Looking at the psychological mechanisms of alcohol dependence not only opens up new insights into the emergence of addiction as well as into the way in which drug therapy is conducted. It commits to learning about these mechanisms in individual patients, disarming especially the mechanism of illusion and denial, dealing with feelings, not including alcohol as a regulator of feelings and acquiring an identity, improving the self-image.
Distortion of cognitive processes - system of illusion and denial
The second important mechanism in alcohol addiction is blocking, distorting in consciousness, what is threatening, unpleasant. These are so-called defence mechanisms that play a protective role. We are aware of this. A person addicted to alcohol separates himself very effectively, tightly, from an unacceptable reality. Quite often he runs away from it because of the pain it brings. This results in a growing distortion. The ability to perceive and judge is disturbed and thus self-deception occurs, leading the alcoholic to close himself in a destructive circle of distortion not only of what he thinks, but also of what he sees and hears. Objectively occurring facts do not reach him. There is too much pain and suffering. Objectively existing facts are passed through a mechanism of illusion and denial. This is particularly developed in alcoholics. It allows them to continue drinking despite the visible damage.
These mechanisms include simple denial, i.e. maintaining the belief that something does not exist, even though it does in fact exist: minimisation consists of admitting that there is an alcohol problem, but not to the same extent as in reality.
Blaming. This is another mechanism that distorts cognitive processes. It involves shifting responsibility for what happens to others, not to oneself.
Rationalisation, or building a system of excuses, an alibi for one's behaviour, diminishes one's own responsibility, and finds an explanation for what happens in everything except drinking alcohol. Intellectualisation is the avoidance of concreteness and personal awareness of the alcohol problem. Distraction makes itself known when the subject of problems resulting from alcohol abuse is raised. Most often, such a conversation is conducted in such a way that the fact of drinking does not emerge. Colouring of memories, events in such a way that they serve to further the drinking at the time. Fantasising, i.e. building up ideas about oneself, events and actions. Dreamlike planning, which most often has no final outcome but improves the well-being of the drinker.
It is not true that the use of illusion and denial mechanisms is conscious. It is a completely unconscious process. Very often addicts do not know what is true and what is false about their drinking and its consequences. They are particularly active in this area, very rarely or not at all in other areas. Everything that is threatening to continue drinking is covered by the mechanism of illusion and denial.
Alcohol addiction, photo: panthermedia
Two opposing beliefs are in direct conflict and cannot coexist in one person's mind for any length of time. From this point on, there are only two options left to resolve the conflict: reject drinking or reject reality.
It so happens that the immediate environment helps to nurture, reinforces the mechanism of illusion and denial. It is particularly noticeable when the surroundings promote , accept drinking and punish and stigmatise those in whom the destructive effects of drinking have increased.
