Sunday, September 25, 2016

Not Sure if You Have a Problem? Your Life Hierarchy of Substance Use May Help


Sometimes actually looking at how your life is prioritized on a piece of paper or a white board can help you understand the severity of your substance use. For example, let's look at a general life hierarchy of an individual how does not have an issue with substances:

1. Family
2. Job
3. Friends
4. Health
6. Hobbies
7. Alcohol/Drug Use

The theory is that generally this list is set and it is rare that something lower on the list will trump something higher on the list. For example, this individual will generally not allow alcohol/drug use to interfere with family, job, friends, etc. The individual abusing substances, however, will find that alcohol/drug use begins to move up the list as it progresses and becomes more important in the individual's life.  For example, the following is the Life Hierarchy of an individual suffering from a severe addiction:

1. Job
2. Alcohol/Drug Use
3. Family
4. Friends

Individuals suffering from addiction typically have their job and addiction switch back and forth from first and second position on the list depending on how bad their addiction becomes at any given time in their life. The visual of the list helps individuals denying the severity of their addiction come to understand that their use comes before their family at all costs. This is a very emotional conclusion and ideally this exercise should be discussed in a therapeutic setting with a therapist trained in addiction and the associated fragile emotions that accompany it. It is vitally important to understand that the list does not lie. An honest evaluation of your life's hierarchy can be vital in raising your bottom and getting on the road to recovery before suffering further consequences due to your use. THINK about it.