How Addicts Lie

An addict looks you in the eyes and says I am fine. You want to believe them. Their pupils are dilated. Their hands are shaking. They have missed three family dinners in a row. But the lie is not for you. It is for themselves.In this episode, I uncover the psychology of addiction lies. The first lie is to the addict themselves. I can stop anytime. I only use on weekends. This is the last time. These lies protect the addiction from the shame that would otherwise kill it. The second lie is to family. I am just tired. Work has been stressful. You are being paranoid. These lies buy time. The third lie is to professionals. I cut down. I am seeing a therapist. The prescription was lost. These lies preserve the illusion of control.Addicts are not sociopaths. They feel guilt. They feel shame. They feel the weight of every promise they break. But the addiction rewires the brain's reward system until survival feels impossible without the substance. The lies are not malice. They are survival mechanisms of a brain that has been hijacked.Turn down the lights, put on your headphones, and press play because understanding how addicts lie is the first step to loving them without enabling them.