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Addiction Is Not a Disease and Rehab Is Bullshit

It is sad, I used to think I was one of them. It's not just an American problem, the abstinence model is pretty pervasive globally :\
 
As is the War on Drugs and prohibition. They are one and the same (abstinence-only and the War on Drugs I mean). Sadly I do believe they are largely an American invention, which would make sense considering how tightly my society continues to cling to outdated and disproven abstinence-only concepts and values.
 
Phil.McKeer said:
Yes. I've been telling people this for years. Nice find and good read, TPD.

Check out this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/ao8L-0nSYzg

Edit: I would LOVE to get diamorphine at the hospital. This guy is from England I think, I'm pretty sure they use H the same way morphine is used here in the US. Because we're stupid.

Edit II: Nice find on Gabor Mate too, Cf & Nutty. He's written a lot of good books on this subject.
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Actually that video makes lots of sense nice. Now I understand this little better,
 
DaysNDaze said:
While the article is interesting, its really a shame that the neuroscientist is painting this kind of picture. Does he understand the definition of disease? Pretty sure addiction fits the profile perfectly: A mental abnormality affecting various brain structures that can be identified by specific signs, symptoms as well as behaviours.

Rehabs are starting to improve in terms of different approaches to recovery. I think rehabs can be very beneficial, the only unfortunate part is many addicts (myself included) could never take advantage for financial reasons and other life responsibilities. I do have access to outpatient counselling though, and I think every addict out there would have a much better recovery and a much less chance of relapse f they obtained SOME kind of help to quit. I do believe that one day, when I'm ready, I could quit without rehab, but the chances that I would use again would be high.

The idea that calling addiction a disease takes away the addict's responsibility for their actions is such an old school ideology. Addicts are held accountable regardless, however when society holds them accountable, we usually do so by throwing the addict in jail because they stole something in order to buy their fix instead of throwing them in rehab because they are making these choices due to the mental illness. It's all a matter of perspective.

Many new studies are published all the time about how addiction literately changes the way the brain functions. Once you are addicted to a substance, say you take the drug when you wake up. Then you use again before work. Then you use during your break at work. You had a bad day at work so you come home and use. Every time you establish patterns of using, over time, the brain's neural pathways change, so when you are triggered by every day activites like the ones mentioned (waking up, going to work, break time, stressful day), the brain's immediate response is to take more of that substance. This is why addicts in recovery say the hardest part is staying off drugs, because neural pathways in the brain have been hardwired (due to compulsive use) to continue the pattern of using. This doesn't even begin to describe the way the brain changes due to substance abuse, so how can he sit there and say its not a disease?

Gambling addiction and heroin addiction are two different things, however, mentally, the addicts are still affected the same way. The only difference would be the physical withdrawal that drug addicts suffer from in addition to the mental aspect.

I don't like this guy. As a so called "former addict" he really doesn't sound like one.
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You have low understanding of how these thing works. Addiction is not disease no mater what you think. I understand why you don't understand these things, I have IQ 130 qualified by MENSA , you <snip>so thats why you are confused.


Many new studies are published all the time about how addiction literately changes the way the brain functions. Once you are addicted to a substance, say you take the drug when you wake up. Then you use again before work. Then you use during your break at work. You had a bad day at work so you come home and use. Every time you establish patterns of using, over time, the brain's neural pathways change, so when you are triggered by every day activites like the ones mentioned (waking up, going to work, break time, stressful day), the brain's immediate response is to take more of that substance. This is why addicts in recovery say the hardest part is staying off drugs, because neural pathways in the brain have been hardwired (due to compulsive use) to continue the pattern of using. This doesn't even begin to describe the way the brain changes due to substance abuse, so how can he sit there and say its not a disease?


Its called learning,. brain learn to do such thing, same way you can unlearn these and learn to do other things than drugs. They are not hardwired, brains are plastic, they learn new ways.

So please don't write nonsense here.

<snip>.
 
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Addiction and dependence are generally regarded to be within a model of disease, self-medication, or choice.

I tend to think that we are all different and will have some aspects from all of those three, not just one or the other.

The trick is to work out what that is for yourself and not allow society to dictate how it will treat you when it comes time to reflect on this.
 
Ne0 said:
You have low understanding of how these thing works. Addiction is not disease no mater what you think. I understand why you don't understand these things, I have IQ 130 qualified by MENSA , you <snip> so thats why you are confused.


Many new studies are published all the time about how addiction literately changes the way the brain functions. Once you are addicted to a substance, say you take the drug when you wake up. Then you use again before work. Then you use during your break at work. You had a bad day at work so you come home and use. Every time you establish patterns of using, over time, the brain's neural pathways change, so when you are triggered by every day activites like the ones mentioned (waking up, going to work, break time, stressful day), the brain's immediate response is to take more of that substance. This is why addicts in recovery say the hardest part is staying off drugs, because neural pathways in the brain have been hardwired (due to compulsive use) to continue the pattern of using. This doesn't even begin to describe the way the brain changes due to substance abuse, so how can he sit there and say its not a disease?


Its called learning,. brain learn to do such thing, same way you can unlearn these and learn to do other things than drugs. They are not hardwired, brains are plastic, they learn new ways.

So please don't write nonsense here.

<snip>
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Ne0, please refrain from ad hominem attacks on other users. Besides undercutting your own point, this behavior runs counter to the policies laid out in the the Sober Living Guidelines (specifically, the 'no trolling' clause).

I've edited your post to remove the most egregious meanness.
 
I think disorder would better describe addiction then disease. But for political and insurance purposes disease is what the professionals went with.
 
Exactly. It's a matter of getting insurance companies to pay for it, plain and simple (and they should, so I'm okay with it - it's just important that as cj points out we understand the roots of where that particular definition actually originates from).
 
To me the unfortunate thing about the way the disease model spread is that it outgrew its usefulness. For the reasons cj and TPD note, the medical establishment did get better (though still lacking) resources in place for patients by labeling addiction as a disease. Unfortunately, they drank their own kool-aid and seem to have developed blinders to very legitimate reasons to revisit the label. Adding insult to injury, the definition escaped into the world of the rehab industry and AA/NA in ways that really are, I think, damaging to addicted peoples' agency.

I suppose it's better than labeling all of us as craven dissolutes. But we're a long way from hitting the nail on the head in terms of understanding the array of issues at play in people's addictions.
 
simco said:
To me the unfortunate thing about the way the disease model spread is that it outgrew its usefulness. For the reasons cj and TPD note, the medical establishment did get better (though still lacking) resources in place for patients by labeling addiction as a disease. Unfortunately, they drank their own kool-aid and seem to have developed blinders to very legitimate reasons to revisit the label. Adding insult to injury, the definition escaped into the world of the rehab industry and AA/NA in ways that really are, I think, damaging to addicted peoples' agency.

I suppose it's better than labeling all of us as craven dissolutes. But we're a long way from hitting the nail on the head in terms of understanding the array of issues at play in people's addictions.
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Well said.
 
simco said:
Ne0, please refrain from ad hominem attacks on other users. Besides undercutting your own point, this behavior runs counter to the policies laid out in the the Sober Living Guidelines (specifically, the 'no trolling' clause).

I've edited your post to remove the most egregious meanness.
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I just don't like people who denial the truth. Most people don't know how brain works. Addiction is no more than just brain learning to do certain things until it needs it. I know it, because I used to run a lot, and when I missed running one day I felt bad and had great urge to run (craving) it was healthy brain learning to do things. I often saw and still see drams about I'm running and feeling euphoric, because I still remember what kind of great high can running give you, so my mind still craves it. But thats good thing I'm planning to cut my psychoactive substance use, only using caffeine and snuss (I love it) and get back on running. Running I think is most euphoric exercise of all the sports. Also I used to learn one language for for 1 year every day about 4-8 hours, I just had to do it I got great satisfaction from it, if one day I couldn't do it I felt that I need to do it and that something was wrong.

Someone saying addiction is hardwired for life don't know anything about brain plasticity, or anything at all about how brain works. But I can't blame them in School they don't teach it unless you go to learn it specifically or learn it by yourself. What kind of message that would give to addict that "hey you are hardwired for this for life", thats very pessimistic and negative view also wrong from the scientific view. You should say to an addict "hey you are not addict for live, you can change you're life, you can learn out of the addiction and get back to the good life, you are not on this for life, it needs lots of work but it will work and you will learn new things to do that gives you satisfaction in your life and never crave the old things anymore."
 
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Ne0 said:
I just don't like people who denial the truth. Most people don't know how brain works. Addiction is no more than just brain learning to do certain things until it needs it. I know it, because I used to run a lot, and when I missed running one day I felt bad and had great urge to run (craving) it was healthy brain learning to do things. I often saw and still see drams about I'm running and feeling euphoric, because I still remember what kind of great high can running give you, so my mind still craves it. But thats good thing I'm planning to cut my psychoactive substance use, only using caffeine and snuss (I love it) and get back on running. Running I think is most euphoric exercise of all the sports. Also I used to learn one language for for 1 year every day about 4-8 hours, I just had to do it I got great satisfaction from it, if one day I couldn't do it I felt that I need to do it and that something was wrong.

Someone saying addiction is hardwired for life don't know anything about brain plasticity, or anything at all about how brain works. But I can't blame them in School they don't teach it unless you go to learn it specifically or learn it by yourself. What kind of message that would give to addict that "hey you are hardwired for this for life", thats very pessimistic and negative view also wrong from the scientific view. You should say to an addict "hey you are not addict for live, you can change you're life, you can learn out of the addiction and get back to the good life, you are not on this for life, it needs lots of work but it will work and you will learn new things to do that gives you satisfaction in your life and never crave the old things anymore."
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The problem with treating addiction is how often it is in combination wit another phychiatric disorder. The old paradigm was treat the addiction first then the underlying condition. I propose that is inneffective. You either treat them together or the phychiatric diagnosis first.

I have PTSD and anxiety. Until I started getting treatment for those I could not control my drug use because I was medicating this deep trauma I just couldnt face. I've noticed that the more treatment I have gotten for trauma the less I crave drugs. My life has also improved in most facets. I now find myself better equipped to deal with cravings and all the things that come along with poly drug addiction.

My main gripe with drug treatment is the one size fits all approach. I know that we are just starting to see the research on the brain that's been done over the last decade creeping it's way down to the good doctors and treatment centers but until I start seeing a real change in the 1 year 5 year statistical outcomes I will continue to say the treatment is broken not the patient.
 
Addiction is a multi faceted chronic dissorder of just about every aspect of the human organism! Disease is merely one of its many scary arms. Ofcourse its a disease. Its killing peoples bodies isnt it? Taking over peoples minds and shit. Robbing people of free will. If a tick or something did this to someone we would call it a disease. Its just not only a disease. Its also a spiritual crisis, social problem, trauma problem etc etc.
 
Captain.Heroin said:
Except he thinks his addiction to classical music counts.

His book is great though.
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Old post I know, but I knew u talking about Gabor Mate right away! I think it does count. Its jut to which degree does the addiction destroy ones life? Most people have the same urges and problems as any drug addict, the difference is that their reoccuring bullshit doesnt completely destroy their lives. It still hurts them though.
 
d3athadone said:
Old post I know, but I knew u talking about Gabor Mate right away! I think it does count. Its jut to which degree does the addiction destroy ones life? Most people have the same urges and problems as any drug addict, the difference is that their reoccuring bullshit doesnt completely destroy their lives. It still hurts them though.
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Yeah but it's just not the same thing. He wouldn't steal money from his wife's purse to continue buying classical music CD's. If it came down between her and classical music CD's, I'm entirely sure he would choose his relationship.

It's just not the same thing as over-activating the reward pathways with drugs (or video games, sex, compulsive eating, etc). Just my opinion.
 
Captain.Heroin said:
Yeah but it's just not the same thing. He wouldn't steal money from his wife's purse to continue buying classical music CD's. If it came down between her and classical music CD's, I'm entirely sure he would choose his relationship.

It's just not the same thing as over-activating the reward pathways with drugs (or video games, sex, compulsive eating, etc). Just my opinion.
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Very true. The only other disorders I could compare it too is anorexia and bulemia. Just strong urges followed by internal justification of whatever bad things we did. I feel like addiction can't just be lpoked at from a physical stanpoint. There are also a socioeconomic aspect to it. As the fanous rat park experiment showed. I've yet to meet a person who is happy with there life situation get hooked on drugs.

That's why treating addiction is so hard. You go to rehab a serene place where everyone understands you. Then you go home and all the stress or and triggers are back in your face. My theory is that if you pursue happyness in your life the drug addiction will naturally play itself out.

My .02
 
d3athadone said:
Addiction is a multi faceted chronic dissorder of just about every aspect of the human organism! Disease is merely one of its many scary arms. Ofcourse its a disease. Its killing peoples bodies isnt it? Taking over peoples minds and shit. Robbing people of free will. If a tick or something did this to someone we would call it a disease. Its just not only a disease. Its also a spiritual crisis, social problem, trauma problem etc etc.
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The proverbial pimple on the ass of time with addiction is the relationships between how we understand it as a disease and the nature of it as something more than a disease.

Regarding the latter, if it is helpful to conceptualize addiction as a disease it is only useful to conceptualize it as a biopsychosocial illness. Regarding the former, and this is the more significant issue regarding medicine, is how we continue to really want to understand some disease of addiction as embodying the same kid of pathology that infectious diseases like syphilis or influenza. This tendency to pathologize a condition that doesn't lend itself to the kinds of treatment protocols that all other pathologies tend to lend themselves is the more troubling issue.

When dealing with pathogens a one-size-fits-all type of approach to triage (as in you present certain symptoms and you receive certain treatments without any real necessity of input from or agency on the part of the patient) works very well, but does not lend itself to the more multidimensional nature of a biopsychosocial disorder - one that has a social epidemiology at least as significant as anything biological in origin. However we look at addiction, the most effective treatments focus on the role of learned behavior, prioritizing individual development over enforced abstinence (a.k.a. quarantine). Treating addiction successfully required more than just quarantine away from the "addictive agents" (see similarities to "infectious agents") via enforced periods of abstinence, but an at times radical process of personal transformation and growth - a process which abstinence may or may not be conducive to.

A fantastic book about the history of how we think of addiction as a disease (and continue to pathologize it) is Caroline Jean Acker's seminal Creating the American Junkie, Addiction Research in the Classic Era of Narcotics Control. A good book looking at addiction as a learning disorder is Maia Szalavitz's Unbroken Brain.
 
I agree with everything your saying. Just remember biopsychosocial! Part of the whole problem is a biological disease aspect. Thats not to say one cant heal from a disease, but to say addiction isnt a disease is kinda weird. Its not just a disease.
 
I love this article. It's funny some of the comments in this thread are calling HIS opinion esentially an "addict mentality" and what's funny is I see it as the complete opposite. Here is a guy that owned up to what really haunts him and doesn't feel sorry for himself by call it a disease. Whether it is a disease or not I honestly don't know if we will ever have a definitive answer, but I don't get how anyoone can completely disregard his theory.
Someone even went as far to say that a gaming addiction can not be as bad as a substance abuse disorder. Um, I have a cousin in Russia who steals to support his gaming addiction, and literally had to be ripped off the gaming controller to be taken to jail. He went to a Gaming Rehab and said his story was light/moderate when compared to other people's stories.
 
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