dealing with the real issues.”
Armstrong also discussed some of the key patterns of denial including avoidance, where someone struggling with addiction will deflect questions about themselves; absolute denial, where someone struggling with addiction will completely deny that they are addicted; minimizing, where problems are downplayed; rationalization, where someone struggling with addiction will justify their substance abuse; blame, where an addict will point fingers at others rather than themselves; and compliance, where an addict says they are willing to change in order to escape the conversation.
“There are a lot of different forms of denial that will get you to the same place,” Armstrong said.
In Part 2, Armstrong will discuss the best strategies to chip away at denial.
Part one of our four-part series on denial features an interview with group facilitator and case manager Adam Armstrong, who discussed the key elements of denial.
