Addiction can change a person in a number of ways. One of these is to cause the individual to lie to others often and selfishly. However, there are ways you can put an end to both your substance abuse and the tendency toward dishonesty it can cause. Call
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Addiction and Lying: A Scientific Study
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “A person who is addicted might do almost anything––lying stealing, or hurting people––to keep taking the drug.” But why will a person who never did these sorts of things before start doing them as a result of addiction?
In truth, drug addiction actually changes the way the brain works. Though a person starts taking drugs voluntarily at first, over time, the use of addictive substances will affect the makeup of the brain so that drug use becomes involuntary. Cravings for the drug will start to set in when the individual is not using, and these may become so strong that the addict cannot resist them. In addition, many types of drug use change the reward pathways of the brain so the individual can no longer receive positive reinforcement from any actions other than their substance abuse. This causes them to put the drug above all else, whether they want to or not.
As a result, people start to lie in order to avoid the consequences of their substance abuse and to continue achieving their ultimate goal, which at this point, has become nothing more than obtaining more of the drug, getting their next high, and avoiding withdrawal symptoms.
According to the American Clinical and Climatological Association, the science behind drug addiction and lying goes even farther than this. In most cases, the friends and family members of an addicted individual will want them to stop using because they will see what their loved one’s substance abuse is doing to them. As a result, “addicts have no choice but to lie, since they want to use the drugs and to hold onto important relationships.”
Can I Stop Lying and Get Better?
Many addicted individuals feel they have to lie because of their substance abuse or do so involuntarily, similarly to the way they use drugs. But there are actually many ways in which an addict can stop lying and stop using, the safest and most effective of which is to seek professional treatment.
- When you seek treatment, you will receive professional help from doctors, nurses, counselors, and other individuals who all want to see you put an end to your substance abuse. Because it is almost impossible for many individuals to do so on their own, being able to lean on others who have experience in this matter can really change a person’s life, allowing them to make full recoveries.
- Behavioral therapy can help teach you better coping mechanisms than substance abuse as well as ways to avoid triggers, cravings, and stressful situations that could lead to relapse. In addition, one can also learn in therapy to examine their problematic actions and to adopt better ways to interact with others (NIDA).
- Many drug rehab programs use medications as a part of treatment. Whether the patient is being maintained on the medication or they are receiving it as part of a detox regimen, this can minimize one’s chances for relapse and also for lying.
- If an individual is no longer experiencing cravings for a drug, they are less likely to tell lies in order to obtain more of it. In addition, maintenance drugs can allow individuals to live their daily lives without abusing substances but without the severe withdrawal effects that come from quitting, which will allow them to put more focus on their therapies and recoveries.
With professional rehab treatment, you can relearn positive actions and attitudes while also retraining your brain after the changes addiction has made to it. This will allow you to better control your compulsion for substance abuse and lying.
Seek Treatment for Addiction Now
Let us help you find the best rehab center for your current situation. Call
800-681-1058
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