In order to properly talk about addiction, we must understand what the word actually means. Addiction and drug misuse are very different. Misuse is referred to when a mind-altering substance is used incorrectly or excessively. Addiction is the long-term inability to moderate or cease intake of a substance. For example, ‘Mike’ binge drinks on a night out and may enjoy the euphoric effects of the alcohol, however, he is not considered an addict until ‘Mike’ feels the need to consume this amount of alcohol on a regular basis, alone or at times of a day when alcohol will impair his daily activities (Medical News Today, 2018).
In the case below, ‘Mike’ did become an addict…and ‘Mike’ is no longer a fake name used to describe a situation.
The real name is Mike Becker.
Follow along for his raw and uncensored story.
Mike Becker was a former all-star hockey player from the state of Wisconsin. Becker had what most would consider an extremely successful career. Mike grew up playing youth hockey in Altoona, Wisconsin where he won a youth state championship. Going into high school, Becker was the starting goaltender for the Eau Claire North Huskies and played with Team Wisconsin, where he won another state championship. Halfway through his high school career, Becker made the move to Burnsville, MN and finished out high school hockey in one of the best high school leagues in the world. After high school, Mike committed to play hockey at Concordia, Wisconsin where a series of injuries lead to the end of his career.
It could happen to anyone.
“The hockey world has its fair share of party animals. But what happens when the partying becomes the preoccupation? Hockey must end for us all, and in the end I wound up holding the bottle instead of the stick. I am the has-been that never was and I'd like to cover some of the factors that lead to my addiction in hopes that no one else shares my fate.
1. Losing sense of self: Like many that play hockey at an elite level, I spent the majority of my waking energy on hockey related activities. Over time, spending every weekend on the road for one team or another, I lost my sense of who I was outside of hockey. I wasn't really a son or a big brother, I was a hockey player. Once hockey ended, rather uneventfully I might add, I lost my sense of what makes me, “me.”
I didn't know if I was enough of anything outside of the sport to be of value. So I turned to my other hobby that gained me social acceptance; drinking. At least when I was drinking, I knew who I was. I might not be the hockey player anymore, but alcohol would let me forget that momentarily.
2. Mildly obsessive behavior: I think that if most standout athletes are honest with themselves, they’ll admit to some level of obsession with their sport. It's not unhealthy, it's just that next level of drive required to stand out amongst the masses. However, this obsession can lead to blinders in other areas of our lives. The story of the athlete who didn’t prepare himself for life after sports is familiar for a reason. It keeps happening.
Top athletes have incredibly strong habit forming minds allowing them to make it to practice every day, to eat right, to train relentlessly… to be an elite level athlete. What happens to that tendency to obsess and fixate more than the average bear when there is nowhere constructive to channel it? The results can be devastating.
3. Loss of social circle/isolation: Hockey teams, in my opinion, can be some of the closest knit groups of people you can find. Make the team and you've just acquired approximately 20 new brothers or sisters. Some you will like; some will drive you crazy. All will be your family. So what happens when you’re no longer a part of that team? In this situation, substances that are already available and familiar stand an infinitely higher chance of being abused. Even if you’re only removed from your sport ‘family’ temporarily, perhaps to heal from an injury and you take the drugs to aid in your recovery, the chemical hook exists resulting in a small withdrawal for all. The need to belong and socialize might drive you to make decisions about drugs and alcohol that would never occur to you while you’re surrounded by your teammates.
You might ask why most people are able to go back to their regular life after taking meds while others take the path to addiction. I believe that those who return to life successfully do so because their world is still intact. They have prepared for life after sports and have a plan to provide for their family, to focus their mental efforts on new and healthy habits, and to fill the social void. Take away someone’s means of income (professional athletes), their means of social interaction (their sports family) and remove the routine of training (mental habits) and you have someone who is a perfect candidate for addictive behavior. The post-sport transition can be sudden and drastic. Readily available prescription or recreational drugs are substituted to cut the edge off the pain associated with the life change. If access to those types of drugs isn’t there, they might choose to simply numb with alcohol. Having a sport end does not predispose one to addiction, but it does initiate a shift in phases of life. The end result of poor planning can have an incredibly large downside, and athletes need to be aware of the factors that can lead them there.”
--Mike Becker
The above is one man’s story of how addiction impacted his life. It’s important to note that not all stories are the same- not all addicts are the same and addicts are not a ‘one size fits all.'
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit their website at www.samhsa.gov
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