MHM Magazine

Lorna is a 40-year-old lawyer and mom of two. She’s outwardly successful and accomplished but inwardly insecure and feeling as though she’s constantly playing catch-up trying to balance the demands of work and home life. One night at a dinner party, a friend introduces her to cocaine. Suddenly, she finds a way to feel confident, assertive, alert, and capable. But that high isn’t permanent — once it fades, she feels tired, irritable, and down. A few weeks later she gets a second opportunity to use cocaine, and she feels normal again. Soon, she’s using more often, trying to chase that initial ‘euphoric’ feeling. She learns that other substances like Xanax help ease the come down and even steals her son’s Ritalin which she uses in high doses when she runs out of cocaine. Her use escalates from occasional to multiple times a day. She’s now caught in a cycle of craving, panic, and dependence, worried about running out and hiding her use from her husband, who notices her mood swings and secret spending. What Do Addicts Want Us to Know? I asked some friends in recovery what doctors should know about addiction. This is what they said: 1. Addiction is a disease. They want to be treated with compassion, not judged as lacking willpower or morality. By Dr. Judy Bentley Psychiatrist Western Cape doctor@judybentley.co.za WHY ADDICTION IS MORE THAN JUST A LACK OF SELF-CONTROL MHM | 2025 | Volume 12 | Issue 3 | Why addiction is more than just a lack of self-control MHM Issue 3 | 2025 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 15 MHM