Why Hitting Bottom in Addiction is a Good Thing
If you want to understand hitting bottom in addiction, you have to ask what it takes for an addict to really turn their lives around. Typically, when the alcoholic or drug user realizes that the pain of using the drug or drinking the alcohol is worse than not indulging in these substances, they will finally be willing to make a change in their lives. Often this requires them to hit rock bottom before they turn their habits around.
It is a horrible fact that many drug users and alcoholics never end up hitting bottom in addiction but simply die of their habits before they make a real effort to quit. The concept of reaching rock bottom is important to many recovery programs because it serves as a reminder of where the addict never wants to return to again. Without this touchstone, addicts will continue to alter the world around them to match what they wish it could be. By hitting rock bottom, an addict can no longer pretend that they don’t need help.
From the perspective of friends and family members, watching someone hit bottom in addiction is a challenge. It’s the influential people in the addict’s life that will have to lay down the law and quit ignoring the problem. A spouse or parent may be the one to approach the drug user or alcoholic and tell them straight up what will happen—such as a divorce or life on the streets—if they don’t quit. Even this isn’t always enough because the addict may assume the family member is bluffing.
Exactly where rock bottom is differs from addict to addict. It depends on how self-reliant the drug user or alcoholic has become, but if you ask a recovering alcoholic, they usually have a good idea of when they hit their personal rock bottom. There may be a dramatic story attached to hitting bottom, such as being admitted to the hospital, being arrested, or causing the end of a relationship. However, the importance of hitting rock bottom isn’t about a dramatic story—it’s about a person making a change and pulling themselves out of the rock-bottom state.
If a friend or family member of yours has hit rock bottom, it’s time for them to receive the professional help they need to overcome their addiction at New Roads Treatment Center. You now know the importance of hitting bottom in addiction, and you can help your loved one climb back up.
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