It's fascinating to see how the denial process works.
Listening to clients day-in-day out I never cease to be amazed at how many ways the addiction can hide itself from the person with it.
It puts the blinkers on rationality and often an individual really can't see what is blindingly obvious.
Think elephant in room.
I've had clients who have yellow skin- from advanced liver disease- who literally can't see this horrible discolouration of their skin.
The denial process is so powerful it doesn't just stop the individual seeing the reality- it can affect the person's loved ones, co-workers; anyone- in fact- who spends enough time around the addict for the denial to confuse them too.
The picture that came into my mind is the snake Kaa in Jungle Book- singing "trust in me…trust in me.."
George Michael was on Desert island discs yesterday and hearing him talk about cannabis is a case study in how contradictory statements and beliefs- combined with a lack of knowledge about addiction- can be held together and rationalised.
Even though George Michael is mid-way through his 100 hours community service for driving "while unfit" he is still justifying his continued use of cannabis and minimising the seriousness of "the problem".
Hear for yourself how he does this at the BBC News site.
Cannabis addiction is a serious issue.
Hopefully George will get some help soon.
A blog about identity and difference: the path to discover who I am, understand my addictions and the madness of the years Out There. A blog with a good heart that will seek to educate, inform and entertain (a bit like the BBC but not so straight).
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