Feeling Suicidal During Recovery
When you think about it, drug and alcohol addiction is kind of a slow suicide. You may not want to end your life in the heat of the moment. But you do permit the gradual poisoning of your mind and body. Aside from that, some people do get strong suicidal thoughts and urges during their active addiction and their recovery.
Many people who become sober can stop the slow self-harm of addiction before much permanent damage is done. But too many die in tragic ways during an active drug or alcohol addiction. Learn more about how the risk of suicide makes addiction more deadly than you might expect.
Impulse Control and Judgment Shaky With Addiction
When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, they go all the way each time. They drink to get drunk and use drugs to get a big high. When this happens, the physiological effects become overwhelming. Of course, that is usually the point for an addict. Excessive intoxication is what it takes to escape reality every day.
Unfortunately, heavy drug or alcohol use also impairs basic functions that allow a person to live safely. Judgment becomes distorted and unreliable. A highly intoxicated person can easily misjudge oncoming traffic, their risk for falling, or the wisdom of provoking an aggressive person.
Impulse control is also reduced with high levels of intoxication. Part of this comes from the immediate affect of the drug or alcohol. The person’s cycle of compulsive behavior and obsessive thoughts also matters. They frequently allow themselves to answer their impulses to drink or use drugs. This impulsiveness often disrupts other areas of a person’s life.
Judgment Plus Impulse Equals Suicide Danger
Here’s where the risk of suicide multiplies in a scary way. Take poor judgment, poor impulse control, and put them together with the despair and emptiness so many addicts live with every day. At some point, the multiple problems start to pile up.
The negativity of an addicted mind seizes the opportunity to drive the point home. I’m worthless, it’s all pointless, nobody would care, everyone would be better off if I ended it now, this won’t get better, there’s no hope, etc. A sober suicidal person may be able to reach out for help or at least stop themselves from taking action.
A highly intoxicated suicidal person is a lot less likely to do any of those things. They are far more likely to act on an impulse that puts them in harm’s way. And if someone already has depression or a history of suicide, the pathway to suicidal thoughts and actions is even more familiar. People who are intoxicated may make suicidal gestures in order to get attention. Unfortunately, they may die accidentally because they misjudged the risk of their actions.
Curb Suicide Risk By Getting Sober Today
The best way to reduce the risk of suicide is to get sober now. It may take a while for an addict’s life to really turn around, but the suicide risk will drop significantly. As things improve, a recovering addict may have less reason to consider suicide in the first place. But just to be safe, anyone with a history of suicidal thoughts or attempts should always have a safety plan as part of their larger recovery plan. Find out more about getting sober by calling us today.
