"It has to be something else. It can't be the drugs or the alcohol. There must be some other reason that I keep having all these problems. You keep saying that I need to stop drinking and doing drugs, but I want a second opinion."
Imagine having your doctor tell you that you have cancer. Upon receiving this news, even though all of the tests have clearly shown that the cancer exists, you refuse to accept it. This is perfectly natural; many people need to go through all of the stages of grief before they arrive at acceptance.
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Chapter 18 continues in the full book. Unlock all 38 chapters, audio narration, bookmarks, and notes.
Key ideas in this chapter
- The search for easier answers than addiction treatment
- How addiction convinces people it doesn't exist
- The myth of self-management in addiction
- Why families also seek second opinions
- How second opinions can keep people sick
"The greatest trick that addiction has ever pulled is convincing families and individuals struggling with addiction that it does not exist."