Updated on 1/31/2023
Addiction is an issue that is not easy to cope with and can be difficult for those who don’t struggle to understand its complexities. Many people often confront those struggling with statements like, “Just stop using,” “Have some willpower” or, “Just be stronger and stop indulging yourself.” These statements can be incredibly insensitive to those struggling with addiction. Oftentimes, individuals do want to stop and cannot due to how addiction affects the brain. Knowing why willpower alone is not enough to get sober, and treatment is the way to healing, can help an individual recognize how to beat addictions one step at a time.
Addiction Is Not a Choice
It is important to remember that no one wakes up one day and says to themselves, “You know what? I want to become addicted to substances.” There are no benefits to struggling with addiction, and those who do struggle often find themselves losing friends, family, jobs, homes and may even get into legal trouble. No one would choose a life of extreme emotional distress, nor would they want to continually hurt themselves. Think before you speak, as no one chooses to struggle with addiction, and if they could decide to stop, they most likely would.
Addiction is not a choice in that it rewires the brain’s reward circuit, causing it to crave the very substances that are wreaking havoc on a person’s life. This is why you often see individuals continue to use even after they go through significant life losses such as isolation, legal trouble, job loss and more. Their body craves the substance they have been using. Therefore, even if the negative consequences are recognized, the individual continues to use; this is why willpower alone is not enough to beat addiction.
Willpower Can Lead to Suppressed Emotions
Have you ever been exercising and fought against exhaustion to finish that last set? This can be unhealthy at times because you are not listening to your body. You can cause strain by overworking it, and the exhaustion and pain can become worse. The same is true about willpower when it comes to complex emotions and addiction. If you try to stop on willpower alone, you will most likely be bottling up your feelings and pushing through them as if they are not there. Of course, this will only cause them to grow stronger until you have to stop and face them. This can be extremely distressing when everything comes spilling out. Instead, an individual should open up and talk to someone about what they are going through to start the healing process.
Willpower Doesn’t Address the Causes of Addiction
Some individuals may be able to fight cravings independently for a little while, but this is not ideal and most likely won’t last. Addiction is a complex issue that has various potential causes and can cause worsening emotional stress if not dealt with properly. When a person merely decides to say “no,” they are setting themselves up to fail; it does not address the complex causes of addiction. Eventually, they will experience negative emotions or cravings, and will be drawn back to the very substance that they had sworn off.
Willpower Does Not Work Long-Term
Willpower alone comes from a surge of motivation, which is most likely not going to last. This is why quitting “cold-turkey” often does not work. While it would be nice to have the constant motivation, an individual will most likely burn out and find themselves not putting in the effort to avoid using drugs or alcohol anymore. For this reason, they can’t rely on willpower alone to help heal from addiction. They need something that is long-term and treats their whole self rather than just the physical consequences of addiction.
You Need Other People
The reason that treatment facilities exist is to give an individual quality treatment that will help them heal from addiction and not to isolate. One of the best ways to heal is to have a support group to lean on and ask for advice when they are struggling. As a human, we need social connections to help us get through tough times. Without other people, we can get caught up in our thoughts and remain in one place.
A common misconception about addiction is that anyone can stop with willpower alone. This can be incredibly insulting to those struggling, as there are various reasons willpower alone will not help someone heal from addiction. Instead of relying on willpower, the best choice you can make is to enroll in a treatment facility that can treat you as an entire person, helping to address the physical, mental and emotional aspects of addiction. Facilities such as Casa Palmera can start you on the road to recovery today and give you the necessary tools to beat addictions. We provide an interdisciplinary therapeutic drug rehab and alcohol rehab designed to address the root causes of addiction. Our methods are wholly individualized and offer the highest standard of dignity and confidentiality during your stay. Contact us today to start your journey and begin the healing process. Willpower alone will not help you heal.
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