In the 20th century, people do not usually club to death, those who threaten their chemical use. Instead, they develop mental defenses that protect them psychologically from harm. A major defense is denial.

There are two forms of denial. One involves subconscious self-delusion. In the first form of denial one is aware of the lying behavior. For example, Jane says to Paul, “You’ve been drinking,” after smelling alcohol on his breath. Paul who realizes Jane smells the five beers he just drank tries to cover up the fact with a lie and says, “No you are mistaken.” Paul is “denying” that he drank, but he is aware that is not being truthful. In the second situation, Jane says to Paul, “You act like you are drunk again. I think you’re an alcoholic!” In hearing this information, Paul feels that his ability to drink is threatened. If he really believes what Jane says, then he will have to change his behavior. This would be difficult for him. Paul’s psychological defenses come to the rescue. Paul quickly justifies his behavior, and then switches to blaming Jane by responding, “Who wouldn’t drink with a nagging wife like you. Besides, you think everybody is alcoholic!” Paul is not consciously aware that he is “in denial.” His rationalization is the way he flees from the danger threatening his primary urge to drink.

There are many “mistakes” in thinking that substance abusers develop, in order to protect their drinking and or using. Whenever the chemically dependent person engages in behavior that is against their own value system, they are forced to either

• change their behavior, or
• Change the way they think about the behavior.

As the disease of addiction progresses, so do the mistakes or errors in thinking made by the substance abuser. They develop “thinking errors” that affect their judgments. All of these thinking errors are forms of denial. The thinking error of the substance abuser disappears once you enter sobriety.

THINKING ERRORS

1. Excuse Making
The substance abuser makes excuses for anything and everything. Whenever held accountable for drinking or using behavior, the alcoholic often gives excuses. Excuses are means of finding a reason to justify their behavior.

         Example:        
            “I drink because I’m depressed”
            “I use because my partner doesn’t understand me”

2. Blaming
Blaming is an excuse not to solve a problem, and the substance abuser uses blaming to excuse their behavior and build up resentment toward someone else for “causing” whatever has happened. Blaming permits buildup and gets the focus off the substance abuser and onto others.

         Example:
            “I couldn’t do it because he got in my way”
            “The trouble with you is you’re always looking at me in a critical way”
            “My wife nags me too much about my drinking”

3. Redefining
Redefining is shifting the focus of an issue to avoid solving a problem. The substance user uses redefining to get the focus off the subject in question. Redefining also indicates ineffective thinking, and of not dealing with the problem at hand.

         Example:

                Question—“Why did you violate your abstinence contract by drinking?”

                Answer—“I feel the language contract was too wordy confusing.”

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Will be a certain way, therefore, it is or will be. This permits a person to function according to what they want rather than according to the facts of the situation.

          Example:

Substance abusers will believe that they can  stop drinking/using because they may have made the decision to stop using, with no treatment or A.A./N.A. support.  Super-optimistic people also believe that they can be famous, popular, strong, movie stars, rich, and so forth simply by wishing it and never take into account the practical steps along the way.

5. Lying
Lying is the most commonly known characteristic of substance abuse thinking. Most users lie in different ways at different times. They use lying to confuse, distort, and take the focus off their behavior. Lying takes three forms;

A) commission--making things up that are simply not true;

B) omission--saying partly what is so, but leaving out major sections;

C) assent--making believe that one agrees with someone else or presenting or approving others’ ideas in order to look good when, in fact, the person has no intention of going along with this or does not really agree.

         Example:

                  “You could say that” is an example of subtle lying by assent.

6. Making Fools Of
Substance  abusers make fools of others by agreeing to do things and not following through, by saying things they do not mean, by setting others up to fight, by inviting frustrations and letting people down, in numerous ways.

Example:

                        By putting others down, the substance user takes the focus off their own behavior.        

7. Assuming
The substance user spends a great deal of time assuming what others think, what others are doing. They use this assumption in service of whatever drinking or using activity or behavior they decide to engage in.

         Example:

The substance user assumes that other people do not like them. This gives then an excuse to blow up, be angry, or get drunk or stoned. Assuming takes place every day, and the substance abuser makes assumptions about whatever they wish in order to support their addictive behavior.

8.  “I’m Unique”
The substance user believes that they are special and that no one else is like them. So any information that is applied to other people simply doesn’t affect them. Substance abusers in treatment commonly believe that everyone else is an addict/alcoholic except themselves.

         Example:

                           “I don’t need anyone, and no one understands me anyway.”                                    

                            “No one can tell me what to do.”

9. Integrating
The abuser often over-does being nice to others and going out of their way to act interested in other people, how they can manipulate them, use them, or control the situation to their own purpose. Watch out for praise from a substance abuser.

10. Fragmented Personality
It is very common for the substance abuser to attend church on Sunday, get drunk or use on Tuesday afternoon, and then attend church again on Wednesday. To the substance abuser, there is no inconsistency in this behavior. They believe that they are good people and justified in whatever they do, or get, or own, or possess, or control.

11. Minimizing
The substance abuser often minimizes his behavior and actions by talking about it in such a way that it seems insignificant. They discount the significance of their behavior. You will see minimizing when confronting substance abuser about irresponsible behavior.

         Example:

“I only drank three beers and I could have drank allot more, but I didn’t.”

12. Vagueness
The substance abuser is typically unclear and nonspecific to avoid being pinned down on any particular issue. They use words and phrases that are lacking in detail. This way, they can look good to others, but not commit themselves to anything specific.

         Example:

                           Vague words include phrases such as:

                           “I more or less think so.”

                           “I guess.”

                           “Probably”

                           “Maybe.”

                           “I might.”

                           “I’m not sure about this.”

                           “It probably was.”

                           “I drink socially.”

                           “I smoke pot occasionally.”

13. Anger

Anger is the primary emotion for the substance abuser. There is not real anger most of the time (in fact, 99% of the time). Instead the substance abuser uses the “anger” to control others or to use power in a situation. The user has unrealistic expectations about the people in their world, and controls others by aggression, attacking, criticizing, or any other way they can to immobilize others, and gives themselves control of the situation.

14. Power Plays
The substance abuser uses power plays whenever they aren’t getting their way in a situation. This includes such things as walking out of a room during a disagreement, not completing a job that they agree to do, refusing to listen or hear what someone else has to say, or organizing people to be angry at others in their support.

15. Victim Playing
This is a major role that the substance abuser takes. The underlying issues are aggression and power plays. However, the user acts as if they are unable to solve problems or do anything for themselves. Substance abusers often whine, shuffle, look woebegone and helpless, and act as if they are too stupid to do anything for themselves. The substance abusers belief is that if they do not get whatever they want, then they are the victim. Victim playing elicits criticism, rescue, or enabling behavior from those around them, while it avoids responsibility for one’s own behavior.

16. Drama/excitement
Because the substance abuser does not live a real life in the sense of getting their needs met directly, they often create drama and excitement. Excitement is a distraction and keeps the, focus off the users own behavior and their drinking or using.

17. Closed Channel
The substance abuser is secretive and often closed-minded. The substance abuser needs to protect his drinking and using life-style; therefore, when confronted with data about their behavior, they are close minded and refuse to acknowledge the input, as it might jeopardize their continued drinking.

18. Image
The substance abusers’ image of themselves is important to maintain. Even a late-stage skid-row substance abuser will express concern at being seen at an AA/NA meeting.

19. Grandiosity
Grandiosity is minimizing or maximizing the significance of an issue, and it is used to justify not solving a problem.

         Example:

                           “I’ve spilled more booze than you can drink.”

                           “When I smoke, I can think clearer.”

20. Intellectualizing
Using academic, abstract, or theoretical discussions to avoid dealing with feelings or the real issue.