Have you ever found yourself in a conversation about who is the “GOAT” in any given sport? GOAT is an acronym for “greatest of all time,” and it is the kind of subject that can inspire heated and lengthy debates.
Think about your favorite sport for a moment. Who would you say is the best player in the history of that sport? What criteria would you use to argue your case for that individual? How would you compare players from different eras who may have played under different rules or conditions? Making a conclusive case for any one athlete is almost always complicated.
For many, just thinking and talking about candidates for the title of GOAT is a fun and harmless hobby. For others, these conversations and considerations can lead to hard feelings among friends. And in the end, a final answer—identifying the GOAT—is all but impossible.
Of course, we are not here to debate about sports superstars. But there is a term that applies to the challenges of a substance use disorder that can be just as hard to pin down as “GOAT.”
That term is “rock bottom.”
Let’s define the term as best we can—and look at the ways it is problematic for a person struggling with drugs or alcohol.
‘Rock Bottom’ is Difficult to Define
In the most basic sense, “rock bottom” refers to a situation that cannot get any worse. Things are as bad as they can possibly get. Seems simple enough, right?
The problem is the notion of rock bottom often involves moving the goalposts (if you will allow another sports reference). That is to say, people who are using drugs or alcohol often define rock bottom for themselves—and then when they arrive at that place, they redefine rock bottom to something even worse. They might promise themselves that they will seek out treatment when they hit rock bottom, but the constant redefining of the term might keep them out of treatment indefinitely. And all the while, their situation is, in fact, deteriorating.
An Example of a Shifting Sense of Rock Bottom
What does this ongoing redefinition of rock bottom look like in practice?
Imagine that you are aware that you are drinking more than you used to. You might even suspect that you are developing a drinking problem. To help yourself worry a little less, you might identify a turn of events—a rock bottom—that would cause you to change your behavior.
For example, you might decide that “rock bottom” means waking up one morning without any memory of what happened the night before. If that ever happens, you tell yourself, you will see about getting some help.
And then one morning you wake up with little to no memory of what happened the night before. But instead of seeking out help as you promised yourself, you decide one night of memory loss is not that big of a deal. Maybe you decide that what you really mean by rock bottom is getting picked up by the police for driving under the influence. If that ever happens, you tell yourself, you will see about getting some help.
And then you get picked up for DUI. But instead of seeking out help like you promised yourself, you decide that one DUI is not that big of a deal. Maybe you decide that what you really mean by rock bottom is starting to drink during the day when you should be at work. If that ever happens, you tell yourself, you will see about getting some help.
And then you find yourself in a bar in the middle of a workday.
And so on and so forth. Rock bottom keeps getting redefined, and you keep putting off getting treatment for a substance use disorder.
The Consequences of Redefining Rock Bottom
The longer you allow yourself to consume drugs or alcohol, the more problems you will be creating for yourself. Your physical health will be undermined. So will your mental health. Your relationships may be strained or even destroyed. Your work situation may be disrupted. Your reputation may be permanently damaged, and your goals may suddenly seem impossible to successfully pursue.
The best way to avoid these worsening consequences—other than not using drugs or alcohol in the first place—is to get help as soon as you suspect you have a problem. The sooner you pursue treatment; the sooner you can stop the accumulation of negative outcomes and start your recovery.
Another way to think about this is to remember that the time to get help for a substance use disorder is always right now—not when you reach some mythical and shifting notion of rock bottom.
We Are Ready to Help Right Now
At Wooded Glen Recovery Center—located in Henryville, Indiana—we provide comprehensive treatment for substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, or trauma-centered issues. We can help you put substances behind you and start your recovery journey with confidence.
Are we the GOAT when it comes to substance use disorder treatment? Well, we’re far too modest to suggest so. But we have been consistently recognized as one of the best substance use treatment centers in the nation—and we’re ready to help you.