Many of us in addiction have struggled with our mental health. We tried antidepressants and therapy along with talking to professionals and reading self help books or even self medicating. What is more, our addiction eventually forced us into hospitals and significant financial debt. We lost our homes and jobs as well as friendships and relationships and our health. In some cases, this led to A&E where people were put into induced comas because their bodies could no longer cope.
Our bodies were tired and the neurons firing in our brains were being processed out of sync. We were all over the place and our decision making was illogical. We did stupid and reckless or even ridiculous and crazy damage that remains unforgettable. Many of us remember our reckless behaviour and felt a deep sense of embarrassment. I know I certainly did.
Addiction comes in many forms such as gambling or eating and alcohol or drugs and spending. In short, addiction is a chronic disease defined by a compulsive need to use a substance or engage in behaviour despite harmful consequences and a loss of control. It hijacks brain reward circuits which causes intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms when stopping.
If you have found my website looking for a way to get clean, you have made a good step. Sometimes we have to hit a spiral before we can fully acknowledge that our addiction has got the better of us. Spiralling out of control is different for each of us in addiction. For me it was being placed into a medically induced coma because I became unconscious after overdosing. I had a GCS of 2. The Glasgow Coma Scale is a system to score or measure how conscious you are and a score of less than 8 is considered severe.
This is the first part of the solution which is to acknowledge that you have a problem and have hit your spiral. This guide will hit deeper if you are in this position because I can offer a step by step guide to help you.