Those struggling with this distortion will only base their conclusions on a single incident. If something wrong happens once, they expect this to happen over and over again. If they experience a relapse in their addiction recovery, they might not go back to treatment because they feel it will just happen again. If this type of thinker feels stupid, then to him or her this must be true.
These are irrational thoughts and beliefs we unknowingly reinforce over time, eventually causing more harm than good. Theories say we develop such distortions to cope with adverse life effects, while others believe they’re part of our evolutionary survival mechanism. For many, one or more of these cognitive distortions will look familiar.
Stephanie
An individual at this point engages in substance use for the first time. The initiation stage is prevalent among teenagers and young adults but can happen at any stage of a person’s life and in any demographic. Adverse environmental effects on substance abuse are more prevalent in genetically predisposed people. Several studies have also found that sociodemographic factors are the most important predictors of substance abuse in people with substance use disorders. If Jennifer could recognise and label her own thoughts as thinking errors in our example, she would have a chance to dismiss them and start decreasing her anxiety.
She could then choose to not escape the situation by leaving work early and would ultimately feel better about herself. Once you know how they sound, it’s easy to identify if one of your thoughts is a thinking error. When you identify a thought as a thinking error, it’s much more likely to lose its credibility, leading you to feel less anxious, sad or angry. DBT can be especially helpful for individuals with a dual diagnosis, such as alcoholism and depression or anxiety, as it helps them learn to regulate emotions and mood swings more effectively. Assuming you know what others are thinking or how a situation is going to turn out can lead to unfounded feelings of negativity.
Mental Health Challenges that Drive Addiction
Psychologists use the term “cognitive distortions” to describe irrational, inflated thoughts or beliefs that distort a person’s perception of reality, usually in a negative way. Cognitive distortions are common but can be hard to recognize if you don’t know what to look for. They are so habitual that the thinker often doesn’t realize he or she has the power to change them.
- The only proven way to disrupt the flow of addiction is through professional treatment backed by research proving its capacity to help.
- If your difficult emotions have significantly started affecting your life, get in touch with us for professional help.
- This unhealthy pattern will breed isolation and as family and friends begin to recognize patterns, they will distance themselves to avoid being hurt.
- She could then choose to not escape the situation by leaving work early and would ultimately feel better about herself.
- The problem is that pretty much everything in life is a mixed bag and if you’re only happy with total victories, you are not going to be very happy and you’re not going to try many things.
- It is not news to members of Alcoholics Anonymous that alcoholics have “something wrong” with their thinking.
Of course, the methods of coping with your distortions will depend on the type of negative patterns you’re struggling with. While it takes time, with the right guidance and support, many can move away from these self-destructive patterns. In one, we feel externally controlled and see ourselves as helpless victims of fate.
How to Change Thinking Patterns and Cognitive Distortions
The autonomic nervous system houses our emotional capacity and “fight or flight” responses. The combination of these system responses elicit feelings based upon the type of behavior experienced or substance that is ingested. Pleasure effects influence continued substance abuse or pleasurable behavior. Pain effects cease the behavior or substance use, except in rare cases where the opposite is true. There is good and bad in any situation, but people who find themselves consistently embracing the most negative interpretations of events are likely to be experiencing a cognitive distortion. The all-consuming nature of addictive drugs on the brain, combined with lowered inhibition and rational decision making, has been correlated with increases in crime.
They can only be addressed successfully if the person is sober and remains sober. Trying to eliminate or avoid anxiety, ironically, just ends up making you more anxious. What does make https://en.forexpamm.info/why-some-people-have-a-higher-alcohol-tolerance/ sense is to think about anxiety–and things that make you anxious–rationally. When you do feel anxious, recognize that it’s just the ancient parts of your brain trying to protect you.
Vaping Vs. Smoking: The Long-Term Side Effects
Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT is highly successful in addiction recovery. Developed by Dr. Aaron Beck, it allows people to see the link between how they think, how they feel and how they behave. In addition, this link is not only part of the reason for the addiction, but it is the way to effectively and positively shift the mindset to leading a healthier, sober and clean life. Treatment for substance abuse may involve detoxification, the management of withdrawal symptoms, behavioral therapy, and the assistance of support group systems to help maintain sobriety. In contrast, treatment for mental health may involve medication, individual or group counseling, self-help techniques, and lifestyle changes. There are dozens of recognized distorted thinking patterns researchers believe can be harmful in the long-run.
Here, we are going to look at some ways that inaccurate thinking can more directly keep you from seeking help for addiction and sticking to your recovery plan. Addiction has a specific thinking style that enables the addict to continue using substances despite negative consequences. The Journal of Neuroscience reported findings that suggested there may be a cognitive difference in people Sober Sayings and Sober Quotes with addictions and that their brains may not fully process long-term consequences. Researchers also indicated that alcoholics and addicts show more impulsivity in the brain, a characteristic demonstrated in neural activity. Impulsivity and the inability to process long-term consequences lead to distrust in relationships and isolation, both of which continue the cycle of addiction.