Twenty questions
1. Q: What is addiction NOT?
A: Addiction is not any of the following:
It is NOT a "character" or moral defect.
It is NOT a simple failure of willpower.
It is NOT a sign of inadequate intelligence.
2. Q: What is the nature of addiction?
A: Addictive behavior creates a vicious cycle. "Gotta
have it", or "craving" (drugs, alcohol, gambling,
sex, food, shopping, cigarettes), for many of us becomes a
biologically driven problem that demands satisfaction. The
search for that satisfaction increasingly dominates our lives
and in the process offends and alienates loved ones, leads us
to violate our own principles and values, and causes tremendous
financial, physical, emotional, and spiritual turmoil. That very
turmoil, pain and shame leads us back to seek relief in the behaviors
and substances that we have come to depend upon.
3. Q: "I don’t have a problem… do I?"
A: Denial is a cardinal feature of addiction. A wise professional
in recovery noted that alcohol and drug addiction "is the
only disease … that argues with you and says, "Look,
despite all the evidence, you don’t have a problem."
(Coombs, 1997).
Ultimately, only you can decide whether you have a problem. However,
while you are wondering and deciding, there are many resources
available to you, including tools that will help you to challenge
your own beliefs about your behavior. The Minnesota Institute
of Public Health’s website www.miph.org/miph_alcohol.html
and www.miph.org/miph_other.html
has useful information.
4. Q. What do people mean when they talk about workaholics?
A. In our culture working extra hours, meeting even unimportant
deadlines and making yourself painfully available is often seen
as a positive trait. You’ve heard the expression "hard
work never hurt anyone". That’s not entirely true. We
know that stress contributes to a variety of illness including
heart disease, stroke and depression. If you are consistently
unable to give time and attention to your family and friends;
if you find it hard to engage in any activities that aren’t
work related, if you use job related activities to gain a sense
of control over your life and validate your personal worth; or
if you use work as a substitute for intimacy or relationships,
you may need to look at this area of your life. Additional information
about workaholism can be found at:
www.camp.org.sg/workaholism.cfm.
5. Q: How is addiction to alcohol and drugs diagnosed by a physician
or counselor?
A: Addiction is a chronic and progressive disorder characterized
by the compulsive use of a substance or activity resulting in
physical, psychological or social harm to the user and continued
use despite the harm that it causes. In other words, addiction
involves dependence upon a "drug" or behavior to experience
euphoria or relief despite harm to oneself or others. Eventually,
the user may not get any relief or achieve any euphoria.
The CAGE questionnaire is often used as a tool to assess the
likelihood of the presence of alcoholism (and can be modified
to help assess other addictions):
Have you ever felt the need to cut down on your drinking?
Have you ever felt annoyed when people criticized your
drinking?
Have you ever had guilty feelings about your drinking?
Do you ever take a morning drink?
If one question is answered "Yes", there is a 62%
probability of addiction, and if two or more are answered positively
that probability is about 82% or higher.
6. Q: What is "sexual addiction"?
A: Like an alcoholic unable to stop drinking, sexual
addicts are unable to stop their self-destructive sexual behavior.
Sexual addition takes many forms and there is no single type of
behavior that can determine whether you are a sexual addict. As
with other addictions there are certain hallmarks (see the four
C’s below) that can define and help you identify any problem.
For further information about sexual addition and a self- test
check out www.ncsac.org.
7. Q: What is gambling addiction?
A: Compulsive gambling has been defined as chronic and
progressive failure to resist impulses to gamble, and gambling
behavior that compromises, disrupts or damages personal , family
or vocational pursuits. Gambling urges and behaviors increase
during stressful times and the problems caused by gambling lead
to even more of these addictive behaviors - the classic vicious
circle. Again, look at the four C’s. For more information
and a screening test go to www.miph.org/gambling.
8. Q: How are addictive processes similar?
A: The "four C’s" of addiction are:
Continued use despite adverse Consequences
Craving — psychological/physical
9. Q: How many people are affected by addiction?
A: Based upon survey and interview results we know that
approximately 10 percent of the United States population is chemically
dependent or alcoholic. We also know that chemical dependency
crosses gender, race, ethnicity, income and education lines. In
other words, no one is immune.
10. Q: Are specific groups of people more likely to have problems
with addition?
A. Addiction is a very democratic and non-discriminating
disease. However, chemical and alcohol dependency does indeed
run in families and many studies indicate a genetic predisposition.
Life style, learned habits and stress are all factors which may
increase your risk. Remember, risk is not destiny and not all
children of alcoholics suffer from the same disease. Knowing your
background and assessing your life style are important so you
can take steps to protect yourself.
11. Q: How do I recognize alcohol or drug addiction?
A: Consider the following questions:
Do you worry about how much someone drinks/uses drugs?
Do you have money problems because of someone’s drinking/drug
use?
Do you tell lies to cover up for someone’s drinking
or drug use?
Do you feel that if the user truly loved you they would
stop drinking/drugging to please you?
Are your plans disrupted or cancelled or meals delayed
because of drinking or drug use?
Are you afraid to upset someone for fear it will trigger
drinking/drug use?
Have you been hurt or embarrassed by a drinker/drug user’s
behavior?
How often do you ride in a car with a driver who is impaired?
Do you refuse social invitations out of fear or anxiety
related to your loved one’s alcohol/ drug use?
In the end, you really have only one question to ask and answer:
"IS SOMEONE’S ALCOHOL/DRUG USE CAUSING PROBLEMS
IN MY FAMILY OR RELATIONSHIP?"
YES_____ NO_____
12. Q. Does an addict have to "hit bottom" before
recovery is possible?
A: The "old approach" was that the addict had
to "hit bottom" in order to be ready to recover. Unfortunately,
due to the nature of this illness and the dogged determination
of denial, this meant that many addicts experienced huge losses,
died or became severely mentally and physically disabled before
they sought help. And the truth is that through intervention the
addict’s "bottom" can be raised. One does not have
to fall so low or so hard.
13. Q: What is an intervention?
A: Every addict in recovery has "hit bottom,"
the point at which the consequences of addictive behavior becomes
intolerable to them. Intervention is designed to "raise"
that "bottom" and halt the "free fall". They
bring the bottom up to hit the alcoholic. An Intervention occurs
whenever someone speaks to you about your behavior. Trained
facilitators can organize a formal intervention to guide
friends, colleagues, family, and loved ones who have witnessed
or experienced the negative consequences of the addict’s
behavior to share this with the abuser in a specific but non-judgmental
manner. The goal is to help the addict move to the point where
treatment is accepted willingly.
14. Q: How are families of addicted individuals affected?
A: Chemical dependency is a family disease. Everyone is
affected by one family member’s addiction. Spouse, children
and extended family develop coping strategies to deal with the
turmoil created by the addict’s behavior. They may learn
to withdraw in response to the addict’s fluctuating moods
and erratic or volatile activity. Often they learn to make excuses
and even cover up for the addict. On one level they feel frustrated,
defeated, lonely, responsible and even guilty. On another level,
secrecy and avoidance reign. The unwritten family "rule"
is "don’t talk, don’t think, don’t feel".
The family believes that the addict’s first priority and
love is for the substance. Nothing they have done or said has
changed that. Helplessness, passivity, unspoken anger and increased
tolerance to the addict’s use and behavior pervade the family
system.
15. Q: What is co-dependence?
A: In a relationship in which one individual has an addiction
the other partner often becomes over involved in the addicts life.
They try to "fix" or "rescue" the addict,
in so many ways large and small, they try to protect their addicted
loved one from the consequences of his or her own behavior. This
in turn can lead to neglect of their own needs and aspirations.
A co-dependent can be a spouse, a son or daughter, a friend, even
a co-worker.
16. Q: Are there issues unique to helping professionals
who suffer with addiction?
A: Many professional tell themselves that they are too
smart for this to happen to them or believe that they should know
better and be able to handle addiction alone. Some may feel they
are too busy to address the problem and that their businesses
depend upon them too much for them focus elsewhere. Helping these
professionals accept the reality that their business will suffer
if they do not receive treatment is crucial. They also must address
their business health, protect their reputation and maintain strict
confidentiality.
17. Q: What is the good news? Can you really treat addiction?
How?
A: Addiction is highly treatable. Chemical and alcohol
dependencies have a treatment success rate that is roughly comparable
to that of other chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension,
and asthma. As with other chronic illnesses, addiction treatment
provides tools to manage symptoms and enhance quality of life.
Addictions are put into remission, not cured.
Addicted professionals, who are involved in peer support groups
(e.g. physicians, lawyers, accountants, pharmacists), have recovery
rates as high as 84%.
Recovery can begin with an evaluation regarding addiction and
acceptance of that reality. Treatment provides counseling, education,
peer support and spiritual growth.
18. Q: I suspect that a colleague may have a problem
with drugs or alcohol. Should I get involved?
A: Yes. Call us at 952-920-5287 for guidance. The workplace
is usually the last place an addiction is likely to show up. People
protect their income source, so if you are seeing a problem at
work, chances are good that the addiction is having a major effect
on other areas of their lives.
19. Q: What if a colleague has a problem with
alcohol or drugs yet seems to be doing an adequate job for their
clients? Isn’t it better to leave well enough alone?
A: NO! Intervene before the addiction gets worse.
20. Q: Finally, is there life after treatment?
A: Indeed there is. Life will continue to offer opportunities,
challenges, sorrows, joys problems and wonders. But your approach
and appreciation and ability to handle these situations without
relying on dependencies will be changed.
.
3400 West 66th Street, Suite 350, Edina MN 5543 •
Phone: 952-920-5287
Email: DianeNaas@aca-accountants.org
Accountants Concerned for Accountants is a nonprofit
501(c)(3) organization
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