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Old 02-01-2010, 06:25 PM
  # 48 (permalink)  
shockozulu
Reach Out and Touch Faith
 
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: On a Sailboat
Posts: 3,871
Originally Posted by Eroica View Post
Its interesting that our own government has conflicting views on the disease vs. behavior issue. For example, we put drug offenders in treatment centers, but if they fail to stay sober or don't meet their parole requirements, we put them in jail. So in effect the courts are saying, "its a disease until we say it becomes a moral issue".

Its not that I want to debate, but calling alcoholism or addiction a disease has consequences, at least for me. If its a disease, then whatever I do under the influence I'm really not responsbile for and I feel like I may be beyond help. If its a *really* bad lifestyle then I am to blame for whatever consequences I incur as a result of drug abuse and that guilt may help prevent me from making those same choices again. If its a behavior I can modify-like learning a new skill-then I'm still responsible for all the bad choices I made-albeit they were complicated by my physical dependence (which is a real disease). But I'm still on the fence about what "addiction" is,
Great post, and glad to see the thread back on topic!

I personally believe there is simply something in the brain that tells us addicts to use/drink more than the average person. Do I think its a disease? After seeing so many people with different sets of symptoms (binge drinkers, "social" drinkers, functional alcoholics) I've come to the belief that its probably not a single disease. If it was, why don't I abuse all my prescription medications? Why don't I just want to get stoned on whatever is out there? Why won't I touch a crack pipe with a ten foot pole, even though I've never tried the stuff and might get high?

Yet on the other hand, I've seen entire sides of my family effected by alcohol. I'm talking about people that never even met each other. Clearly there is a genetic component to me.
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