September is National Recovery Month. It’s a time for those who have recovered from addiction to celebrate with their family and friends. It’s also a time to advocate for awareness.

September is National Recovery Month
Addiction has touched many of our lives. We may have struggled with it ourselves or have a friend or loved one struggling with it. To bring about more awareness, we turned to Charles G. Hanna to share his experience as a recovering addict and to introduce us to the relationship between addiction and perception disorder. Not only is Charles a recovering addict, he is also a CEO and the author of Higher: Awaken to a More Fulfilling Life.
You may also be interested in some of our other articles related to mental health and wellness such as:
- Work Life Balance Doesn’t Have to Be a Struggle
- How to Conquer Holiday Overwhelm and Resentment
- Singing the Holiday Blues
Addiction and Perception Disorder: A Guest Post By Charles G. Hanna
Addiction is cunning, baffling and powerful, and even after my surrender it kept trying to manipulate my mind to make me slip and destroy my recovery.
I am alive today only because of the miracle I experienced on my third day in treatment. As I entered my room and walked by a mirror, I glimpsed something I had never seen before. I jumped back to take a second look, but it was gone. Gone but not forgotten.
It was like the movie The Fly, where the man is lost within a monster. For a split second, I saw that monster. In that moment, I realized that I was possessed by a demon: addiction.
That was 28 years ago. I now realize that, long before I fell into substance addiction, I was already addicted to a way of thinking that provided the perfect hotbed for addiction. I call this way of thinking Perception Disorder.
Perception Disorder starts as mild discomfort or anxiety and can progress to a total inability to cope or function.
What is Perception Disorder?

What is Perception Disorder?
Perception Disorder is a condition that causes us to view ourselves as the center of the universe. We see our world from a self-centered perspective and we evaluate everything based on whether we feel it is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for us.
Perception Disorder is a condition causing us to see ourselves as the center of the universe.
For example, we may enter a room just as people burst out laughing. If we suffer from Perception Disorder, we might immediately fear that they are laughing at us.
Or a partner may be troubled and want to talk to a friend, and instead of feeling empathy, we become afraid that they don’t value our opinion. This can cause strife and mistrust.
Without open dialogue, we cannot process the negative feelings we experience through our Perception Disorder. And over time, this can severely erode our quality of life.
How do I know if I have Perception Disorder?
Here’s a short questionnaire to detect the presence of Perception Disorder:
- Do you think of yourself (or have others described you) as self-centered, close-minded, oversensitive, negative, fearful, or childish?
- Do you worry excessively, lack empathy, feel shame, say that life is unfair, have enemies, hold grudges, or fail to take good care of yourself? (i.e. smoking, poor dietary habits or sleep patterns)
If you said ‘yes’ to either question, or if you often feel ungrateful or unhappy, then you probably suffer from Perception Disorder to some degree.
Perception Disorder develops during early life when a child is not given adequate attention and time for intimate talks.
Perception Disorder develops during early life when a child is not given adequate attention and time for intimate talks that help her integrate into society with proper grounding.
Such a child is unlikely to share her feelings openly. And this may lead her to develop distorted perceptions about herself and her world. In extreme cases, these children become acutely insecure and vulnerable as they grow into young adults.
How is addiction connected to perception?

Addiction is a disease of perception.
Addiction is a disease of perception.
Severe, progressive Perception Disorder can lead to addiction and substance dependence.
Severe Perception Disorder can lead to addiction and substance dependence.
The first time a person experiences the numbing effects of any sort of drug or potentially addictive behavior, they may feel incredible relief and a sense of belonging. This emotional relief can initiate their dependence on a substance or behavior.
Over time, and through repetition of such behaviors, the person becomes increasingly isolated from society until the pain is so great that substance use and/or compulsive behavior becomes a repeated distraction, an anticipated relief, and ultimately a necessity.
So in its advanced stages, Perception Disorder can lead to substance abuse and/or behavioral disorders such as compulsive gambling, work, sex, love, or eating, and codependency.
6 Things to Know about Addiction and Perception Disorder
- Perception Disorder is a progressive disease and over time may result in severe mental illness, such as addiction.
- If you suffer from a substance abuse problem, get help to tackle that first. Nothing will help you before you stop using.
- Addiction is a disease that wants to kill you. For this reason, abstinence is not recovery; it is only a prerequisite to recovery.
- The underlying Perception Disorder was present before the abuse. It has become exacerbated by the abuse, so treating the Perception Disorder is imperative.
- Even if you find yourself completely down and out – perhaps hospitalized or incarcerated – don’t be discouraged. This may be your greatest opportunity to grow in a more meaningful way than would otherwise have been possible.
- If you suffer from an advanced stage of Perception Disorder, such as addiction, then getting outside help to arrest the disease must be your sole priority.
About Charles G. Hanna
Charles G. Hanna is the Chairman, CEO, and founder of a third-party technology provider that he began in a basement in 1979 and built into a leading service consolidation company. A devoted father of three children, Hanna is involved with a range of charities, including organizations that help with cancer treatment, Canadian artists, and displaced and handicapped people. He has a particular soft spot for children and animals, and contributes his personal time in various ways to youth shelter homes and animal shelter groups. He divides his time between Toronto and Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.charleshanna.com, and connect with him on Twitter, @hanna_higher.
Reba Linker says
Fascinating to look at addiction as a ‘perception disorder.’ I think that using those terms helps create a way out for those suffering. Very interesting post.
Sabrina Quairoli says
I never heard of Perception Disorder, thank you for bringing it to my attention.
Renee groskreutz says
Such a wonderful explanation of an issue that I have never heard before. This is brand new. Of course, addiction isn’t but perception disorder sure is. Thank you for this and for sharing your story.
Tamuria says
Very interesting to read about perception disorder, not a phrase I was familiar with. Understanding the underlying problem that leads to an addiction is vital for recovery and for helping those who are struggling with it.
Lori English says
Hello,
Very good article you wrote here about Perception Disorder. I see how it is linked with addiction. In my opinion as a clinical social worker many reasons why people pick up alcohol and drugs. I think your article was well researched. Perception makes me think of Freudian and how You or I relate to the world around us. I really enjoyed it made me think a lot. Thank You! You have a very nice site …..
Lori English
Kristen Wilson says
Wow.. super interesting and I had no idea. I just suffer from caffeine and rita addiction. 😉 Seriously though, I do understand that having an addiction to something, anything can be debilitating at times too.
Katarina Andersson says
A very interesting article, I did not know much about Perception disorder…however, it makes a lot of sense.
Susan Mary Malone says
What a thought-provoking post. I’ve always thought of the definition here of perception disorder as narcissism, but I love the differences Mr. Hanna points out. They seem to travel down similar roads, and end up at the same place, if left untreated.
Truly enjoyed this!
Roslyn says
I don’t know f Perception Disorder is an acceptable DM diagnosis but it sure makes sense based on many individuals I’ve come across in sobriety. Love how this was written so a lay person can understand a vicious illness.
Audrey Weidman says
Thank you for a very informative article. I have a family member that may have this going on in his life – and before it leads to addiction, I will pass this on.
Kimberly says
My heart breaks for people struggling with this… glad to hear about the recovery part. I am starting a group of concerned parents in my town to raise awareness about the recent heroin epidemic. I’ll share this with them. We are trying to bring the movie “Generation Found” to our town via Gathr. Great post!
Alene Geed says
I feel that this perception disorder is related to our sense of self worth. If we don’t think we are worthy we will become distrustful of others and of course fall into addictive behavior.
Rachel Lavern says
Perception disorder is a new term for me. Thanks for sharing your story!
Carol Rundle says
Fascinating information. I think the key to the whole thing is at the very beginning where you refer to addiction as a demon. It is a spiritual issue and once that’s dealt with, the healing of self (identity) can begin.
Joan M Harrington says
Hi Jennifer 🙂
What an interesting post and awesome guest 🙂 I had not heard of “addiction perception disorder” before I read this post. I am always learning something about different kinds of addictions on your blog, so thank you for sharing this very important information 🙂
KATHY says
Jennifer, While I had never heard of this disorder, it really is a heartbreaking to think some individuals have to deal with this. Thank you for sharing this. Gave me some food for thought for sure.
Joyce Hansen says
Very insightful article to share with us Jennifer. I totally agree with the idea of a perception disorder. A child ‘s sense of their self-worth is critical to their psychological development. Our society seems to be obsessed with criticism on so many levels and even at the earliest ages. It’s not surprising that anxiety is becoming a national illness, and any substances that relieves it can become an addiction.
Jackie Harder says
Interesting and I agree with so much about the “center of the universe” issues. And I must say I’ve never known anyone who created their own disease!
Delilah says
A motivating discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you ought
to publish more on this subject matter, it might not be a taboo subject but generally
people do not speak about such issues. To the next! All the best!!
Wurzow says
Thanks really valuable. Will share website with my friends