Manipulation..

I can be a master manipulator. I'm an addict - we all can. I could make you believe the sky is purple if I wanted to. I could convince you that I'm a rich kid, that my father is the president, that grass grows in the desert, and that you can be allergic to water. I could do it all. The fact is - I don't want to it's just part of my personality - part of who I am.

It's also important to understand that every family member and friend has been manipulated by the drug addict. It's a simple fact of addiction. Although none of us like to manipulate or be manipulated, it does happen. These family memebers and friends will continue to be manipulated until they choose to make it stop.

As long as the addict is still using, they will not quit manipulating. Plain and simple, this is the normal behavior of an addict.

It's important to understand that addiction is a disease and that it chemically alters the mind. Addiction makes the addict believe that the drugs are what make live worth living. Not family, friends, relationships, etc.

Compulsive drug use, lying, and manipulation are common behaviors associated with susbstance abuse. No one except the addict has control over these things but family members and friends will waste a lot of energy trying to control them. What these people can control is their reaction.

It's important for family and friends to learn that they must allow the addicts to experience the consequences of their addiciton. Otherwise, they're enabling them to keep on using.  If the addict doesn't feel the pain they've caused, they will go on living in denial believeing they don't have a problem and they will not be motivated to change.

An addict is a self-centered person. I'll be the first to agree with this. When I'm using, I cannot see your pain. I can't see anything except for my needs. Anything or anyone that gets in my way of using is a problem that I must overcome - even if that means manipulating to do so.

ALL addicted people manipulate; it's part of the disease. Don't take it personally. It's just how we behave as a result of our condition. However, this CAN change.

If you're a drug addict searching for help, tell someone. It's important to go to rehab and start attending NA/AA meetings. It's a life or death situation.

If you're the family member or friend of a drug addict/alcoholic, don't struggle alone. Find an Al anon or AA/NA meeting to attend to see what's going on.

As the saying goes, "if their lips are moving, they're lying."