About seven months ago I had lunch with a thirty-seven-year-old male named Alexander who experiences extreme depression, has relationship difficulties, and who is addicted to drugs and alcohol. As mentioned by Alexander, it is his alcohol and drug dependency and his acute depression that had the most to do with his perpetual relationship problems.

I remember reading that a history of mental health problems, chemical dependency, and abusive and excessive drinking frequently take place in the same family. Furthermore, I remember reading that under such circumstances, a person needs to get treatment for both medical situations and that dependency and mental health issues commonly take place in the same person.

As explained by Alexander, he is so overwhelmed by his relationship difficulties and by both of his medical issues that he basically has little or no reason to achieve much of anything. What is especially sad about this is that earlier in his life, Alexander managed to complete four semesters of graduate school in theology.

Alexander’s condition makes me question if he is an illustration of a person who can look in the mirror and perceive his drug abuse and alcohol drinking problems and do something positive about these difficulties or if he is someone who has to hit the very bottom before he gets drug and alcohol addiction rehab that results in lasting sobriety.

The Need For a Rehabilitation Regimen He Can Believe In and a Psychologist He Can Trust

If it would be helpful I would presume that I could suggest more than a few blogs and websites that could possibly help him learn more about drug abuse symptoms, the stages of alcoholism, chemical dependency information, and relationship issues. From my vantage point, nonetheless, Alexander needs to find a rehab protocol he can believe in and follow through over the long term and find a psychologist he can trust.

I could be wrong but it seems to me that Alexander more likely than not needs to look honestly at his life regarding his drug addiction signs and alcoholic symptoms and accept the fact that he cannot abuse drugs or even drink in moderation if he wants to get sober, remain sober, and start on the road to long-lasting sobriety.

It may be asked how treatment would help his drug and alcohol addiction. First of all, there are some recently created physician-prescribed medications that can help Alexander avoid a drug and an alcohol drug relapse, help him through the drug and alcohol detoxification process, and help him through his withdrawal symptoms.

Second, Alexander would learn to concede the fact that there is utterly nothing useful about substance abuse and careless and hazardous drinking and that engaging in one or both situations is the road to shattered relationships, deteriorating health, financial difficulties, a premature death, poor work and school performance, and legal problems.

Third, treatment for his depression and for his relationship difficulties might help him cope with these mental health difficulties more successfully and possibly create less of a need for him to involve himself in addictive behavior.

The Importance of Recovery Groups Such as Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous

There are realistically numerous friends, family members, and other people who would desire to help Alexander with his substance abuse and his excessive and hazardous drinking. He more likely than not would experience greater acceptance from a recovery group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous, however, instead of listening to individuals who drink just a few times per year or who have never abused drugs.

When Individuals Accomplish Things They Love and About Which They Are Zealous

There’s a school of thought in psychology that stresses that people who do things they like and something about which they are zealous reach a magnificent place in life. Stated more clearly, when people do what they enjoy, they rarely if ever go through an uneventful life or boredom. If they involve themselves in something that is enjoyable, what is more, they become more fulfilled and experience more happiness and joy in life and in their relationships.

When this is thought about for a few moments it becomes clear that this uplifting mindset is widely divergent from a life that is centered in chemical dependency because such a lifestyle removes the satisfaction and delight that life has to offer.

Since Alexander doesn’t have the fortitude to succeed at doing much of anything in his life, it is clear that he definitely needs some hope for a healthier existence. And the sad thing is that hope is almost everywhere around Alexander if he could only get to the point in life to get the counseling he requires for his acute depression and dependency and stay with his treatment protocol.

Stronger Relationships, Productive Change, Self Respect, and a Wonderful Life Are Possibilities

Alexander is clearly too young to be crushed in life. He doesn’t realize this at this time in his life but if he can learn how to remove himself from alcohol and drugs via alcohol and drug therapy and get the treatment he needs for his extreme depression, he can redirect his life and start living with self-respect, direction, and passion.

Better relationships, productive change, self respect, and a wonderful life are certainly a reality for Alexander if only he could get inspired to get the medical rehab he requires, follow through with his treatment regimen, live his life in an addiction-free and healthy way, and learn how to cultivate a more positive attitude about his life.

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