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Guilt and Addiction:

Guilt is another sure component in the life cycle of addiction.

Most addicts are basically good people before they become addicts. They have some sense of right and wrong and harbor no intention of hurting others. As they become dependent on alcohol or other drug chemicals, they begin finding themselves doing and saying things they know deep down simply aren't right. They are losing their ability to control themselves. They become trapped in a vicious circle of using drugs, lying about it, perhaps stealing to support more drug use. At each turn, the addict accumulates memories of each these negative life experiences.

Addiction Triggers:

The addict commits a negative or destructive act. He records a memory of that moment, which includes the other persons he was involved with at the time. The addict knows these actions are wrong, and so he feels bad about them after the fact. These memories of guilt then get triggered in the present or future when he sees those people and places that were involved when he committed the transgressions. He or she feels bad about this.

Over time, he commits more and more of these transgressions. The people in the addict's life where these negative or destructive acts have happened become themselves unconscious "triggers" of the dishonest acts or deeds. That is, when the person, family member, loved one or friend appears in the presence of the addict, it automatically triggers guilt feelings. The family member or friend does not even have to say a word or "do" anything. Just the sight of them can trigger the guilt.

The easiest way for the addict to avoid these very unpleasant, uncomfortable feelings of guilt is for him to use more drugs to insulate himself or herself from guilt, or frankly, any unpleasant feelings or thoughts. Numbness appears to be a desirable option. As he or she become numb to his own feelings and to the presence of others around him and to how they feel about him, the addict will also begin to withdraw from them. The more transgressions committed by the addict, the more he or she withdraws. Eventually, he or she will pull away from the family entirely, that is, leave, or seclude himself. During this process, he will certainly become antagonistic towards those he loves. It is part of the process of pushing himself away from them.

Next: How to overcome the Barriers to recovery and ease the pain of withdrawal   

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