There is no arguing the fact that drug addiction can affect an individual physically, mentally and emotionally, and cause damaging effects in both their personal and professional life. However, the truth is that while some individuals are quite obviously suffering the ill effects of drug addiction, others are able to function rather effectively in their lives, continuing to care for their family and work well on the job despite their drug use patterns. This does not mean that their drug addiction problems are non-existent, but only that they are better able to hide these problems well from self and others. They still need to participate in addiction treatment in order to fully and permanently recover from drugs, but the problem then becomes how to convince them that they do need help–especially if they feel they can argue that they are doing well in their life despite their drug use.
Initiating Treatment for High-Functioning Addicts
One of the first difficulties family members and friends may encounter when attempting initiate treatment for a high-functioning addict is their inability to recognize them. Since the individual appears to be doing well in their life, it doesn’t occur to others around them that they are struggling with drug addiction problems. However, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, roughly twenty-three million adults in the United States suffer from some sort of drug abuse or addiction problem, and according to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, roughly seventeen million adults in the United States suffer from an alcohol use disorder. A study performed by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in 2007, just under twenty percent of these alcoholics are functioning alcoholics.
To identify a high-functioning addict, one should look for the following patterns of behavior:
● An inability to control one’s alcohol or other drug use (including prescription medications) after starting to use them.
● Planning future drug use–essentially obsessing about drugs all the time.
● Unusual shifts in behavior and mannerisms that seem uncharacteristic of the individual.
● Asserting that they don’t need help for their drug use since they are doing well personally and professionally.
● Setting drug use limits (like two drinks are a party) and not being able to stick to them.
● Taking risks while under the influence of drug substances, such as driving while using a sedative drug.
● Always seeming to have some amount of drug substances to hand.
● Feeling that drug use is necessary in order to cope with life, relax or recover from stressful situations.
● Inability to remember periods of time during which drug use was occurring.
● Expressing guilt about their drug use patterns.
● Trying to reduce or eliminate their drug use, only to start up again or even increase their consumption after a short period of time.
Once you have identified a high-functioning addict in your life, it becomes important to help this individual receive the treatment they need in order to fully and permanently recover from drug use. This is rarely a fast or easy process, though there are some cases where an individual does admit the need and desire for help once the problem is voiced by family members. For those who refuse to admit to their problem or their need for help, however, family members will need to be more persistent.
In order to guide a high-functioning addict into addiction treatment, family members will first need to educate themselves, and their loved one, in the truth about drug use, abuse and addiction. They will also need to find concrete evidence that indicates that their loved one’s drug use has actually lead to very real and demonstrable problems in their life. It is also important to point out to the individual that their drug use has had negative effects on others’ lives, so that they don’t feel that it’s just their problem and their business. These conversations are best undertaken when the individual is definitely not under the influence of drug substances, and with the guidance of a professional interventionist who does not have any emotional attachment to the individual. Laying out consequences for continued drug use and presenting the individual with real treatment solutions can also be critical to one’s success in initiating addiction treatment.
In the end, any individual who is addicted to drug substances, whether struggling greatly with these problems or high-functioning despite these problems, needs to understand that others have noticed the damaging effects of their drug use, that their further drug use will not be tolerated, and that they will be fully supported throughout the recovery process.