One of the most damaging ideas in the addiction industry is that individuals need to “hit rock bottom” before they get help. While many people who struggle with addiction wait until they reach a point of desperation before asking for help, recovery is easier the sooner you start it, and seeking treatment early can prevent a lot of damage along the way.
Hitting rock bottom describes an individual reaching the lowest point of their addiction. People believe that it is important for individuals to reach this point to gain the motivation they need to recover. Not only is this a gross misconception, but telling people to wait to attend treatment could cost them their lives.
Knowing what rock bottom is and understanding what it looks like can help individuals understand why it is important to attend treatment sooner rather than later.
When someone says they have “hit rock bottom” they are saying that they have reached the lowest and worst point of their addiction or alcoholism. Sometimes this could look like getting into a motor vehicle accident, losing an important relationship with someone, or overdosing on drugs. In other words, rock bottom is different for everyone.
Hitting rock bottom is a broad term that is up for personal interpretation. No one singular event signifies rock bottom because there are no ends to the depths that addiction can take someone.
Rock bottom can be described as an individual reaching their breaking point with their addiction emotionally. Sometimes this could include experiencing a mental breakdown.
Many situations could lead an individual to reach rock bottom, including:
To be completely honest, the causes of hitting rock bottom are neverending and far-reaching. Any distressing event related to an individual’s addiction can cause them to decide they have had enough of their addiction and are ready to get help.
The signs of reaching rock bottom will differ from person to person. However, there are some symptoms that are more common than others.
The signs of reaching this low point include:
If an individual does reach what they consider to be their bottom, they should seek help from an addiction treatment facility. However, it is always better to begin substance abuse treatment before an individual reaches the lowest points of addiction, as waiting too long could lead to fatal or life-threatening effects such as overdoses.
In other words, no. It is absolutely not necessary to hit rock bottom to get help for an addiction to drugs or alcohol.
The idea that an individual has to lose everything to gain the motivation to change is harmful, stigmatizing, and extremely dangerous. The ever-growing epidemic of drug overdoses is bad enough already without spreading the misconception of needing to reach the lowest depths of addiction before treatment will be successful.
There is a long list of reasons that waiting to reach a point of despair before going to rehab is dangerous. Firstly, individuals could lose vital resources such as their homes, important relationships, and financial security.
The mental health risks of waiting are even more severe, and often include developing:
The physical health risks of waiting to get help include:
The main and most significant benefit to seeking help sooner rather than later is preventing a life-threatening or fatal overdose. While many people operate on the belief that “it will never happen to them,” drug overdoses top 100,000 U.S. citizens annually.[1]
Additional benefits of seeking treatment early on rather than waiting for rock bottom include:
Michael Herbert, The Recovery Guide, has more than 30 years of experience working closely with individuals and families dealing with addiction and recovery issues. He is a seasoned Coach and can help you and your family establish long-term goals and access the tools you need for continued abstinence and recovery for the entire family. Get in touch with Michael today at 561-221-7677 to schedule an appointment
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