Taking Responsibility for Your Addiction

Addiction is a physical disease and like any disease the person is not necessarily to blame for their addiction. It is not a lack of willpower or a lack of morals that causes it but a very complex set of circumstances, chemistry, and other factors. Unfortunately, there are some aspects of addiction that are the addict’s fault. It is important to distinguish between the two and begin taking responsibility.

What does it Mean to Take Responsibility?

Take responsibility by seeking the necessary treatment to start your recovery.

To take responsibility for something means that you accept that it is yours to deal with. It does not mean to place blame. Since addiction is a disease, the addiction is not the addict’s fault. There is no blame here. Many people feel that there has to be something to blame, but in addiction, there is only a cause.

Instead of blaming someone for the addiction, it is important to discover the cause of the addiction so it may be dealt with. You cannot blame someone for his or her addiction any more than you can blame someone for having heart disease or diabetes.

What do Addicts Need to Take Responsibility for?

This is not to say that addicts do not need to take responsibility. Some say that trying the drug for the very first time, is their fault. This is not necessarily true. There are a hundred things that factor into that first decision and whether you become addicted to a specific drug.

Chances are you did some things that you are not proud of while you were on the drug. By taking responsibility for these things, you are placing the blame on yourself where it should be placed on the drug. If you have a loved one who is an addict, it is important to remember that while under the influence of the drug it is impossible for the addict to make rational decisions. What the addict needs to take responsibility for the most is their treatment and life after treatment.

Taking Responsibility in Treatment

It is your responsibility to seek treatment when your drug use is out of control. By taking charge of your treatment, you can successfully complete the treatment requirements and rid yourself of your addiction. Treatment is hard work and there are many pitfalls and possible failures along the way. By taking charge of your treatment and your recovery, you can hopefully avoid many of them.

It is your responsibility to make sure that you stay on the path to recovery. It is also your responsibility to place the blame securely where it belongs, on the drug.

Taking Responsibility in your Life

By taking responsibility in your life, you realize that you are in ultimate control over what happens to you. If you are addicted the first step in taking responsibility for your life is to seek treatment for the addiction. You can do this by researching your treatment options and by calling us at 800-996-6135(Who Answers?) . We can help you take responsibility and end the addiction.