theory on addiction and where it comes from
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: home
Posts: 205
theory on addiction and where it comes from
Addiction and alcoholism being a disease is something that really confuses me. I understand why I use and a lot of it has to do with how I cope. Instead of feeling my feelings and getting through them, I use to "fix" or stop them in their tracks. Part of me wonders how this is a disease? Why can't I just change my way of thinking? Once I have other coping skills can't I control it? I've never succeeded alone in not using, but can't I conquer it once I have the proper coping skills to get through the "triggers" that make me want to use?
I hate that I feel this way, and I know that it is wrong - because everything I've read and heard about addiction tells me that this is wrong. I know that it's a disease and I can't use for the rest of my life - I just don't understand where the disease comes from.
My theory is that some things get rooted in your way of thinking, and no matter what you do there is no way to change it. I think that when you are a child and you are learning how to function as a human, the way you learn to cope sticks with you. Maybe every time I drink or take something that alters the way I feel it triggers something that takes me back to the very first way I learned to function - and there's nothing I can do about it, except not use.
Does anyone else have any theories?
I hate that I feel this way, and I know that it is wrong - because everything I've read and heard about addiction tells me that this is wrong. I know that it's a disease and I can't use for the rest of my life - I just don't understand where the disease comes from.
My theory is that some things get rooted in your way of thinking, and no matter what you do there is no way to change it. I think that when you are a child and you are learning how to function as a human, the way you learn to cope sticks with you. Maybe every time I drink or take something that alters the way I feel it triggers something that takes me back to the very first way I learned to function - and there's nothing I can do about it, except not use.
Does anyone else have any theories?
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
Hey Lilly....I have a lot of theories and can understand a lot of what you are saying. The first few months I thought a lot about it but I am finding myself less interested as time goes by. I am happy I don't drink and have no wish to drink even if I could do so 'normally'. I too have a little trouble with the disease model...but I also think if thinking that way helps someone then who am I to argue.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 715
Yeah, my experience is that I became quickly addicted to alcohol for too many reasons to count - poor coping mechanisms, volatile emotional history, depression, age, drinking habits, general immaturity...
The thing I emphasize today is the physical predisposition. The bodies of most drinkers have a cut off switch, when they get dizzy or their skin gets hot, which is their bodies signaling them to stop drinking. I've never had that switch. Really. I started and ended as a blackout drinker.
All the other stuff can be fixed, but that one thing, that lack of a cut off switch...without that, I'll always drink more and I'll always become addicted to alcohol. There's just no other way for me.
The thing I emphasize today is the physical predisposition. The bodies of most drinkers have a cut off switch, when they get dizzy or their skin gets hot, which is their bodies signaling them to stop drinking. I've never had that switch. Really. I started and ended as a blackout drinker.
All the other stuff can be fixed, but that one thing, that lack of a cut off switch...without that, I'll always drink more and I'll always become addicted to alcohol. There's just no other way for me.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 336
Addiction actually changes brain chemistry.
It's about so much more than coping skills and changing the way we think. But these things are paramount to recovery.
It's about so much more than coping skills and changing the way we think. But these things are paramount to recovery.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 336
What do heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, cancer and addiction have in common?
Each is a chronic, progressive, primary (no other root cause) disease, characterized by relapse. If left untreated or mistreated, it can and will result in death.
Each is a chronic, progressive, primary (no other root cause) disease, characterized by relapse. If left untreated or mistreated, it can and will result in death.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Toronto, ON
Posts: 1,591
Lilly, I don't dwell on whether it's a disease or not (not in a way that gets me worked up and wanting to research feverishly). But lately I have been thinking about how the chemistry that the brain wants to maintain in a balanced manner (and the lack of healthy maintenance thereof) is a key ingredient to how we lead our lives, choice or not.
The way someone recently talked about it to me was to draw a picture with the word seritonin in a circle at the bottom, and then rising up from that circle were a grocery list of familiar words that are like silos to that chemical at the base: OCD, depression, substance abuse, gambling addiction, sex addiction, etc etc. People that live with one of the silos can also experience a different silo and over time maybe they switch to others. Of course some are states of being and others are behaviors.
Anyway, I am not a huge proponent of looking at things that way, and am not a wannabe authority on mental health either. If I find out that I have OCD, for example, though, maybe I will gain an interest in being more educated, opinionated and vocal on these things.
For me personally, I don't want to look at this as a source of excuses for drinking and fingerpointing and denial and all the rest. I would say that should basically apply to most people who have a drinking problem. (Does no good to look for excuses and enablement for more drinking.) If in my English grammar I am capable of saying "I have alcoholism," I guess that phrase indicates that I view it as a disease. I know that it manifested itself at a certain point in my life and became pervasive and therefore a challenge. I also know that there are other pieces of reality to my life, and some of them might have medical terms associated with them. There is also more than one way to approach these topics (AA, therapy, medication, blah blah).
I tend to think that it's nice to step back from the theories and just go with the cliches you hear from people like us. The "poetry" sometimes sounds easier to deal with than the "science." For example, one of the ways I have noticed myself repackaging the serneity prayer lately goes something like: "I can change some things, can't change others; is there ever something to cherish in understanding the difference between those things and carry on!" Other times, just being able to blurt out "Thank God" has a potency to it.
Anyway, theories and studies are good. I also like stepping away from them and just living in the layman perspective. Whatever keeps us going on a good path.
The way someone recently talked about it to me was to draw a picture with the word seritonin in a circle at the bottom, and then rising up from that circle were a grocery list of familiar words that are like silos to that chemical at the base: OCD, depression, substance abuse, gambling addiction, sex addiction, etc etc. People that live with one of the silos can also experience a different silo and over time maybe they switch to others. Of course some are states of being and others are behaviors.
Anyway, I am not a huge proponent of looking at things that way, and am not a wannabe authority on mental health either. If I find out that I have OCD, for example, though, maybe I will gain an interest in being more educated, opinionated and vocal on these things.
For me personally, I don't want to look at this as a source of excuses for drinking and fingerpointing and denial and all the rest. I would say that should basically apply to most people who have a drinking problem. (Does no good to look for excuses and enablement for more drinking.) If in my English grammar I am capable of saying "I have alcoholism," I guess that phrase indicates that I view it as a disease. I know that it manifested itself at a certain point in my life and became pervasive and therefore a challenge. I also know that there are other pieces of reality to my life, and some of them might have medical terms associated with them. There is also more than one way to approach these topics (AA, therapy, medication, blah blah).
I tend to think that it's nice to step back from the theories and just go with the cliches you hear from people like us. The "poetry" sometimes sounds easier to deal with than the "science." For example, one of the ways I have noticed myself repackaging the serneity prayer lately goes something like: "I can change some things, can't change others; is there ever something to cherish in understanding the difference between those things and carry on!" Other times, just being able to blurt out "Thank God" has a potency to it.
Anyway, theories and studies are good. I also like stepping away from them and just living in the layman perspective. Whatever keeps us going on a good path.
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,889
As a disease...I look at this way. Many diseases follow a predictable course.
They:
* follow a course of time. That is to say as one uses a drug...the drug use happens over time.
Next:
* drug use happens in a regular way. one uses drugs often, regularly.
Now:
*Drugs become a focus. One thinks about drug use, how many pills, when one needs pills, its pills pills pills.
Then:
* pills are screwing me up...big time.
I hope I cleared up any confusion. Because there is little confusion when it comes to living a life free from addiction. Yet we are people full of expectations and other crap. Hell I want to know how exactly addiction fits my particular circumstances...exactly...like exactly dude. Cause this deal wont work unless I know how to finger this whole deal out. I mean...whats the deal!
Well its not much of a deal...surprise. Your the deal... you do it or not...ops theirs a catch...I'm reading your post, you got it going on...I like the thought you put into your...obvious problem. Very intelligent that you explore the finer details of...well all of it. Keep up the deeper exploratory psychical work...I'm seeing a lot of useful ground work...quite exploratory insights that have been I opening for me.
They:
* follow a course of time. That is to say as one uses a drug...the drug use happens over time.
Next:
* drug use happens in a regular way. one uses drugs often, regularly.
Now:
*Drugs become a focus. One thinks about drug use, how many pills, when one needs pills, its pills pills pills.
Then:
* pills are screwing me up...big time.
I hope I cleared up any confusion. Because there is little confusion when it comes to living a life free from addiction. Yet we are people full of expectations and other crap. Hell I want to know how exactly addiction fits my particular circumstances...exactly...like exactly dude. Cause this deal wont work unless I know how to finger this whole deal out. I mean...whats the deal!
Well its not much of a deal...surprise. Your the deal... you do it or not...ops theirs a catch...I'm reading your post, you got it going on...I like the thought you put into your...obvious problem. Very intelligent that you explore the finer details of...well all of it. Keep up the deeper exploratory psychical work...I'm seeing a lot of useful ground work...quite exploratory insights that have been I opening for me.
Guest
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 609
I myself casually refer to it as a disease, though I personally doubt that it is a pure disease. Alcoholism is complex and there may be several factors involved, including genetics, environmental, social, etc. I do believe that some people have a greater predisposition than others. And long term alcohol abuse does influence brain structure and chemistry.
I too dwelled a lot on causes and definitions in the early stages (I was dual diagnosis, and that blurred the picture further for me), but as others have stated above, thought less about it as time went on and I moved through to the stage of acceptance.
There are pros and cons with the disease model. At its worst use, people develop a fatalistic attitude of 'it's no use anyway, I can't help myself, I have a disease'. But for others it can help with acceptance of their condition and be a turning point.
I too dwelled a lot on causes and definitions in the early stages (I was dual diagnosis, and that blurred the picture further for me), but as others have stated above, thought less about it as time went on and I moved through to the stage of acceptance.
There are pros and cons with the disease model. At its worst use, people develop a fatalistic attitude of 'it's no use anyway, I can't help myself, I have a disease'. But for others it can help with acceptance of their condition and be a turning point.
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,597
There is recent scientific evidence that the ingestion of certain substances causes changes in the brain that over time, cause one to become addicted to them. Perhaps addiction is caused by this. Dr Norman Doidges has a book called 'The Brain That Changes Itself' with a very good section on this. The point being that the brain changes so that one is always an addict.
As far as alcoholism being a disease, one of the definitions of disease is "abnormal functioning". I'd say alcoholism qualifies as a disease under that definition.
Who knows? I don't get too caught up in definitions and trying to understand. Thinking of alcoholism as a disease means that I can treat and manage the disease rather than being a victim to it.
As far as alcoholism being a disease, one of the definitions of disease is "abnormal functioning". I'd say alcoholism qualifies as a disease under that definition.
Who knows? I don't get too caught up in definitions and trying to understand. Thinking of alcoholism as a disease means that I can treat and manage the disease rather than being a victim to it.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,759
I think of my alcoholism as an allergy to alcohol, as in, I react differently than most normal people when I drink. I always want more more more and always have too much. If I had a food allergy I wouldn't eat the offending food... but I always get a bad 'allergic' reaction if/when I drink... so why did I keep on drinking??
Disease, allergy, illness - doesn't matter what it is, what matters is what we do to take care of it.
Disease, allergy, illness - doesn't matter what it is, what matters is what we do to take care of it.
Guest
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 2,013
I'm an alcoholic. I would have always been an alkie. I was born an alcoholic. Right from the first drink I loved it too much and had an immediate craving for more and more. I would drink until I passed out. Regardless of my sitaution and life chances then I would always have been totally addicted to alcohol when I took a drink. It would have always have destroyed my life in the end.
Non-alcoholics often ask me why I'm an alkie. I smile and say that I don't waste my time trying to theorise. It serves no purpose in the solution on staying happily sober 'one day at a time'. I'm an alkie, nuff said.
I suffer from a thinking problem, the illness of alcoholism. Physical, mental, spiritual. It has been such an amazing journey of discovery over the past 16+ months. I am so grateful for my alcoholism, it has allowed me to gain a sense of peace and contentment that I would have never been able to gain without being an alcoholic.
Peace
Non-alcoholics often ask me why I'm an alkie. I smile and say that I don't waste my time trying to theorise. It serves no purpose in the solution on staying happily sober 'one day at a time'. I'm an alkie, nuff said.
I suffer from a thinking problem, the illness of alcoholism. Physical, mental, spiritual. It has been such an amazing journey of discovery over the past 16+ months. I am so grateful for my alcoholism, it has allowed me to gain a sense of peace and contentment that I would have never been able to gain without being an alcoholic.
Peace
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,470
As Betty Ford explains, there is an invisible line.
We don't see this line as we approach.
When we cross that invisible line, there is no going back.
Our bodies are no longer able to deal with alcohol. It's a disease, and if we drink alcohol again, we will be right back where we started. Also, I cringe at the thought of controlled drinking. I spent a horrible, exhausting year trying to control my drinking. What a waste of time!
We don't see this line as we approach.
When we cross that invisible line, there is no going back.
Our bodies are no longer able to deal with alcohol. It's a disease, and if we drink alcohol again, we will be right back where we started. Also, I cringe at the thought of controlled drinking. I spent a horrible, exhausting year trying to control my drinking. What a waste of time!
I got nothin'
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: My house.
Posts: 4,890
It's how I am, unfortuantely. My brain is my worst enemy. It's stuck on 'repeat'. I'm sober, but I still have big problems with food. The food problem was there before the alcohol problem. Stopping the drinking was paramount because it was the immediate danger...but food...*sigh*
Most people can't break free of their addictions. I'm hoping the medical community will one day take a serious look at addiction and come up with solutions. Until science catches up, the only thing I can do is deal with addiction in a way that works for me. It takes a lot of effort to make sure I don't relapse (alcohol) because depression is a huge trigger...and that brings up another issue...the medical community needs to devote more time to mental illness as well. I don't care about the excuses of how it's not an exact science because of all the variables involved....and dang it, I don't care how expensive it will be, just study the sh!t out of the brain, please....someone....several someones. Ranting over.
Most people can't break free of their addictions. I'm hoping the medical community will one day take a serious look at addiction and come up with solutions. Until science catches up, the only thing I can do is deal with addiction in a way that works for me. It takes a lot of effort to make sure I don't relapse (alcohol) because depression is a huge trigger...and that brings up another issue...the medical community needs to devote more time to mental illness as well. I don't care about the excuses of how it's not an exact science because of all the variables involved....and dang it, I don't care how expensive it will be, just study the sh!t out of the brain, please....someone....several someones. Ranting over.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
