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Symptoms
From our experience, the inability of the addict to maintain healthy relationships with others and manage their own feelings in a healthy way is the essence of addiction.
As a result, the addiction is transferred to the family exponentially, changing the existing relationship with a range of negative attitudes and emotions, which are shared with the addict and prevent recovery, to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the individual.
DENIAL:
Patient – I can give up when I want. I don´t have a problem.
GUILT:
Patient – I am a failure; I am never successful in my attempts to quit.
SHAME:
Patient – I am deceiving people who trust me. I can´t ask for help.
ANXIETY:
Patient– I have to do something else, use more, use less…
ISOLATION:
Patient – Nobody understands what is happening to me, not even I understand…
CODEPENDENCY: Patient – I can´t stop manipulating people to get what I want and need…
DESIRE FOR CONTROL:
Patient – I just have to give up coke for a week. I she came to the party with me I wouldn´t get drunk. .
HELPLESSNESS:
Patient – Nothing I do works. I can´t stop using…
DENIAL:
Loved one – Our relative does not have a problem, or it is temporary and under control.
GUILT:
Loved one – What have we done to cause this or what can we do to solve the problem?
SHAME:
Loved one – We hide the behaviour or the consequences of my addiction or those of my loved one.
ANXIETY:
Loved one – What should I, or shouldn´t I do? What if…?
ISOLATION:
Loved one – I can´t tell anybody or count on anyone who will understand this and help us.
CODEPENDENCY:
Loved one – I can save him/her if I spend more time helping him/her.
DESIRE FOR CONTROL:
Loved one – If I establish boundaries and limits, if I shout, if I am kind, if…. I can change him/her.
HELPLESSNESS:
Loved one – I can´t change my relative affected by addiction or feel free of my feelings towards him/her.
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