We don’t need anyone to cosign our BS. That’s a great expression that’s used in recovery circles.

This phrase means that we don’t need anyone to encourage our lies, bad behavior, or other negative actions—our BS. If we’re actively suffering from drug or alcohol abuse, the chances are good that we’re lying to other people to try to hide our drug habit and its consequences.

We’re also probably lying to ourselves if we’re abusing drugs or alcohol. We might deny that we have real problems, or we might seek ways to justify our addictions.

If we’re with certain people, the wrong people, things won’t change. They’ll make it easier to keep denying our problems or justifying our behaviors. These other people might be abusing drugs or alcohol themselves, so they might worry that if they acknowledge the problems of others, they’d have to acknowledge their own.

It seems like drug and alcohol abusers sometimes construct alternate realities for themselves. Many are unwilling or unable to see their problems, so they introduce people and elements into their lives that support their drug and alcohol abuse.

Unfortunately, this also means that addicts can cut themselves off from people, things, and situations that don’t support their drug and alcohol abuse, factors that can promote more healthy lifestyles. Many times, addicts isolate themselves from supportive loved ones and healthy situations, just when they need these people and situations the most.

This is because these loved ones and situations are factors that can pull the addicts away from drug and alcohol abuse. On the other hand, when addicts employ yes men to agree with them or deny their problems, it just draws the addicts closer to their abuse.

People who cosign BS are reinforcing that BS. Enlisting the help of friends, relatives, and trained professionals can help acknowledge, deal with, and stop the BS of drug and alcohol abuse.