Identifying and Defining the Invisible Line Crossed into Addiction

Addiction can be like a phantom in one’s life, appearing in one fleeting moment but then disappearing. Unlike what many people might think, addiction sometimes is not clearly defined. Invisible Line Crossed

Someone can be on the cusp of addiction for many years, but not truly cross over the invisible line until it’s too late. There is an invisible line that people cross into addiction, and it can be hard to identify and define that line.

However, even after a person has crossed that line one should take a step back and find ways to figure out what it is. This can help a person struggling with addiction to realize what has triggered the addiction and why it became worse over the years.

Strange and Self-Harming Behavior

Many otherwise successful and even brilliant people have struggled with the darkness of an overwhelming addiction. Despite their seeming brilliance and charisma in other areas of their life, they seem to lack the willpower to stop themselves from making self-harming decisions when it comes to alcohol or drugs.

Even after their careers are hurt, or they become broke and lose relationships, they continue with their addiction. Although they know they could end up dead, and are severely damaging their health, they continue on with their addiction. The big question is why do otherwise intelligent people continue making such strange decisions?

The reason is that this isn’t about will power anymore. The invisible line is crossed in a person’s life when they can no longer exhibit common sense about their dependency, and allow the addiction to run their life.

This is when someone has transitioned into full blown addiction and they have crossed the line that previously they had been able to toe. Previously they had been able to exhibit some common sense when it came to what was most important in one’s life.

Not An Issue Of Willpower

The sooner the addict and loved ones start to accept that this isn’t a question of willpower anymore the closer they can get to finding the right treatment. When people’s brains and bodies become addicted to a substance, they become physically, emotionally, and mentally dependent on the substance.

Once this is realized they should then seek professional help to find treatment methods that can help people who have crossed that invisible line. Because otherwise, none of the pep talks about learning self-control or making rational decisions will be that effective.

Steps To Recovery

Once that person who has crossed that invisible line starts seeking out professional treatment than a definitive and effective treatment plan can be laid out for that person to recover. Besides detoxing, instead of relying strictly on willpower or cause and effect scenarios, the addict can access support groups and programs where one can learn ways to manage the addiction.

And in recovery, it’s important that the addict develops support groups of people who also understand what it’s like to cross that invisible line. The good news is that understanding and identifying the invisible line is the first major step towards recovery, and can help reveal many triggers and traumas.

Oftentimes the people addicted are the last ones to know that they have become addicts. Unfortunately, some people may put off treatment for long periods of time because they think that one day they will develop the willpower or the motivation to kick the addiction once and for all.

What they don’t realize is that willpower has ceased to become the issue, and serious addiction is a destructive cocktail of physical and emotional dependencies. It’s so strong that someone is willing to destroy their entire life and everything one has worked so hard for to quench that addiction.