Substance Abuse | Hawaii Psychiatric

During to his only appearance in the Super Bowl, then-Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb supposedly vomited on the field in the middle of the huddle. Although a player vomiting due to football is not uncommon, the reason for McNabb’s embarrassing occurrence is unique in sports.

Football players are supposed to vomit due to effects of physical exhaustion or due to the heat during two-a-day practices. Vomiting due to the stress of the biggest game of a player’s career is considered a sign of weakness, at best, in the macho world of professional sports. The story of McNabb’s embarrassing moment came out due to the large and, often outspoken, mouth of star receiver and reality television personality Terrell Owens. Despite their success in Philadelphia, Owens and McNabb did not get along. A rivalry developed, which culminated in Owens reporting to the media that McNabb showed weakness during a critical moment in the game.

While the organization eventually responded by siding with McNabb and shipping Owens out of town, the episode created fodder and debate in the sports media world. Was McNabb leadership material? Did his public display of anxiety cost the Eagles the Super Bowl?

While erratic behavior and frequent self-serving actions eventually cost Owens nearly all credibility, the accusations stuck to McNabb and sullied his reputation. Even as a successful player and millionaire who was never in trouble off the field, an ill-timed moment of anxiety seemed to cling to McNabb like rumors of a stint in alcohol treatment.

The McNabb Super Bowl moment has become part of NFL urban legend. While some might question McNabb for showing weakness, the episode shows that the gladiators paid to entertain fans are as human as those sitting in the stands. Football might force them to push physical and mental limits, but even these talented and successful people must deal with anxiety.

: Image by ArunaR via Flickr

The trail of substance abuse can always be traced back to the beginning. Nobody goes down that road “just because.” You may not want to confront those inner demons but they are there and they’re always hungry for more. The destructive cycles of substance abuse can be broken but not without some deep, introspective work. We’ve all heard stories of people hitting rock bottom then going cold turkey and turning their lives around. That might be an appropriate path for some people but for many others the journey out of substance abuse can’t be taken alone.

Being diagnosed with a substance abuse problem is to be diagnosed with a mental disorder. Although heredity factors can come into play, these really are diseases that need to be treated by professionals. Once you’ve gotten clean the real work can begin with the help of a trained psychiatrist. Through intense therapy you can seek out the reasons you began the trail of abuse in the first place. You can still work the traditional and supportive 12 step programs but direct counseling should be part of the overall recovery plan. You may think you’ve lost control of your life but with work you can get it back.

Substance abuse can come in many forms. Whether it is alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription narcotics, anyone who seeks to mask their pain with mood altering substances is really just heading towards a downward spiral with no happy ending. Of course you’re not thinking about that the first time you get high or drunk. You just know it feels pretty good. Yet, when you keep returning to those substances for escape instead of dealing with the real issues, you’re setting yourself up for a fall. And this fall can bring down everyone around you. When you clear your mind of the fog of substance abuse, you can see the kind of emotional and physical pain you’re capable of inflicting on your loved ones. Is that really how you want to live?
The trail of substance abuse can always be traced back to the beginning. Nobody goes down that road “just because.” You may not want to confront those inner demons but they are there and they’re always hungry for more. The destructive cycles of substance abuse can be broken but not without some deep, introspective work. We’ve all heard stories of people hitting rock bottom then going cold turkey and turning their lives around. That might be an appropriate path for some people but for many others the journey out of substance abuse can’t be taken alone.
Being diagnosed with a substance abuse problem is to be diagnosed with a mental disorder. Although heredity factors can come into play, these really are diseases that need to be treated by professionals. Once you’ve gotten clean the real work can begin with the help of a trained psychiatrist. Through intense therapy you can seek out the reasons you began the trail of abuse in the first place. You can still work the traditional and supportive 12 step programs but direct counseling should be part of the overall recovery plan. You may think you’ve lost control of your life but with work you can get it back.

McNabb Shows Few Immune to Anxiety

The Trail of Substance Abuse

Categories

Recent Posts