According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 40 to 60 percent of those who have been through a treatment program for chemical dependency will relapse at least once. And some believe the relapse rate maybe even higher than that.
If you’re facing an addiction—whether it’s a chemical dependency or codependency—you may experience setbacks and struggles. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome are the lies you may have believed about yourself and the addiction itself. Perhaps these lies have even held you captive.
Addiction and denial go hand in hand. With that being said, though, you don’t have to let the lies you’ve struggled with keep you from recovery.
How do you stop believing lies and start your healing? Here are 11 lies that may be keeping you from recovery and the truth that’ll set you free.
Lie #1: “I can stop anytime I want.”
God’s Truth: If you want to get on the road to recovery, you’ll need to take the first step and admit you’re powerless over your addiction. “And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.” – Romans 7:18
Lie #2: “One more time won’t hurt.“
God’s Truth: Some addictions are so powerful that doing it just one more time will reel you in… hook, line, and sinker. “When will I wake up so I can look for another drink?” – Proverbs 23:35
Lie #3: “All I need is willpower.”
God’s Truth: Doing things in your own power has led to disappointment and failure. But with humility comes grace. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:6
Lie #4: “I’m not hurting anyone.”
God’s Truth: Just as erosion slowly corrodes soil, so an addiction may eventually negatively affect all of your relationships. “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God.You will always harvest what you plant.” – Galatians 6:7
Lie #5: “Bringing up my faults is too painful.“
God’s Truth: Taking an inventory of your failures and shortcomings will help you be more aware of any destructive habits so you can break free from them. “Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord.” – Lamentations3:40
Lie #6: “I need (alcohol, porn, shopping,etc.) because it makes me feel better.”
God’s Truth: Your compulsive behaviors may bean attempt to escape from pain and grief. Instead, if you acknowledge your pain and take responsibility for your behavior, God will begin to heal you. “I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.” – Isaiah 57:15
Lie #7: “God won’t forgive me.”
God’s Truth: God wants you to come to Him every time you sin, but remember Jesus has already paid the penalty for each sin you’ve ever committed or will commit. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” – 1 John 1:9
Lie #8: “I don’t need anyone’s help.”
God’s Truth: Recovery begins in relationships. A good way to form relationships is to join a Life Recovery Group and confess your short comings and failures. “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” – James 5:16
Lie #9: “If they knew what I was really like, they would reject me.“
God’s Truth: Don’t let a fear of people keep you from getting help! Create a safe,healthy support system by getting help from a licensed Christian counselor and finding a Life Recovery Group in your area. “Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.” – Proverbs 11:14
Lie #10: “I am not worth saving.”
God’s Truth: At the root of your issues may be low self-worth. When you start to see yourself as God sees you, you’ll feel valuable and worthy. “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” – Psalm139:14
Lie #11: “Everyone is doing it.“
God’s Truth: No matter how many people are also struggling, you may be deluding yourself if you believe that you can somehow be above God’s rules and not have to face any consequences. Be honest with God, yourself, and others. “Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.” – Ephesians 4:17
If you’re struggling with an addiction and can’t seem to overcome it, please know there’s hope for you! Because once you begin to recognize some of the lies that have held you captive all of these years and find freedom in God’s truth, you’ll begin the process of recovery!
As John 8:32 tells us: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”