Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception

by Abraham J. Twerski

Denial as a Defense Looking at denial as a defense, the obvious question is, A defense against what? In the case cited, the woman couldn’t accept the devastating realization that she had a fatal disease and that her life may soon end. In the case of an addicted person, what is so terrifying that the addict’s psychological system opts to deny reality? The answer is that awareness of being an alcoholic or a drug addict is beyond acceptance. Why? • The person may feel stigmatized at being labeled an alcoholic or addict. • The person may consider addiction to indicate a personality weakness or moral degeneracy. • The person may think not being able to use alcohol or other drugs again is frightening. • The person may not accept the concept of being powerless and not in control. It could be a combination of these and other reasons, but the addicted person finds accepting the diagnosis of addiction every bit as devastating as the woman did accepting the truth of her cancer. Until denial is overcome, addicts are not lying when they say they aren’t dependent on chemicals. They are truly unaware of their dependency. Rationalization and projection serve at least two main functions: (1) they reinforce denial, and (2) they preserve the status quo.