We have all been dealing with the pandemic and some people have managed to cope with it better than others. Drugs & alcohol use are up according to latest numbers. Not good news I know.
I wanted to write a quick article about how you can quickly decide if you have an issue with substances.
I meet with clients and can immediately spot if they have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, drugs or food. Mainly any type of compulsive behavior but for the nature of this blog post we will focus on those 3. So what do these people say that causes my red flag to go up?
Thinking errors or cognitive distortions as we call them in the field come up in the initial conversation. A thinking error is just that a distorted view of life or reality in some way.
Red Flags
For example, people will minimize the issue (thinking error). They will say things like “I don’t drink that much”. Another one is “I take my pills as prescribed but yeah, sometimes I run out of my prescription early”.
However, it is in congruent with what the reality is. The person could have just been arrested for a DUI or had to try to get a refill early. It really is an issue in their life that they are minimizing or in denial.
Another red flag is when a person reports drinking or using a substance daily to cover up some problem. The person says they don’t want to think about or perhaps “numb out” so they don’t feel. That’s a problem with whatever you are using to cope.
There are lots of red flags that can indicate a substance use disorder. The main thing is if you think it’s a problem or feel shame the day after then it’s a problem.
How to Change It
Counseling can help you learn healthy ways to cope with stress especially during this time in our country. It can help you get to the root of the issue of why you abuse substances. Counseling can help you come up with strategies to put into place that work for you. It can help you reduce or stop abusing the substance.
If you feel this may be you, reach out by scheduling a free 15 min phone or online zoom session . The free session is used to discuss if counseling might be right fit for you.
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