What are the consequences of Denial?
Denial has many consequences for the addicted person. It gives rise to other of the obvious features of addiction.

You don’t get help for a problem that you do not see or accept. When problems inevitably arise from an addicted lifestyle, they are blamed on other people and circumstances. It becomes difficult to understand or to resolve such problems because their root cause is not seen or addressed.

An addicted person in denial may pity themselves for their bad luck. They may blame others for causing problems and strive to avoid or to otherwise escape from circumstances that they see no way to resolve. Acceptance of life and personal responsibility is not the way of addiction.

“It seemed simple to me. I used because my life was otherwise unbearable.

If only the people around me would see things differently - if only I had grown up in a better family - if only I didn’t have this problem with depression - and if I could just get the help I needed for these problems - there would be no reason to use.

The whole world revolved around my need to use drugs.

The problem was never my use of drugs. The problem was always anything and anybody other than my addiction.”

Denial results in another of addiction’s downward cycles. Drug use causes problems. Problems create frustrations and stress. More drugs are used to calm down or to escape. The root of these problems is not seen and not addressed. The cycle deepens.