The concept of powerlessness is not easy to describe. Defining powerlessness can be difficult for most of us, mostly because while in the moment, it can be hard to know that you’re not in control. But admitting powerlessness isn’t some weak trait. Giving yourself up to others and trusting the people around you is the first step to recovery, and it all starts with understanding various experiences in which you might feel that you aren’t controlling your life.
What Is Powerlessness?
Powerlessness is a lack of decision-making control over your life. It can arise from dependence on drugs and alcohol or in workplace environments with higher-up employees and lesser subordinates. Similar to this workplace dynamic, the ingredients for a situation where individuals lack power usually occur when there is a large divide between the decision-makers and individuals underneath.
How Does it Feel to Lack Power?
One of the biggest plot twists regarding lacking power is that it starts as a tactic to gain power. Most individuals who end up in situations where they’re under the influence of substances are individuals with problems looking to overcome them in a meaningful way. Whether it’s consuming alcohol, taking an illicit drug, or some other substance, most situations start as a means of feeling good, in control, and enjoying life for what it is.
Eventually, this pseudo-control turns into a lengthy desire for a substance. One of the more common feelings is the inability to manage timelines and behaviors and keep track of daily routines and tasks. Have you ever anticipated an event so much that you just waited around in bed all day until it came? Individuals who depend on a substance cannot focus on other tasks and are consumed with their next meeting time with the particular substance.
Some Examples of Powerlessness
Recovering from powerlessness requires an understanding of how it exists. Only then can one find quality addiction rehab programs or know the right people or places to contact to get the right help. Here are some situations and examples in which someone might be lacking control over their lives:
- An individual ignoring their job, relationships, or experiences for a substance.
- A decline in the desire to care for oneself to prioritize something else.
- Neglecting care for children or meaningful family moments.
- Ignoring declining health to prioritize a drug.
- Making irrational decisions without thinking about marriage, relationships, and more.
- Inability to set limits on how much of a substance one consumes.
- Struggling with depression or anxiety while attempting to perform previous activities without drugs or alcohol.
Regain Control of Your Life With Steps to Recovery
While on your quest for recovery, regaining power is one of the most important and hardest steps. It’s easy to travel a long way when you don’t understand how far you’re going, and many individuals consuming drugs or alcohol at unfathomable rates find themselves considering the concept of powerlessness much further down the road than they think.
Fortunately, you don’t have to accept powerlessness. A large part of recovery is regaining power over your decision, and with our help, you can get back to living the life you want. At Steps to Recovery, our addiction therapy programs help individuals overcome the mental health conditions and substance abuse that has plagued them for years. Contact us today at 866-488-8684 if you or a loved one need help taking back control of their lives.
Sources:
https://apcbham.org/2020/11/09/step-one-what-powerlessness-means-to-me/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/powerlessness
