Is addition a disease???
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: North West, England
Posts: 500
Yes, I believe that addiction is a progressive and chronic disease of the mind/soul.
Addiction is considered to fit the definition of a medical ailment, involving an abnormality of structure in, or function of, the brain that results in behavioural impairment.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 151
I largely echo Stanton Peele on this topic:
Dr. Stanton Peele on Addiction - YouTube
and also his thoughts on how funneling teens into 12-step programs and telling them that they have a lifelong, incurable, progressive disease because they got caught with pot is extremely destructive and manufactures more of the problem it purports to cure.
Dr. Peele: Underage Drinking - YouTube
Dr. Stanton Peele on Addiction - YouTube
and also his thoughts on how funneling teens into 12-step programs and telling them that they have a lifelong, incurable, progressive disease because they got caught with pot is extremely destructive and manufactures more of the problem it purports to cure.
Dr. Peele: Underage Drinking - YouTube
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 151
Originally Posted by cynical one 
Oh my, you've opened the can of worms again and will get strong arguments on both sides of the debate...and in the end...does it matter?
Getting there!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 5,750
I didn't know this was such a controversial subject. It seems many people attend some kind of 12 step program where it commonly referred to as a disease. Then I took Anvil's suggestion and printed this out.
(Post by anvil)
this is found in the Step forum for F&F below this one - i'd suggest printing them out, getting a notebook and writing out your responses. take your time, be thoughtful, reflective and honest....
Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol ~ that our lives had become unmanageable.
Do I accept that I cannot control another person’s drinking? Another person’s behavior?
How do I recognize that the alcoholic is an individual with habits, characteristics and ways of reacting to daily happenings that are different from mine?
Do I accept that alcoholism is a disease? How does that change how I deal with a drinker?How have I tried to change others in my life? What were the consequences?
What means have I used to get what I want and need? What might work better to get my needs met?
How do I feel when the alcoholic refuses to be and do what I want? How do I respond?
What would happen if I stopped trying to change the alcoholic or anyone else?
How can I let go of others’ problems instead of trying to solve them?
Am I looking for a quick fix to my problems? Is there one?
In what situations do I feel excessive responsibility for other people?
In what situations do I feel shame or embarrassment for someone else’s behavior?
What brought me to Al-Anon? What did I hope to gain at that time? How have my expectations changed?
Who has expressed concern about my behavior? My health? My children? Give examples.
How do I know when my life is unmanageable?
How have I sought approval and affirmation from others?
Do I say “yes” when I want to say “no”? What happens to my ability to manage my life when I do this?
Do I take care of others easily, but find it difficult to care for myself?
How do I feel when life is going smoothly? Do I continually anticipate problems? Do I feel more alive in the midst of a crisis?
How well do I take care of myself?
How do I feel when I am alone?
What is the difference between pity and love?
Am I attracted to alcoholics and other people who seem to need me to fix them? How have I tried to fix them?
Do I trust my own feelings? Do I know what they are?
Questions from Paths To Recovery, Al-Anon’s Steps, Traditions and Concepts ©1997
I really don't know how I feel about this subject. I thought maybe there was new scientific information someone could share. I can see how this could be be a debatable subject with out the science to support it. However, my husband shared he believes he was born an addict and has had addict behaviors his whole life...into his childhood. I thought that was interesting. But I never really had an opinion about it before, and I am completely ignorant or uninformed on the subject. So I thought I would ask others what information they could share. I can't get through step 1 without it.
(Post by anvil)
this is found in the Step forum for F&F below this one - i'd suggest printing them out, getting a notebook and writing out your responses. take your time, be thoughtful, reflective and honest....
Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol ~ that our lives had become unmanageable.
Do I accept that I cannot control another person’s drinking? Another person’s behavior?
How do I recognize that the alcoholic is an individual with habits, characteristics and ways of reacting to daily happenings that are different from mine?
Do I accept that alcoholism is a disease? How does that change how I deal with a drinker?How have I tried to change others in my life? What were the consequences?
What means have I used to get what I want and need? What might work better to get my needs met?
How do I feel when the alcoholic refuses to be and do what I want? How do I respond?
What would happen if I stopped trying to change the alcoholic or anyone else?
How can I let go of others’ problems instead of trying to solve them?
Am I looking for a quick fix to my problems? Is there one?
In what situations do I feel excessive responsibility for other people?
In what situations do I feel shame or embarrassment for someone else’s behavior?
What brought me to Al-Anon? What did I hope to gain at that time? How have my expectations changed?
Who has expressed concern about my behavior? My health? My children? Give examples.
How do I know when my life is unmanageable?
How have I sought approval and affirmation from others?
Do I say “yes” when I want to say “no”? What happens to my ability to manage my life when I do this?
Do I take care of others easily, but find it difficult to care for myself?
How do I feel when life is going smoothly? Do I continually anticipate problems? Do I feel more alive in the midst of a crisis?
How well do I take care of myself?
How do I feel when I am alone?
What is the difference between pity and love?
Am I attracted to alcoholics and other people who seem to need me to fix them? How have I tried to fix them?
Do I trust my own feelings? Do I know what they are?
Questions from Paths To Recovery, Al-Anon’s Steps, Traditions and Concepts ©1997
I really don't know how I feel about this subject. I thought maybe there was new scientific information someone could share. I can see how this could be be a debatable subject with out the science to support it. However, my husband shared he believes he was born an addict and has had addict behaviors his whole life...into his childhood. I thought that was interesting. But I never really had an opinion about it before, and I am completely ignorant or uninformed on the subject. So I thought I would ask others what information they could share. I can't get through step 1 without it.
Getting there!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 5,750
Originally Posted by dollydo
My thoughts are that you need to focus on getting yourself healthy....IMHO you are spending way too much time trying to analyze him and his issues.
I am realizing I have a little bit of "control" issue and it has long tentacles.
I have an 18 yr old daughter, that I am so proud of. I so desperately want to help her make some of HER decisions but I now know I can't.
I so want to her to learn from MY mistakes, My achievements and MY knowledge. It is hard to "let go" but she thinks I am doing a great job and keeps looking at me very strangely now but with a big smile.
She earned a scholarship for college and has decided to wait a year! What??
I said "OK, if you need some time, then you should take it." I didn't really feel that way but I was calm, cool and appeared to be "accepting" of her decision. Hopefully, over time, I will actually really "feel" what I am saying as I "let go," learn to fully accept her and others decisions, and know I can only control my thoughts, actions and decisions. But sadly, I am just not there yet.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,393
I think it is in one respect. Let's say someone has diabetes, a disease, they have to manage their diet the rest of their lives. Alcoholism is like that. I have to manage the alcohol. Meaning I have to always avoid alcohol or my disease will make me sick. That's how I see it. Peace
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 462
i don't see addiction as a disease. in the beginning and always its a choice. to go out and buy the alcohol, or drugs, to be in places that you know that will support that environment, to put that drug or drink into your mouth. at any point you can say no. this is not the life i want to lead, this is not the road i want to go down today.
i may not have ever been addicted to a substance, but i have been in some pretty dark places due to depression. so i know whats its like to just let something take over you and you feel helpless. and i know what its like to have drag yourself out of it. the difference is i didn't have a substance adding to it. i had to face the fact that I was the problem. my actions, my thoughts, my lifestyle was the problem.
isn't that the same for an addict? the changes i make are a lifelong change. not falling back into old habits is hard. not giving in to my old ways. i don't think i have a disease. i just think that my childhood was not the greatest (and certainly not the worst) and then i chose to play a victim for most of my life.
personally, if we call addiction a disease then it gives the person a reason to think that this isn't my fault and i can't control it. but with all the stories and posts i am reading, the one common thing is that its making daily good choices to not the demons win.
thats my point of view.
i may not have ever been addicted to a substance, but i have been in some pretty dark places due to depression. so i know whats its like to just let something take over you and you feel helpless. and i know what its like to have drag yourself out of it. the difference is i didn't have a substance adding to it. i had to face the fact that I was the problem. my actions, my thoughts, my lifestyle was the problem.
isn't that the same for an addict? the changes i make are a lifelong change. not falling back into old habits is hard. not giving in to my old ways. i don't think i have a disease. i just think that my childhood was not the greatest (and certainly not the worst) and then i chose to play a victim for most of my life.
personally, if we call addiction a disease then it gives the person a reason to think that this isn't my fault and i can't control it. but with all the stories and posts i am reading, the one common thing is that its making daily good choices to not the demons win.
thats my point of view.
I'm no angel!
Join Date: May 2005
Location: tampa, fl
Posts: 6,728
I had to smile at your title...."Is addition a disease??? "
If so, many accountants are going to be real upset!
Just a little humor!
Keep working on you and keep setting a good example for your daughter.
My Best...Dolly
If so, many accountants are going to be real upset!
Just a little humor!
Keep working on you and keep setting a good example for your daughter.
My Best...Dolly
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 151
Originally Posted by cynical one
No, I don't think this was an 'all about you' thread. I did notice you have a few minutes of clean time, so congrats on that. And, BTW over on this side we don't bash others recovery programs so I think you will find yourself getting bored over here since that seems to be your MO.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
heres a way of lookin at the 1st step:
go drink a gallon of water and dont pee for 3 days. prolly cnt do it eh?? because yer powerless.
if you do try it, i think that would prove a lil unmanageablilty.( and insanity)
go drink a gallon of water and dont pee for 3 days. prolly cnt do it eh?? because yer powerless.
if you do try it, i think that would prove a lil unmanageablilty.( and insanity)
I'm no angel!
Join Date: May 2005
Location: tampa, fl
Posts: 6,728
"My thoughts are that you need to focus on getting yourself healthy....IMHO you are spending way too much time trying to analyze him and his issues. "
It was my post that you, aNewEternity were making reference to, and I was responding to LoveMeNot's post, not to you.
It was my post that you, aNewEternity were making reference to, and I was responding to LoveMeNot's post, not to you.
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: MI
Posts: 452
There is a DVD called "Pleasure Unwoven (a personal journey about addiction)" by Dr. Kevin McCauley that examines the question of whether addiction is a disease. If you Google it, you can find a site from which you can order it. I found it really helpful in understanding how addiction works on the brain and the arguments for characterizing it as a disease.
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Waterford MI
Posts: 4,202
Originally Posted by aNewEternity
berating me for my x amount of time sober is about the most reprehensible thing you can do on a site like this, particularly when you do not know my story (nor even if abstinence is my goal). in context it was perfectly reasonable for me to believe that your post was addressed to me.
Beth
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 151
Originally Posted by wicked
only if you thought the thread was about you, or addressed to you and it obviously was not. Not to me, anyway. If it were obvious to you, why ask instead of just answering the question? obscurantist indeed.
Beth
Beth
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