-
The Dark Side 💕 Welcome Guest 💕
Posting Rules Bluelight Rules Notable Threads Urgent Hotlines Bereavement Mindfulness Suicide Support Anger Management -
TDS Moderators: AlphaMethylPhenyl | paranoid android
How is addiction a disease?
- Thread starter attempt4
- Start date
Cane2theLeft
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2008
- Messages
- 12,673
I'm really not a fan of Dr. Drew put he gives a concise explanation -
Here is some more information. I'm not sure if BDD is the right place for this but its up to the BDD mods if they'd like to keep this here or try it elsewhere.
Its a really complex and hotly-debated subject. One of the major objections is that it eliminates personal responsibility and excuses behavior but I don't see that at all. If you look at the way personal choices contribute to its development as well as patterns of adherence to prescribed treatment and making necessary lifestyle changes then you'll find its rather similar to recognized medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, lung and throat cancers, etc.
Like many medical conditions there is a biological component (likely with genetics at play), a psychological component and a social component so successful treatment for addiction must address all of these dimensions and more. Someone with severe diabetes can't JUST take a pill or inject insulin daily, they have to make major dietary and lifestyle changes to successfully treat the condition and possibly address underlying psychological problems such as their relationship with food, etc.
Personally, I don't care if you want to call addiction a disease or not - to me its just semantics. Through studying addiction we have a pretty good idea how it develops and what works to treat it so as someone going into the field, that's all I care about.
Here is some more information. I'm not sure if BDD is the right place for this but its up to the BDD mods if they'd like to keep this here or try it elsewhere.
Its a really complex and hotly-debated subject. One of the major objections is that it eliminates personal responsibility and excuses behavior but I don't see that at all. If you look at the way personal choices contribute to its development as well as patterns of adherence to prescribed treatment and making necessary lifestyle changes then you'll find its rather similar to recognized medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, lung and throat cancers, etc.
Like many medical conditions there is a biological component (likely with genetics at play), a psychological component and a social component so successful treatment for addiction must address all of these dimensions and more. Someone with severe diabetes can't JUST take a pill or inject insulin daily, they have to make major dietary and lifestyle changes to successfully treat the condition and possibly address underlying psychological problems such as their relationship with food, etc.
Personally, I don't care if you want to call addiction a disease or not - to me its just semantics. Through studying addiction we have a pretty good idea how it develops and what works to treat it so as someone going into the field, that's all I care about.
NeighborhoodThreat
Bluelight Crew
^Pretty much stated what I would have said, its hard to define "disease" sometimes, but the Dr. Drew quote is pretty much on point.
I'm not exactly sure if BDD is right place for this either but I'll leave it open and see if we get some more replies and then take it from there.
I'm not exactly sure if BDD is right place for this either but I'll leave it open and see if we get some more replies and then take it from there.
Miskatonic
Greenlighter
Disease is a hard word to define on its own. You almost always see it paired with something more specific, like heart disease, or else it's not used at all, like AIDS.
Try this: does it affect the quality of your life in a negative way? If not yet, does it seem likely that it will? Disease is a pretty good word for something that does that.
Who cares if it's a disease, anyway? A piece of glass in your foot is not a disease, but you know enough to pull it out. If your're hooked on something that's getting in your way, you know the answer to that too.
Not saying it's easy . . .
Try this: does it affect the quality of your life in a negative way? If not yet, does it seem likely that it will? Disease is a pretty good word for something that does that.
Who cares if it's a disease, anyway? A piece of glass in your foot is not a disease, but you know enough to pull it out. If your're hooked on something that's getting in your way, you know the answer to that too.
Not saying it's easy . . .
the toad
Bluelighter
Unless you have some new disease in which your body produces heroin then no drug use/habituation/addiction is not a disease.... I've been addicted and I'm not now... both were choices... I didn't catch them... I made the choice to do a lot of drugs.... then I made a decision not to....
Bojangles69
Bluelighter
- Joined
- May 20, 2009
- Messages
- 1,757
Well people with hypertension secrete too much norepinephrine/epinephrine and need to take drugs to stablize that.
People with asthma or allergies often lack certain hormones and wind up needing injections of hormones to keep their bodies strong.
People with opiates produce too little endorphins, and need outside opiates to keep their lives stable. Similarly, drastic lifestyle changes can allow a person with hypertension (sometimes) to quit their meds and live a normal life w/out hypertension. And people with opiate addiction can drastically change their lives and sometimes get off the drugs for good.
So I do believe to an extent its a disease. Just not sure to what extent it is. Because afterall we are the ones that actually feed the disease, and make it worse on a daily basis.
People with asthma or allergies often lack certain hormones and wind up needing injections of hormones to keep their bodies strong.
People with opiates produce too little endorphins, and need outside opiates to keep their lives stable. Similarly, drastic lifestyle changes can allow a person with hypertension (sometimes) to quit their meds and live a normal life w/out hypertension. And people with opiate addiction can drastically change their lives and sometimes get off the drugs for good.
So I do believe to an extent its a disease. Just not sure to what extent it is. Because afterall we are the ones that actually feed the disease, and make it worse on a daily basis.
the toad
Bluelighter
Well I never felt like it was a disease... and it seems the only time people talk about addiction being a disease is to make an excuse or transfer resposibility for their actions.... blaming your choices on something rather than taking responsibility and initiative to change is closer to a disease imo... that was my major underlying problem... and seems to be in most people I knw with addiction problems...
To clarify... yes dr drew's defenition is exactly correct... however my issue more lies in the reality of people thinking of a disease as something that "just happens to someone"
To clarify... yes dr drew's defenition is exactly correct... however my issue more lies in the reality of people thinking of a disease as something that "just happens to someone"
Last edited:
needles420
Greenlighter
but just be because a disease doesnt affect you as much as others doesn't mean it's that simple. I've feel that diabetes is a good example, sometimes proper diet fixes it, while other need daily insulin shots. can those who did a diet change tell the others that what they have is easy to manage? your experience does not equate to every other person's issues. I do applaud you for being able to just stop tho, I'm sure there are many of us (including me) that simply wish we could just stop our drug use.
the toad
Bluelighter
I don't mean to make it sound as though it wasn't difficult... I tried to quit many times... I finally had to move myself halfway across the country to get away from having the stuff accessible... because if it was there I couldn't resist...
Again... by defenition it is a disease... however, quitting must be a decision you make from within... wether you get assistance or have to go to drastic measures is irrelevant... if the person wants to quit there are countless ways to go about it and lots of support and assistance for those wishing to utilize it.... if the person doesn't truly want to quit then they won't.... I didn't want to quit for years... I thought I was perfectly fine and doing exactly what I wanted.... but later my desires changed and I made the necessary arrangements to be able toquit.... I most certainly wasn't without assistance from my doctor with methadone and my clean friends with a place to stay and detox....
Again... by defenition it is a disease... however, quitting must be a decision you make from within... wether you get assistance or have to go to drastic measures is irrelevant... if the person wants to quit there are countless ways to go about it and lots of support and assistance for those wishing to utilize it.... if the person doesn't truly want to quit then they won't.... I didn't want to quit for years... I thought I was perfectly fine and doing exactly what I wanted.... but later my desires changed and I made the necessary arrangements to be able toquit.... I most certainly wasn't without assistance from my doctor with methadone and my clean friends with a place to stay and detox....
Legerity
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2010
- Messages
- 2,965
There is cause and effect. People have a reason to use drugs, so they use drugs. Somebody with a painful childhood may have lingering resentments which then affect their behavior. Is this a disease? I don't consider it so. There are a number of factors that cause a person to make any decision. Some may be dictated by unconscious motives, others may be more obvious.
I would consider the repetitive useless and often self-abusive thoughts that the majority of people are caught up in to be more close to what I would consider a "disease"
I would consider the repetitive useless and often self-abusive thoughts that the majority of people are caught up in to be more close to what I would consider a "disease"
Sweet P
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2009
- Messages
- 5,243
I'm an addict, but I don't consider addiction to be a disease. I think it all comes down to psychological conditioning. Basically, humans continue behaviour that has positive consequences (i.e. making us feel good or taking away bad feelings) and we discontinue behaviour that has negative consequences. As long as we perceive our drug use as positive (even if there are some major negatives) we'll continue using.
Cane2theLeft
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2008
- Messages
- 12,673
^ then why do so many people who want to stop and are completely aware that their use produces negative consequences continue using?
Sweet P
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2009
- Messages
- 5,243
^ Good point. Possibly because the process of quitting is perceived as an overwhelming negative, especially if a person has unsucessfully tried to quit before. The sheer hell of the withdrawal symptoms (plus the stress of the lifestyle changes from being a drug addict to a recovering drug addict) could outweigh all the negatives the person felt about continuing the drug use. Just guessing though!
Legerity
Bluelight Crew
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2010
- Messages
- 2,965
Even if somebody's use is for the most part problematic, it can still be serving a purpose that they are not ready or willing to sacrifice.
Take an extreme case, where every thought and action is focused on getting money and finding drugs. This provides a person with goals, and provides a hell of a distraction from any emotions or other life issues that otherwise would need to be addressed. Although it is most likely increasing problems at the same time.
Take an extreme case, where every thought and action is focused on getting money and finding drugs. This provides a person with goals, and provides a hell of a distraction from any emotions or other life issues that otherwise would need to be addressed. Although it is most likely increasing problems at the same time.
fifleman
Bluelighter
I do not consider addiction a disease by any definition of the word in regard to how it is used today. To say I have a disease that is progressive and comparable to such diseases as cancer, Parkinson's disease, ALS, heart disease, diabetes, etc. is absolutely preposterous. These diseases are progressive and physically manifest themselves within the body. I will not go up to a cancer patient and say "I have a disease as well" when I can give up the drugs and alcohol at any given point. If I can't? There's plenty of help out there today to get me clean.
Taken from the Big Book itself (which has never lied to me), it explains that "...when the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically." I consider addiction (any addiction: drugs, alcohol, sex, whatever the hell people want to call addictions) to be a spiritual disease. Spiritual is a hard word to define, but for me it was going against everything my inner being was. Doing everything against my core beliefs. Twisting and turning my beliefs and actions so much that it made a rat's nest out of my mind. In turn, I used drugs and alcohol to cope and that made me even more mentally insane along with physically sick most of the time. It wasn't going to take me to my death: it could've, but I reached out for help. The mental obsession was broken. Forty-one days away from a year of sobriety, I will tell you that the problem centers in the mind.
Do not discount the mind. It is the most powerful thing known to man in the universe. To heal, start spiritually and watch as you develop healthy mental and physical practices.
Just my two cents.
Taken from the Big Book itself (which has never lied to me), it explains that "...when the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically." I consider addiction (any addiction: drugs, alcohol, sex, whatever the hell people want to call addictions) to be a spiritual disease. Spiritual is a hard word to define, but for me it was going against everything my inner being was. Doing everything against my core beliefs. Twisting and turning my beliefs and actions so much that it made a rat's nest out of my mind. In turn, I used drugs and alcohol to cope and that made me even more mentally insane along with physically sick most of the time. It wasn't going to take me to my death: it could've, but I reached out for help. The mental obsession was broken. Forty-one days away from a year of sobriety, I will tell you that the problem centers in the mind.
Do not discount the mind. It is the most powerful thing known to man in the universe. To heal, start spiritually and watch as you develop healthy mental and physical practices.
Just my two cents.
the toad
Bluelighter
As I said... I tried to quit but the short term desire proved stronger than my long term.... so I made arrangements to take the short term availability out of the picture.... it was a major move, both geographically as well as mentally but I identified the hurdle and engineered a way to clear it... introspection was key in discovering the key to success... for me anyway...
cire113
Bluelighter
addiction causes physiological changes in the brain and its pathways.. it has been scientifically proven to be a disease centered in the brain...
It is a neurological disease
Using drugs becomes as essential as food or water or sleep...
first few paragraphs of this article talk about it
http://www.medical-online.com/addict.htm
It is a neurological disease
Using drugs becomes as essential as food or water or sleep...
first few paragraphs of this article talk about it
http://www.medical-online.com/addict.htm
Last edited:
oliphill
Bluelighter
Disease is just an old word. I prefer illness. A mental illness of obsession and compulsion. An obsession being one thought that overrides all other thoughts.
I also see it as spiritual sickness. I feel there is a worldwide spiritual sickness that manifests itself in different ways. The balance between mind body and spirit becomes unbalanced. For me, left unattended I naturally become very unbalanced and selfish, pushing my spirit further away and neglecting my body. I have to work at keeping a balance and the more I achieve this the further away I am from obsession and compulsion.
I also see it as spiritual sickness. I feel there is a worldwide spiritual sickness that manifests itself in different ways. The balance between mind body and spirit becomes unbalanced. For me, left unattended I naturally become very unbalanced and selfish, pushing my spirit further away and neglecting my body. I have to work at keeping a balance and the more I achieve this the further away I am from obsession and compulsion.
I think it's mainly a way to get it more socially accepted, myself, in combination with the NA program. Call it a disease and supply the treatment, and there's your "attraction rather than promotion"... LOL. Hey, if it works (at least for some), why knock it?
If you asked me if there's an actual disease called "addiction" that's substance-independent and that you're basically born with... no. Nonsense, IMO. Anyone could get addicted to an addictive drug, and that has nothing to do with being born with a disease called addiction.
I do think addiction should be more socially accepted, cuz I really think it's more a biological issue than a moral issue. Why should it be "morally bad" to get addicted to a drug? I guess because lacking self-control is considered an evil by society. People are afraid they may lack self-control too, probably, when they see someone else with that issue. Most "morality" issues are based on fear.
Last edited: