Cancer and Addiction??
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Massachusetts (south shore)
Posts: 125
Cancer and Addiction??
Why do "some people" say that Addiction is a disease just like Cancer? My husband just emailed that to me. I am sorry, but I don't believe that. While I believe addiction is a "disease of sorts"...one does not "choose" to get Cancer, but they do have a choice to take that pill or not...am I right or wrong???
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 951
A person can make choices that lead to heart disease, lung disease, cancer.
I don't believe anyone picks up any substance thinking that it will lead to addiction, or lung cancer or obesity.
My opinion is that it is a disease of the mind potentially brought on by many factor that causes addiction.
I don't believe anyone picks up any substance thinking that it will lead to addiction, or lung cancer or obesity.
My opinion is that it is a disease of the mind potentially brought on by many factor that causes addiction.
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: "I'm not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost ..."
Posts: 5,273
The disease model of addiction is a theory. One theory. Theories of addiction are heavily debated. I find it of interest, but none of it did squat for ending my addiction. Tell your husband you'll be more than happy to having a rousing discussion of addiction theories when he is clean. Until then, it's a diversion to allow for continued use on his part.
Doesn't matter what it is...when drinking or using is messing up your life, it's time to find a way to quit. There are many ways to do just that, available often free of charge, at the addict's fingertips.
Doesn't matter what it is...when drinking or using is messing up your life, it's time to find a way to quit. There are many ways to do just that, available often free of charge, at the addict's fingertips.
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: W Washington
Posts: 11,589
a disease is a disorder of a physiological system or normal function. no one starts out using drugs or alcohol WITH THE INTENT of becoming addicted...there are many who DO use substances and do not become addicted. there are many who sometimes, even often drink to excess, but do not develop the malady known as addiction. many are genetically predisposed, many suffer some deep emotional trauma and drugs seem to alleviate the pain. I myself had done a lot cocaine in my earlier years but never developed the mental obsession and physical compulsion. then I met crack cocaine. and within 3 months of weekend use, maybe 12 - 15 times??? addicted.
I knew it and I couldn't STOP it. not then, not right away. for a number of years it seemed I couldn't NOT do crack. as soon as the thought hit my brain, it's like I was taken over by aliens or something. I fought hard to just to get THREE days and thought at the time that was really an accomplishment. but day four? i'd be in tears, literally digging my fingers into the wall wanting to say NO - but the ONLY thing I knew that would make the desperation and craving STOP was to give in. I had to fight HARD to be able to quit....AND STAY QUIT.
there was something WRONG with my normal functioning. my brain was hijacked and it said, we need crack. the drugs had altered the wiring in my brain. that's HARD to compensate for and overcome.
but the beauty of addiction is...while there is no cure, an addict CAN put their disease into permanent remission...NO other disease has that option. that's where "choice" comes in...an addict MUST make the choice to quit...to get sick and tired of being sick and tired, to be willing to do WHATEVER it takes to never use again.
I knew it and I couldn't STOP it. not then, not right away. for a number of years it seemed I couldn't NOT do crack. as soon as the thought hit my brain, it's like I was taken over by aliens or something. I fought hard to just to get THREE days and thought at the time that was really an accomplishment. but day four? i'd be in tears, literally digging my fingers into the wall wanting to say NO - but the ONLY thing I knew that would make the desperation and craving STOP was to give in. I had to fight HARD to be able to quit....AND STAY QUIT.
there was something WRONG with my normal functioning. my brain was hijacked and it said, we need crack. the drugs had altered the wiring in my brain. that's HARD to compensate for and overcome.
but the beauty of addiction is...while there is no cure, an addict CAN put their disease into permanent remission...NO other disease has that option. that's where "choice" comes in...an addict MUST make the choice to quit...to get sick and tired of being sick and tired, to be willing to do WHATEVER it takes to never use again.
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Sussex, England
Posts: 945
Addiction is nothing like cancer... my mum never drank or smoked but was brave throughout her 2 year struggle with nothing that was her own fault... I however am an alcoholic because I am weak... Thats all I can say.. RIP my Mum 17/1/2010 xxx
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Central America/Florida USA
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What about lung cancer in smokers? They chose to smoke. Even those who never smoked that much and just got unlucky? What do you think about overweight people? Do they deserve care? Do you sympathize with anorexics? These people 'chose' to do this to themselves right? What about cancer patients that refuse to see a doctor and die because it was untreated? Do they deserve to die because they chose to ignore the warning signs?
What about war veterans who suffer mental fatigue or shell shock? Or war veterans who have missing limbs? Do you feel sorry for them? I mean, they signed up for the Army themselves, nobody forced them to...
You probably do sympathize with those people. I DO TOO!!! Yet the alcoholic in the throws of sickness is often despised. Even during recovery, alcoholics are shamed by public perception. Years of sobriety barely gets a nod of encouragement from friends and family. It's all done in secret. Talked about in whispers.
I am not sure it's a "disease", but I do think alcoholism is a "condition". Maybe we should start thinking of it that way - like a "disorder"...just rambling off some thoughts and questions.
What about war veterans who suffer mental fatigue or shell shock? Or war veterans who have missing limbs? Do you feel sorry for them? I mean, they signed up for the Army themselves, nobody forced them to...
You probably do sympathize with those people. I DO TOO!!! Yet the alcoholic in the throws of sickness is often despised. Even during recovery, alcoholics are shamed by public perception. Years of sobriety barely gets a nod of encouragement from friends and family. It's all done in secret. Talked about in whispers.
I am not sure it's a "disease", but I do think alcoholism is a "condition". Maybe we should start thinking of it that way - like a "disorder"...just rambling off some thoughts and questions.
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Sussex, England
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I guess we should all agree to disagree... I'ts like we all want to put the world to rights here... Maggie Thatcher died in UK today (well yesterday now)... the blimmin uproar on twitter and probably tomorrows newspapers is going to be amazing! I have the most amazing insomnia btw... sleep well... I'll still be here xxx
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,405
IMO. Genetics loads the gun, behavior pulls the trigger.
Arguments can be made to support various opinions. However, if you go to my blog I have Gorski's explanation of the disease concept there which I think is very logical.
Arguments can be made to support various opinions. However, if you go to my blog I have Gorski's explanation of the disease concept there which I think is very logical.
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: "I'm not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost ..."
Posts: 5,273
What about lung cancer in smokers? They chose to smoke. Even those who never smoked that much and just got unlucky? What do you think about overweight people? Do they deserve care? Do you sympathize with anorexics? These people 'chose' to do this to themselves right? What about cancer patients that refuse to see a doctor and die because it was untreated? Do they deserve to die because they chose to ignore the warning signs?
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
im a recovering alcoholic/addict. started the journey april of 05. diagnosed stage 3 melanoma may 06.i havent seen a chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, surgery, biological therapy, gene therapy, transplantation, or any other treatment given to cancer patients work for alcoholism.
i havent seen AA, SMART, AVRT or any other treatment for alcoholism work for cancer either.
IMO, people do that out of ingnorance about both.
i havent seen AA, SMART, AVRT or any other treatment for alcoholism work for cancer either.
IMO, people do that out of ingnorance about both.
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: northern michigan. not the U.P.
Posts: 15,281
Originally Posted by Kindeyes 
Addiction is a disease.....and like cancer......it is only treatable with the full cooperation of the one afflicted.
gentle hugs
ke
gentle hugs
ke
i could have opted to not get help with alcoholism/addiction, but that would have been giving alcoholism/addiction control and eventually kill me.
Living in a Pinkful Place
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 7,545
There are so many threads on this "discussion"; so many points of view ~
All I can say is my beautiful, intelligent, daughter, a loving mother of 3 of my beautiful grandchildren has struggled with her alcoholism and addiction since she was in her late teens ~ She would be sober and then who knows what happens -
the way I see it - the "disease" takes over and she relapsed hard and heavy ~
See I know, my daughter would never ever purposely choose to hurt her children - she loves them, she grieves over how much her addiction/alcoholism has damaged them ~
This is how I see it as a disease ~ i know it's not the same as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc. - but I also know that something in her brain tells her - "it will be different this time, don't worry about the consequences, you aren't really an addict" and there she goes down that dark endless pit of dispair.
So as I heard an old-timer in an open AA meeting program say - it's the only disease I know that tells me I don't have a disease and that type of thinking gets me one second away from a relapse.
Just my e, s, and h ~ please feel free to disregard anything that you feel doesn't apply to you or yours ~
and regardless of how anyone feels about the disease concept - may we all join together to lift up the ones who are out there still suffering and their loved ones who hurt with them
pink hugs
All I can say is my beautiful, intelligent, daughter, a loving mother of 3 of my beautiful grandchildren has struggled with her alcoholism and addiction since she was in her late teens ~ She would be sober and then who knows what happens -
the way I see it - the "disease" takes over and she relapsed hard and heavy ~
See I know, my daughter would never ever purposely choose to hurt her children - she loves them, she grieves over how much her addiction/alcoholism has damaged them ~
This is how I see it as a disease ~ i know it's not the same as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc. - but I also know that something in her brain tells her - "it will be different this time, don't worry about the consequences, you aren't really an addict" and there she goes down that dark endless pit of dispair.
So as I heard an old-timer in an open AA meeting program say - it's the only disease I know that tells me I don't have a disease and that type of thinking gets me one second away from a relapse.
Just my e, s, and h ~ please feel free to disregard anything that you feel doesn't apply to you or yours ~
and regardless of how anyone feels about the disease concept - may we all join together to lift up the ones who are out there still suffering and their loved ones who hurt with them
pink hugs
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