Willpower VS. My Will is Against Me!

[b4rd]

I UTFSE and I couldn't find this . Dunno where this should go , but I am assuming TDS would be good . ( Sorry Mods! ).

So, after being exposed to countless encounters of different opinions on the subject, I have realized that this discussion is hardly Black and White. what do Y`ALL think regarding addiction and willpower?

Those of you who have been to rehab or AA/NA (anonymous addiction support groups) are familiar with the theory that "willpower is not enough."

But for those of you that haven't: the idea is basically once an addict or alcoholic reaches a certain point in their addiction, they have lost the ability to act upon their own will. The idea is to turn ones will over to the care of a higher power, or ones own notion of God, due to the users inability to make clear decisions regarding his/her addiction. God can range from the man with the beard, to animals, nature, anything with PERSONAL essence and meaning to the individual.

Now, obviously, the other side of the coin is the theory that willpower can be an effective agent/tool to stay sober/off of ones addiction. The idea that once someone reaches a point when they are fed up with all the negative crap that is associated with drug use/addiction, they have the "choice" to stay off of that which is ruining it .


WHAT do y`all think ?

Please respect the opinions of others. What one person is flaming , may very well be saving another (person).

 

[Dave]

I think that the concept of willpower is counter-productive. What is important with respect to addiction recovery is behaviour modification, in which case it is best to assume that willpower is non-existent and set up the recoveree's situation in such a way that it is easier to stay sober than to relapse long enough for the new behaviour (i.e. sobriety) to become habit. Now, that generally just deals with the acute addiction recovery, but as anyone who has gone through recovery knows that even past the 28 days (or what have you) support is still needed. It takes anywhere from 6-8 weeks of continual work for a new habit to become well-entrenched, after which point it would be safe to reduce the level of direct support, while still maintaining a support network that can be called upon if required.

Keep in mind though that the only addictions that I've overcome were relatively minor (moderate GHB and benzo abuse, non-concurrent), so what worked for me may not work for someone trying to get clean off meth, and what worked for them might not work for someone getting clean off opiates.

 

[Legerity]

Different approaches seem to work for different people. If somebody feels that they have a connection to a higher power of something of a spiritual nature then that can be a help way of directing their addiction treatment. But cogntive-behavioural approaches are also effective based on many studies.

 

[VanWeyden]

I think the concept of willpower is the only concept that may be helpful to achive sobriety.

First of all it is important that you understand "willpower" does not only mean to resist the drug, but to prepare yourself in a way that you minimize situations of craving and make sure that you have support in such hard situations.
That implies that you get the help you need to reflect the mental problems that lead you into addiction, to have persons how supervise ypu in mainaining a sober, content lifestyle and stand by you when you crave the drug although you did everything to avoid it, whivh will absolutely happen some time.

When you negate the concept of willpower, where is the point in trying to stay sober? All you can do is getting locked up somewhere without drugs.

 

[**hAyzzZZ**]

First of all it is important that you understand "willpower" does not only mean to resist the drug, but to prepare yourself in a way that you minimize situations of craving and make sure that you have support in such hard situations.

^ This.

Willpower is all good & dandy, IME it's not enough to overcome situations in which you are not strong enough to resist the drugs.

Personally... willpower has never been enough to simply 'will' the pain away when I know those drugs in my possession will do it so much better.

Changing a pattern of behaviour that is ingrained takes time. I think the hardest part of addiction is that it is a constant battle to maintain sobriety. Something I never realised until hitting several rock bottoms.

 

[b4rd]

I think that the concept of willpower is counter-productive. What is important with respect to addiction recovery is behaviour modification, in which case it is best to assume that willpower is non-existent and set up the recoveree's situation in such a way that it is easier to stay sober than to relapse long enough for the new behaviour (i.e. sobriety) to become habit. Now, that generally just deals with the acute addiction recovery, but as anyone who has gone through recovery knows that even past the 28 days (or what have you) support is still needed. It takes anywhere from 6-8 weeks of continual work for a new habit to become well-entrenched, after which point it would be safe to reduce the level of direct support, while still maintaining a support network that can be called upon if required.

Keep in mind though that the only addictions that I've overcome were relatively minor (moderate GHB and benzo abuse, non-concurrent), so what worked for me may not work for someone trying to get clean off meth, and what worked for them might not work for someone getting clean off opiates.

I agree with behavior modification . But what about when drugs are offered to you by a patient in rehab who sneaks them in . Then is will power counter-productive ? Having a strong will to say no to the person offering you that drug , or combating the thought about eating that whole cake ?

I guess don't see how will power COULD be counter-productive :/.

I just think in this cold world, you're eventually going to have to make a choice.

 

[Dave]

Yup, but it's the choice rather than the willpower that does the trick. Willpower seems to be defined retroactively: so and so turned down heroin in rehab when offered, therefore they must have excellent willpower.

I guess that it's just a semantics thing that I'm tripping over; I'd say that it is the ability to make particular behavioural choices that will get one further (which is a learnable skill), rather than the amorphous and potentially self-defeating concept of willpower. I mean self-defeating in that someone who has made poor choices in the past, or who has poor impulse control (both of which are modifiable behaviours) might get caught up in identifying as having 'no willpower' and as such will not try to learn to make better behavioural choices.

It's just a different way of looking at the problem: rather than developing willpower, one would develop skills/positive behaviours.