A Young Male Needs Therapy For His Acute Depression, Relationship Difficulties, and For His Alcohol Dependency and Drug Addiction
Nearly eight months ago I had breakfast with a thirty-two-year-old male named Alexander who suffers from extreme depression, has relationship difficulties, and who is alcohol and drug dependent. As explained by Alexander, it is his alcoholism and drug addiction and his extreme depression that had the most to do with his continual relationship difficulties.
I recall hearing that a history of mental health issues, drug addiction, and unhealthy and excessive drinking commonly occur in the same family. Not only this, but I have read that in such situations, an individual needs to get treatment for both medical conditions and that addiction and mental health difficulties many times occur in the same person.
As declared by Alexander, he is so overcome by his relationship problems and by both of his medical issues that he in effect has no driving force to accomplish much of anything. What is especially unfortunate about this is that earlier in his life, Alexander managed to finish one semester of grad school in sports and recreation.
Alexander’s condition makes me wonder if he is an example of a person who can look in the mirror and perceive his drug abuse and alcohol drinking problems and do something meaningful about these issues or if he is a person who has to hit rock-bottom before he gets drug and alcohol rehab that leads to lasting recovery.
The Need For a Rehab Protocol He Can Believe In and a Psychologist He Can Trust
If it would be beneficial I would presume that I could recommend a number of websites and blogs that could possibly help him find info about drug abuse symptoms, the stages of alcoholism, chemical dependency information, and relationship problems. From where I stand, nonetheless, Alexander needs to find a counseling protocol he can believe in and follow through over the long haul and find a healthcare practitioner he can trust.
I could be in the wrong but it seems logical to conclude that Alexander probably needs to look honestly at his life regarding his drug addiction signs and alcoholic symptoms and recognize the fact that he cannot abuse drugs or even drink in moderation if he wants to get sober, stay sober, and start on the road to long-term sobriety.
It may be asked how counseling would help his drug and alcohol addiction. For starters, there are some recently produced doctor-prescribed medications that can help Alexander avoid an alcohol or a drug relapse, help him through his withdrawal symptoms, and help him through the drug and alcohol detoxification process.
Second, Alexander would learn to admit the fact that there is absolutely nothing helpful about drug abuse and excessive and careless drinking and that involving himself in one or both conditions is the map to legal problems, poor work and school performance, shattered relationships, financial difficulties, deteriorating health, and possibly a premature death.
Third, counseling for his depression and for his relationship difficulties might help him deal with these medical conditions more successfully and perhaps create less of a need for him to involve himself in addictive behavior.
The Importance of Recovery Groups Like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous
There are probably quite a few family members, friends, and other people who would desire to help Alexander with his chemical dependency and his harmful drinking. He probably would experience greater sympathy from a recovery group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, however, rather than getting advice from people who drink in moderation or who have never abused drugs.
When People Do Things They Love and About Which They Are Fervent
There’s a school of thought that asserts that people who accomplish things they like and something about which they are ardent reach a breathtaking place in life. Stated more accurately, when people do what they love, they almost never experience boredom or an uneventful life. If they involve themselves in something that is fulfilling, what is more, they become more actualized and experience more happiness and delight in life and in their relationships.
When this is thought about for a short while it becomes clear that this affirmative orientation is worlds apart from a life that is grounded in chemical dependency because such a lifestyle removes the satisfaction and joy that life offers.
Since Alexander lacks the drive to succeed at doing much of anything in his life, it is apparent that he urgently needs a little hope for a more fulfilling lifestyle. And the unfortunate thing is that hope is virtually everywhere around Alexander if he could only get to the point in life to get the therapy he needs for his severe depression and alcohol addiction and drug dependence and stick with his treatment routine.
Better Relationships, A Meaningful Life, Self Respect, and Beneficial Change Are Possibilities
Alexander is clearly too young to be beaten in life. He doesn’t realize this right now but if he can learn how to abstain from drugs and alcohol through drug and alcohol therapy and get the counseling he needs for his acute depression, he can reorient his life and start living with self-respect, direction, and passion.
Enhanced relationships, a meaningful life, self esteem, and positive change are certainly possibilities for Alexander if only he could become inspired to get the professional rehabilitation he needs, follow through with his treatment protocol, live his life in a healthy and drug and alcohol-free way, and learn how to foster a more positive attitude about his life.