people’s concerns or blame others for any issues. In terms of addiction, whether it’s to alcohol or gambling, denial is a powerful coping mechanism to delay facing the truth.
Denial is very common, particularly in those struggling with addictive behaviours. No one wants to identify as an alcoholic, drug abuser or gambling-addict; denial allows them to make the reality more flattering.
Behaviours Associated with a State of Denial :
In denial, a person may resort to various behaviours, including:
Minimizing: If the addiction is brought up, the person may act like you’re blowing things out of proportion or exaggerating. He or she may say things like “it’s not that bad” or “people do much worse than I do”.
Rationalizing: The addicted person will rationalize his or her addiction, saying he/she is stressed and needs a little help getting through this period or that he/she’s earned a reward for her hard work.
Self-Deception: Self-deception is a powerful denial mechanism where the individual convinces himself that things aren’t that bad or as severe as they really are.
Addicts use denial in order to continue engaging in addictive behaviours. Continued denial can cause destructive consequences, from health issues to harmed relationships.
Rational beliefs are formed on the basis of solid evidence and are open for appropriate revision when new evidence makes them less likely to be true. It is now well-established that we are prone to various cognitive biases that have powerful influences on how we make decisions. For example, the confirmation bias causes people to embrace information that confirms their pre-existing narratives. People hold certain beliefs (often unconsciously) in part because they attach value to them.
Addiction can also be a source of terrible shame, self-hatred, and low self-worth. For an addict, it can be terrifying to acknowledge the harm one has done through one’s addiction- to oneself and potentially to others one cares about. When addicts are high, their fears of inadequacy and unworthiness fade away. Users often report a sudden dissociation from self. For example, alcohol and heroin are often sought out due to their ability to numb emotions.
Why Do Addicts Continue to Remain in Denial ?
Admitting the negative consequences requires one to end the behaviour causing these consequences. However, quitting itself will bring pain and distress. Denial, therefore, protects a person against this negative experience by denying the reality of one’s situation, when doing so would cause much psychological pain and distress.
There is also evidence suggesting that addicts lack the knowledge about the negative consequences not out of denial, but because of impairment in insight and self-awareness. Chronic drug abuse has been recognized to be associated with impaired self-awareness (dysfunction of the insular cortex), which manifests as denial of the severity of addiction and the need for treatment. For example, only a small fraction of heavy drinkers admit they have a drinking problem. This is a reason why some people keep drinking even as they realize that the habit is destroying their lives.
Addicts also fail to plan for the future. Addicts are temporally myopic. That is, the future consequences are not weighed in comparison with the present benefits. The benefits of drug use may be clear and immediate, while the costs are typically delayed and uncertain. They tend to prefer drugs because, at the moment of choice, they value drugs more than they value a possible but uncertain future reward (e.g., health, relationships, or opportunities).
In summary, denial is central to the explanation of why addicts persist in using despite evidence of harmful consequences. The anxiety associated with thinking about the consequences may in some circumstances lead addicts to repress or deny, news about their addictions. Denial alleviates anxiety. Acquiring causal knowledge of the negative consequences of drug use must, therefore, be seen as an important step in recovery. Indeed, the first step of Alcoholics Anonymous is to admit that you have a problem and begin to seek out help. Since individuals use denial to protect themselves from psychological pain, the substance abuser needs to be given new tools for coping effectively with that pain.
The encouragement, love and support from the team at Crossroads allowed me to eventually see that I was worth something - that my life could be turned around and that I could accomplish the things that had long been a forgotten dream.
On the last day of my stint at Crossroads I could only express gratitude towards all who works there. A wise councillor once commented on my question when one is ready for rehab by explaining that when one is ready for rehab, rehab is ready for you.
I was lost and my soul was broken until I ended up at Crossroads and was introduced to the Twelve Steps. With the help of their excellent staff and amazing support I have recently been clean for 18 months, I could not have done it without them!
"Just for today I am more than three years in recovery. I have Cross Roads to thank for this wonderful gift. Cross Roads helped me to set a firm foundation in my recovery on which I can continue to build."
