Affluent people – the rich ones with cars, bungalows, servants – do not know want. When affluent people become addicts, they face obstacles to recovery that other people don’t. Let’s try and understand why. In the 1990s, one word entered our lexicon – affluenza. It describes the condition of rich folks who have a poor sense of accountability and a sense of entitlement. They think that they cannot be held responsible for their actions.
These attributes result in denial. This is common to all addicts, but the degree of denial is greater with the rich. They refuse to see that they have a problem and that their conduct may have caused physical or mental hurt to someone. They believe that money can take care of grievances of those affected by their addiction. Sometimes, the system colludes with the rich. They escape fines and imprisonment. Their criminal acts are not logged against them. Their records remain clean. These things give the affluent a sense of invincibility – of being above the rules of society. This enables them to deny problems that are often in plain sight.
Rich people can literally afford to remain in denial. They have the money to always buy drugs. Other’s have to face addiction-related issues when the money begins to run out or when their personal and professional lives begin to come apart. This often leads to introspection. Not so with the moneyed folk. Their financial stability actually works against them and prevents them from taking a good hard look at their addiction-fueled lifestyle. They have the wherewithal to try different discreet approaches in an attempt to overcome their addiction. These include taking a vacation, studying abroad, seeking treatment from experts in different fields, etc. In short, the rich have the time and money to try everything, but they shy away from the right thing to do – take help from de-addiction specialists and if need be, attend a recovery center.
Addiction is looked down upon by society and the rich and famous can ill afford the negative publicity that news of addiction brings. It can disastrously affect their business and ruin their relations with those in positions of power. The affluent have a standing in society. For them, seeking treatment for addiction is tantamount to admitting a serious character flaw. For the status conscious, rehabilitation comes with too big a cost – a possible ruin of reputation and massive financial loss.
The rich and famous move around in their own circles, which are often small ones. They tend to be a close-knit community. Even if one person in such a network is addicted, it becomes difficult to completely shun him. If you’re trying to give up drugs, and you keep running into people who tempt you then you will succumb. You’ll justify your conduct and deny that you have a problem. There’s also the issue of easy access to alcohol and drugs. The rich are often targeted by drug pushers because they can be a valuable source of income. Jaded rich folk who are looking for new avenues of excitement try out designer drugs, and in the process become addicted.
If you find yourself in the same circumstances as those mentioned above, if you wish to seek treatment and regain sobriety but are unable to do so, then The Villa Treatment Center can help you. We offer inpatient and outpatient treatment programs to put you on the path to sober living. Call us at 1-818-639-7160