What Can Becker Teach Us About Addiction?

By Harshi Dhingra | November 19, 2021

Ernest Becker’s teachings have been adapted into a number of different courses. Becker spent a lot of his life trying to answer one very simple question: why do people behave in the manner that they do? While Becker didn’t spend a lot of time studying addiction in a specific manner during his lifespan, his teachings have gone a long way towards assisting those who would like to learn about the topic. For example, The Denial of Death is now one of his most influential books. But does the denial of death tie into addiction? It’s a fair question to ask.

Why Do People Deny That They Have a Problem?

Becker’s main argument was easy enough to understand. He believed that humans lived in two separate worlds: the physical realm that’s full of tangible objects and the symbolic world, where we’re always looking for a deeper meaning. The symbolic aspect of our lives is so important, we find ourselves trying to create or become a part of something that is bigger than us.

These are the connections that give our lives meaning, and while addiction typically isn’t included among art, literature, religion, or any of the usual suspects, addicts are very much looking for that same sort of connection. That’s one of the reasons it’s so hard for people to admit that they have an addiction. Regardless of the consequences to their personal life or their mental and physical well being, drugs and alcohol can provide that feeling of belonging.

It’s the reason why most savvy medical workers will tell loved ones that the addicted person needs to be ready to stop on their own. One of the most common tips that is provided in these instances focuses on the necessity of being willing to be there for an addicted loved one, without attempting to force the issue.

Breaking The Cycle of Denial

Becker spoke at length about how depression and mental illness take place because people don’t feel connected to something greater than them. When we lack these types of connections, we tend to be reminded of our own mortality even more. It’s much easier for an addict to continue to plunge even further into the depths of addiction when they don’t feel tethered to anything real or lasting.

In fact, Becker believed that those who were suffering in this way were more likely to attempt to create their own reality. At the time, he used schizophrenics to draw this comparison but it’s easy to see how an addict would attempt to create their own reality, too. That’s where the denial comes into play. In their minds, they have created a new world for themselves, a world where they actually belong.

These teachings are also supported by Viktor Frankl, who also believed that mental illness stemmed from a lack of meaning in one’s life. In some cases, an intervention can break the cycle, as it allows the addict to take a clearer look at how they’re affecting their loved ones. In other instances, they may need to come to this conclusion on their own.

Denial is especially tough to overcome because it takes over the addict’s inner monologue. As humans, we’re hard-wired to pursue pleasurable experiences. The sad truth is that most addicts know somewhere deep down inside that they are struggling. To break this cycle, they must be willing to admit that the struggle exists.

Getting The Necessary Help

Like Becker has taught, the addict is more inclined to believe that they can get the necessary help when they know that there is a big world out there waiting for them to rejoin it. He also points out that we’re quicker to shut down on these things if we’re told that our beliefs are misguided. That’s what makes the prospect of an intervention such a tricky one.

He knew that science and religion were not always going to fill the void for people going forward. He spoke of the need for new and comforting illusions. Addiction definitely qualifies. Interventions can often be effective in these instances because they serve as a reminder that the person with the problem has a support system of people who care deeply about them. Once this step has been taken (or the addict decides to get help on their own), the process of deciding what is next becomes even easier.

How Rehab Can Help

First things first, it’s important to remember that not all facilities are going to have the patient’s best interests in mind. There are charlatans out there who do not care about providing the proper treatment. Once the check has been written, the patient’s needs may fall by the wayside. This is something that even medical professionals have warned of in the past.

“The ethics piece is really important,” says Marvin Ventrell, CEO of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), “because as treatment centers have boomed, there are some charlatans out there. They’re not the majority, but they are out there.”

Becker believes that we need to find new illusions to give our life meaning and that’s what rehab’s all about. It’s the chance for the patient to undo all the faulty thinking that led them to this point, providing them with a whole new lease on life. In his words:

“This is the terror: to have emerged from nothing, to have a name, consciousness of self, deep inner feelings, an excruciating inner yearning for life and self-­expression—and with all this yet to die” (Becker, 1973).

Rehab is not a quick fix and it’s not an immediate replacement for the connection that the person shared with drugs and/or alcohol. Be wary of any facility that claims that they have the ability to cure an addiction. Addictions are never cured, they are only managed. It’s also best for the person to remain close to their home, so that they can maintain contact with their support system. Becker believed in psychotherapy as a means of mutual exploration and healing. Rehabilitation fills the same void in our modern world, helping patients to find less destructive and more creative ways to explore their own consciousness, while remaining aware of their own mortality.

Dr. Harshi Dhingra is a licensed medical doctor and an Associate Professor in Pathology at the Adesh Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Bathinda, with a tertiary care hospital and research center. She has vast experience of over a decade in diagnostic, clinical, research, and teaching work. She has a strong interest in medical content writing and reviewing. She also has several publications and citations in indexed peer-reviewed journals.