Cyrus
Bluelighter
i think addiction is just habituation.
Do You Believe Addiction is a Disease, Or... [POLL!]
- Thread starter ATF
- Start date
This has been specifically argued in this thread already, but its been awhile. Again, I am not invested in either viewpoint, just playing devils advocate.
There are many diseases, in their earlier stages, in which 'lifestyle changes' (aka. willpower) can reverse the progress of the disease. Excercise, diet, abstaining from certain foods (salt, sugar, fats, etc.) are all based on an individuals willpower.
While traditional MD's may put you on a saltless diet, or have you monitor your sugar intake for heart disease or diabetes, while giving you drugs to control the symptoms; I personally believe (along with the majority of alternative medical practicioners and a growing number of smart young MD's) that what we put into our bodies has a MAJOR effect on it's disease state, and all over level of health.
Much more to this, but I digress.
Doctors (big Pharma, junk food industries, and toxic waste salesmen alike) lose their business when we realize our health isn't in their hands. They are good at fixing broken bones and cutting into people, but I wish they would admit they don't know what they are talking about when it comes to keeping people HEALTHY, SANE, and disease free. Theirs is a slow moving bureaucracy, interested on increasing profits, while not losing credibility.
Work their system however you wish, but don't let them convince you their system is working.
ResinTeeth
Bluelighter
I personally don't think it's a disease. But ponder this with me for a moment: AIDS, Syphilis, Gonorrhea are all diseases. However they fall under a certain category...Sexually Transmitted Diseases (though I think they changed the title because people got butthurt). If we were to categorize addiction as a disease then would it not also be deserving of a specific title, say Self-Administered Disease?
^How about 'drug induced'? I think that already exists though; drug induced psychosis etc.
When researching qualifications for social security disability, I came across a section that is for 'Substance Addiction Disorders' ~ apparently the medical community recognizes that along with addiction, many other disorders can occur as a result of drug use (or by 'choice'):
A. Organic mental disorders.
B. Depressive syndrome.
C. Anxiety disorders.
D. Personality disorders.
E. Peripheral neuropathies.
F. Liver damage.
G. Gastritis.
H. Pancreatitis.
I. Seizures.
When researching qualifications for social security disability, I came across a section that is for 'Substance Addiction Disorders' ~ apparently the medical community recognizes that along with addiction, many other disorders can occur as a result of drug use (or by 'choice'):
A. Organic mental disorders.
B. Depressive syndrome.
C. Anxiety disorders.
D. Personality disorders.
E. Peripheral neuropathies.
F. Liver damage.
G. Gastritis.
H. Pancreatitis.
I. Seizures.
Coolio
Greenlighter
- Joined
- Feb 29, 2004
- Messages
- 6,946
That's not exactly easy in the USA...
He's talking about Type II diabetes, which yes, does go away if you start eating a healthy diet. The vast majority of cases of diabetes are Type II, and caused simply by insulin resistance from high carbohydrate diets. Cut out the carbs and you stop needing insulin injections.
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kingtweaker92
Bluelighter
i believe the theory that we have 2 parts to our brain, the front (frontal cortex aka ourselves, our thought etc) and the midbrain (instincts *fight or flight*)
we have control over the frontal cortex. we make choices, walk, talk, decide to get high for the fun of it, etc
but once a psychological drug is introduced, the midbrain is affected and addapts to the substance. most of the time it wants more.
by using these powerful substances we are giving that once silent midbrain a voice (you know that voice in your head saying you need that shit?) yeah, that's a result of repeated use and empowering that midbrain while at the same time destorying essencial instincts we once knew and overpowering the frontal cortex.
once addicted we no longer have a logical thinking process to using whatever substance it is you use/abuse.once addicted we are acting upon instincts to get high. has anyone ever found them high and asking themselves why the fuck did i do this shit again. its that little voice in your head..
if anyone here can say they've never been through that inner conflict with oneself about any drug use/abuse i would say you a liar.
addiction is a disease, that voice will always be there, no matter what.
in recovery were not beating addiction. we are simply re-training our frontal cortex to over power that midbrains instinct to use/abuse drugs. when we continue to use/abuse drugs were basically shooting the midbrain with steroids and depriving the frontal cortex of nutrients. its when the midbrain overpowers and dictates all train of thought that addiction takes place.
IMO addiction is a disease. that is all.
-KING
we have control over the frontal cortex. we make choices, walk, talk, decide to get high for the fun of it, etc
but once a psychological drug is introduced, the midbrain is affected and addapts to the substance. most of the time it wants more.
by using these powerful substances we are giving that once silent midbrain a voice (you know that voice in your head saying you need that shit?) yeah, that's a result of repeated use and empowering that midbrain while at the same time destorying essencial instincts we once knew and overpowering the frontal cortex.
once addicted we no longer have a logical thinking process to using whatever substance it is you use/abuse.once addicted we are acting upon instincts to get high. has anyone ever found them high and asking themselves why the fuck did i do this shit again. its that little voice in your head..
if anyone here can say they've never been through that inner conflict with oneself about any drug use/abuse i would say you a liar.
addiction is a disease, that voice will always be there, no matter what.
in recovery were not beating addiction. we are simply re-training our frontal cortex to over power that midbrains instinct to use/abuse drugs. when we continue to use/abuse drugs were basically shooting the midbrain with steroids and depriving the frontal cortex of nutrients. its when the midbrain overpowers and dictates all train of thought that addiction takes place.
IMO addiction is a disease. that is all.
-KING
Coolio
Greenlighter
- Joined
- Feb 29, 2004
- Messages
- 6,946
If you literally hear voices in your head, you probably have a different kind of disease. Addicts don't hear voices normally...
Definition of disease from dictionary.com:
1. a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.
3. any harmful, depraved, or morbid condition, as of the mind or society: His fascination with executions is a disease.
The first definition could easily be applied to addiction and the second one definitely could. Replace "executions" with "drugs" in that example and it fits perfectly.
I think people just have a hard time with the word disease. Having the disease of addiction does not mean you are destined to a life of methadone and AA meetings. It means that your brain chemistry is altered.
1. a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.
3. any harmful, depraved, or morbid condition, as of the mind or society: His fascination with executions is a disease.
The first definition could easily be applied to addiction and the second one definitely could. Replace "executions" with "drugs" in that example and it fits perfectly.
I think people just have a hard time with the word disease. Having the disease of addiction does not mean you are destined to a life of methadone and AA meetings. It means that your brain chemistry is altered.
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kingtweaker92
Bluelighter
not literally, lol
addiction for me tends to cause an internal conflict between me and *me*. that part of your brain (the midbrain) is where your instincts are. no thought goes into instinct. im saying, by abusing the drugs we give that once silent part of the brain a voice. and most the time(for me) it becomes not an action of getting high, more of an instinct or something..like, it happens without any logical reason behind it. kinda like breathing, you just do it. ya know?
the conflict then comes from a weakened frontal cortex and powerful and drug hungry midbrain. i know someone here can relate. im not crazy. im not.
-KING
Dr migi
Bluelighter
disease. people who suffer from drug dont do drugs randomly. They want to improve they'r mood / feelings / want to hide or escape something.
So there's allways another factor to take look into before. People dont just fall into drugs like that because it's addictive or they have an addictive personality. It's just harder for
them to quit.
So I belive if they took drugs they probably have a problem to solve and the only solution they see is to take drugs. So for me it's a kind of disease yea.
Also in the next dictionary in switzerland, in the 2013 edition, the word "addition" will be releated to disease.
not saying it's good or not. It's not the drugs/pills that is harmless but the use you make of them.
just adding my 2 cent.
So there's allways another factor to take look into before. People dont just fall into drugs like that because it's addictive or they have an addictive personality. It's just harder for
them to quit.
So I belive if they took drugs they probably have a problem to solve and the only solution they see is to take drugs. So for me it's a kind of disease yea.
Also in the next dictionary in switzerland, in the 2013 edition, the word "addition" will be releated to disease.
not saying it's good or not. It's not the drugs/pills that is harmless but the use you make of them.
just adding my 2 cent.
verso
Bluelighter
I go back and forth between believing that it's a disease and it's just simple lack of self-control. But my therapist made a good point the other day... he said that it's "...just too insane for it not to be a disease." And, he's right. All the scheming, the running around, the time and money... at the end of the day when all of that effort has resulted in your picking up just a few bags or a rock or whatever, and it's fucking 10 o'clock at night... that's insane.
So, part of me thinks that yes, yes it's definitely a psychological disease. But then the other part of me says no, no it's not a fucking disease. I just need to tell myself "no, no more..." and then stop. So, therefore, it's self-control and not a disease. And, honestly, some people do quit that way, and I know myself... that's how I'll quit using. I'm stubborn and arrogant as hell and always have been, and I over-think and intellectualize everything so the whole group meetings and shit will just never work for me.
So, part of me thinks that yes, yes it's definitely a psychological disease. But then the other part of me says no, no it's not a fucking disease. I just need to tell myself "no, no more..." and then stop. So, therefore, it's self-control and not a disease. And, honestly, some people do quit that way, and I know myself... that's how I'll quit using. I'm stubborn and arrogant as hell and always have been, and I over-think and intellectualize everything so the whole group meetings and shit will just never work for me.
tricomb
Bluelight Crew
Can we get the poll re-opened?
Seyer
Bluelight Crew
Done ^
I think the constant desire to alter one's perception could very well be a disease. However, I think the act itself of going through with it is simply lack of self control and can not be attributed to the disease itself.
I think too often it's labeled as a disease and used as an excuse for one's actions. Personally, I feel it's wrong for people to tell themselves they have a disease in order to rationalize their behavior and addictions.
I think too often it's labeled as a disease and used as an excuse for one's actions. Personally, I feel it's wrong for people to tell themselves they have a disease in order to rationalize their behavior and addictions.
Verso said pretty much everything I was going to. I agree one hundred percent. It's an interesting theory to think about. I always come to the conclusion that I don't consider addiction to be a "disease". I think I became opposed to the idea originally because it's the basis of pretty much everything you hear from drug counselors, therapists, etc. I also think that it varies person to person (addiction to addiction).
tricomb
Bluelight Crew
thanks boss
!_MDMA_!
Bluelighter
its a disease. rewires and weakens how your internal system works. people will say its not a disease because you chose to consume the drug. following that logic diabetes isnt a dissase too because you chose to eat all those hohos.