I am not sure if you understand what addiction really is totallytrying.
The definition form the National Institute on Drug Abuse defines it like this:
Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain; they change its structure and how it works. These brain changes can be long lasting and can lead to many harmful, often self-destructive, behaviors.
And the American Society of Addiction Medicine defines it like this.
Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.
Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death.
I guess we both agree that cancer is a disease, so I don't look up a definition. So please understand that addiction is NOT a choice but a serious disease. So i, who lost 2 family members due to cancer and knows someone who survived cancer and someone who is battling with addiction, agree that these diseases can be compared.Their fight against their diseases is as hard and cruel as the battle against cancer and takes as many sacrifices. Addicts don't consume their DOC because they want to do it, it's because they are addicted, it's because they are sick. So, if you feel offended by comparing cancer and addiction, i'm offended if you say consuming their DOC is just a simple choice. People are fighting as hard as they can against this disease. Some of them relapse, some of them even lose their fight, but i refuse to accept the fact that some say this is due to mental weakness and making the wrong choice.
I think Blue's point is that many here seem to think that turning their back against the addicted person is the right thing to do in order to protect themselves. What if someone just found out that they suffer from cancer and their SO decided to leave them because of that? How many of you who support tough love would agree with that? I think not a lot. But why is it acceptable to do so with someone suffering from addiction? Why is it okay not to support people suffering from addiction, but someone fighting cancer gets all the support possible? Why is it okay to leave a person who's detoxing alone, while hardly no one, would leave a person alone who's going through Chemo? Why does one group deserve support and one doesn't? Maybe someone can explain it to me, because I simply don't understand it.