Why Do Alcoholics Lie?: 5 Most Common Lies
Alcoholics lie in two ways: first, they lie to themselves, and second, they lie to you. These lies may be the result of the alcoholic’s denial of their drinking issue. Alcoholics find it difficult to admit they have a problem, so they rationalize their drinking. It is frequently simpler for many alcoholics to tell themselves lies than to acknowledge that they have lost control and require help.
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Why Do Alcoholics Lie?
Alcoholics sometimes feel embarrassed to acknowledge they have a drinking issue. There are many negative connotations linked with mental illness, alcoholism, and addiction in our culture. Because of this, alcoholics will make an effort to conceal or pass off their illness as something else. If your loved one lies, it may be to cover up their embarrassment or protect them from peer criticism. On the road towards helping a loved one heal from alcoholism it’s important to remove the shame surrounding the use.
5 Most Common Lies Alcoholics Tell
To Hide Alcohol Use
To cover up their drinking is one of the main reasons why alcoholics lie. Because an alcoholic won’t stop drinking even if their loved ones urge them to do so or seek treatment, they may feel shame. Someone who hasn’t yet made the decision to stop drinking is more prone to fabricate their drinking history.
To Get More Alcohol
Your loved one may not be able to buy alcohol due to financial hardship and job loss brought on by alcohol misuse. When alcoholism sets in, a person will do whatever to get alcohol, even if it means lying to others to get money for it.
To Avoid Shame
The alcoholic may wish to refrain from upsetting people they care about especially if they have already voiced concern about their alcohol usage.To allay concerns of others, they can deny having consumed alcohol or downplay the intensity of their abuse.
To Live in Fantasy
Alcohol addiction changes perceptions of reality. The person may create a reality where their drinking habits are not an issue because the reality of the situation is frequently too difficult to accept. They may believe they can stop at any time. In actuality, they might regularly consume enough alcohol to cause blackouts, in which case they would not have knowledge of their behavior during this time.
To Avoid Conflict
An alcoholic’s family experiences distress as a result of the abuse, which may result in disputes. This can become quite stressful for the alcoholic over time, and they may start lying to avoid conflict. They may go as far as opening other accounts, or not returning to the house. Avoiding conflict can be more insedious when the alcoholic begins refusing to communicate at all, or blaming their addiction on the conflict.
To Lie to Themselves
When someone has a drug or alcohol addiction, they frequently lie to themselves as well. An alcoholic may even have himself convinced there is no problem via denial and self-deception. We have all had moments where we’ve believed things weren’t as bad as they were. These false mental dialogues frequently occur in addicts and alcoholics.
To Hide a Relapse
Relapse makes individuals feel horrible about themselves and can also cause them to worry about other people’s opinions of them. In the end, lying to cover up the relapse can result from this.
Blame Goes Hand in Hand with Lies
The stress that resulted in a person’s drinking issues may be attributed to loved ones or their employers. It could also be as an accusation stating that the loved one keeps buying them alcohol and making their addiction worse.
Another way that blame sneaks in is when the alcoholic does not hold themselves accountable, or denies anything is happening. This is a common symptom that may arise in a person who is otherwise not this way outside of their addiction.
How to Help When Someone is Lying About Addiction
Many families of alcoholics find it difficult to know what to do next. You should try to talk to them about these difficulties as your first course of action. This conversation could not go well if they are also living in denial, but keep your composure. If your attempts to help them repeatedly have failed, you might require help from people who have been in your loved ones shoes before. If your loved one needs help to succeed contact us to discover the benefits of living with others who have the same desire to build a sober and healthy life.
