For Christians, tomorrow, January 6, marks Epiphany, also known as the Feast of the Epiphany and other names. According to some religious teachings, it’s the day that the three wise men or kings arrived to meet Jesus.
The word epiphany can mean manifestation, a term that makes sense in relation to the wise men. Epiphany also means the manifestation of an idea, a realization. So many times, we’ve used or heard the phrase, “I had an epiphany.”
Epiphanies seem to be crucial to finding treatment for substance use disorder problems. These epiphanies might come gradually, as when people realize that they just can’t keep abusing drugs and alcohol because they are making their lives too difficult. These epiphanies might also occur more suddenly, like when people might hurt themselves or others in substance use disorder-related accidents.
Other people might encourage these epiphanies. Interventions are all about people helping other people recognize their substance use disorder and helping them find treatment for it. Once people are in treatment, professionals can help people explore their problems even more, which, yes, could lead to further realizations.
Of course, drug and alcohol abusers aren’t the only ones having epiphanies. Their behavior and appearance could prompt friends and families to develop their own set of realizations. Substance use disorder, after all, is a complex condition. It affects people physically and psychologically but also mentally. It profoundly affects substance use disorderrs and the people around them. It’s no wonder that it spurs people to think.
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so,” the character of Hamlet says in the play of the same name. While Shakespeare and that play are amazing, I’m going to have to disagree with that quotation. No matter how we think about it, some things are good and some things are just plain bad.
I do agree, however, that thinking about things—and how we think about them—can have a profound effect on how we experience them. Substance use disorder is one of those things. A little thought regarding how we view, address, and treat drug and alcohol abuse can make all the difference.
