When is Addiction a Moral Issue

When deciding to try drugs initially, no one can deny there is a strong moral element. The same goes for pushing self through rehabilitation and onto long lasting sobriety. In the middle of addiction, things are certainly tougher, as strong cravings can totally overwhelm the mind’s ability to discern right from wrong.

It is generally fruitless to have a discussion about morality with an addicted person. He needs relief from the intense struggle to get through each day before he can do something like examine his own morals, but to reach real and lasting sobriety it will need to happen.

Morals at the Initial Stages

When a person first starts on drugs, when he first picks up a joint or some pills, it’s all about choice. For most people, it takes a fairly long period of use before the drug takes over and they totally lose that power of choice.

At this early stage, morality is part of the equation. The individual makes that choice to take part in drug use, he could stop if he saw a need for it. As long as that is true, his morals or lack of them are a factor.

An individual with strong moral fibre, good self-esteem, personal goals and a satisfying life of his own choosing is far less likely to reach for drugs or alcohol when they are offered.

On the other hand, a person who has suffered trauma or abuse, who feels hopeless or disinterested in achieving goals, or who possesses little self-esteem and a boring or unhappy life is far more likely to use drugs to cover, cope with or ‘solve’ these negative influences or feelings.

Why Does a Person Continue to Reach for Drugs?

Imagine the world of a person who is miserable, shy, insecure or stressed (and the list could go on). He reaches for a drink, a joint or a pill and suddenly these issues seem to be gone (‘seem’ being the important point not to forget). For an hour or two, he feels confident, or relaxed or stress free. Then the drug wears off and life’s problems are back again. Unfortunately, it is easy to see why a person would want to return to the substance again and again.

The more a person is stressed or in pain and unable to deal with life, the more likely it is that he or she will make a habit of turning to this new ‘solution’. For this reason, strong life skills can make all the difference to deterring the use of drugs and alcohol. An individual who doesn’t cover up his feelings or problems, but looks at ways to overcome them and achieve his goals is well on his way to a fun and satisfying drug-free life.

Unfortunately, as drug use continues, the drugs start to have a deadening effect on morality, enabling an addicted individual to commit crimes or harm others in the pursuit of the day’s drug supply. There comes a point when the body suffers from such intense cravings that the mind is tricked into believing that life without drugs would be intolerable and at that point we have addiction.

A Recovery of Morals is Vital for Stable Sobriety

During rehabilitation, it is vital that a recovering addict receives a significant boost in life skills, including one’s ability to make correct and moral decisions.

Our rehabilitation program includes a life skills section which teaches a person the basics of personal integrity and how it can be recovered, along with problem-solving skills to achieve more success in life.

For more information on our Narconon UK programme, contact us on 00800 802 1375