We know that our addictions cause severe damage and destruction. When we’re under the influence, our thinking becomes clouded, and our judgment is impaired. We’re making unhealthy and dangerous choices. Addicted people are not in control of their thoughts or behaviors. By using addictive substances, we’re limiting our cognitive function over time. The longer we use, the more impaired we become. It becomes increasingly difficult to think clearly, even after a period of sobriety. This sets us up for more reckless, dangerous, and thoughtless behavior down the line. How does addiction impact our cognitive function over time?
Our Altered Memory
One way addiction impairs our thinking is by altering our memory and our perception of things. We’re not remembering events clearly or as they actually took place. Our consciousness becomes foggy, and we can’t trust our memories. These recollections have been dramatically altered by our drugs of choice. For many addicts, memory problems continue even after we’ve gotten sober. We may try to get clear on certain things as part of our inventory efforts. Still, we find we’re unable to make sense of them because our memories have been compromised and altered. This can be frustrating and scary because we feel as though we can’t get to the real truth of things. Being unable to rely upon our memory is a disturbing and frightening feeling.
Our Impaired Critical Thinking Skills
Our addictions also impede our ability to think logically, clearly, and effectively. We have a harder time making sense of things, struggling to think critically and to analyze things. Problem-solving becomes even more challenging for us. Although we’ve gotten sober, our minds don’t automatically revert back to healthy ways of thinking. We still feel challenged, as though our cognitive function is limited, even well into our recovery. Our sobriety can’t guarantee that we’ll regain our normal cognitive or behavioral functioning right away. We find that it takes time, and sometimes dedicated work, to repair the mental damage caused by our addictions.
At The Guest House Ocala, our experience with addiction and recovery makes us uniquely equipped to be able to understand the struggles you’re experiencing.
We’re here to help.
Call 855-483-7800 today for more information on our treatment programs.
theguesthouseocala.com
3230 Northeast 55th Avenue Silver Springs, FL 34488