To think that addiction is a disease?

[feryon98]

Was having a discussion with a few coworkers about this and it seems to offend them when people claimed addiction is a disease and they said people with actual diseases don't have a choice.

Yes, addiction it's self inflicted but there are many diseases which are caused by an initial choice (e.g Eating unhealthy can cause Type II diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure,).

it would be GREAT if willpower alone worked. Sadly it does not or the world would be a less tragic place. Bio-psycho-social disease...

'A disease is an abnormal condition disrupting an organism's structure or function, marked by specific signs/symptoms, caused by pathogens (viruses, bacteria), genetics, environment, or immune issues, affecting normal functioning and overall health. Diseases range from minor to severe, can be infectious or non-infectious, and are studied in epidemiology'

A quick google definition. It doesnt seem to include 'to selfishly consume booze or drugs everyday that make you feel euphoric to the detriment of your own health and all those around you'.

Enabling.

'Bio psycho social disease' my arse. Compulsive gratification more accurately.

No but it does say:

an abnormal condition disrupting function marked by symptoms/signs caused by genetics/environment affecting normal functioning and overall health.

Alcoholism fulfills all of that statement…

Plenty of people have gotten clean and sober through willpower. And they need to keep that willpower up continuously to stay clean and sober.

Alcoholism does not fulfil all of that statement.

Of course it does… the brain is an organ and its function is disrupted. Please explain how it doesn’t fulfil that entire statement?

Environment includes things you do to yourself like what you eat and drink.

there is no gratification in active addiction.

willpower is necessary but not sufficient..

I’m also not convinced that the majority of addicts have a background of trauma we can absolve their behaviour with, tbh. Addicts in active addiction lie and they manipulate. That’s addiction.

I agree with this. I’m sure some alcoholics and addicts have a background of trauma but so do lots of people and they don’t all turn to drink or drugs.
I think it is largely genetic - and it seems to run in families
You hear ‘oh so and so drank because his wife left him and he left his job.’ Most likely his wife left him and he lost his job because of his drinking.

Oh, I think there is. Why else do they get shit faced every day?

Please don't tell me because trauma, we've all had difficult lives but do not choose to do something that causes damage to all those around us.

They like the feeling being pissed/being high gives them. It's alway swept under the carpet but that is why they choose to do it.

Of course it is, plenty of people have done it

Addiction IS a disease,no argument needed,it is recognised as such by the World Health Organisation,doesn’t need to be discussed on here by people who have no knowledge about it.

If it was down to willpower as someone upthread mentioned,there wouldn’t be any disease at all.Ridiculous statement to make.

I also loathe the 'I'm 2 months dry' 'I'm 2 years sober' or whatever addicts always seem to overshare. Great keep it to yourself though no one is giving out medals.
Look at the actor from Friends, always going on about how 'clean' he was yet od'd on ketamine.

Environment, like what you've been exposed to, like asbestos or pesticides can cause diseases. Choosing to ingest something that impairs function temporarily is not quite the same thing now is it, when choosing not to ingest something would correct that impaired function.
Like disease caused by exposure to asbestos for example doesn't magically go away when you remove yourself from the situation.
Like smoking is NOT a disease but COPD or lung cancer ARE.
See the difference?

There's collateral damage to many diseases that can have lifestyle choices as a contributing factor, or complicating factors around refusal to comply with/accept treatment.

Refusal to accept responsibility for that damage also isn't confined to just people with substance misuse issues.

"It's alway swept under the carpet" presumably by all those 'experts', along with who shot JFK and what's hidden in area 51? I know the solution, and think you know it too, right? 'Just stop'. 'Just say no'. Genius! Why didn't someone think about that before. 🙇Idiots!

The WHO. Well it must he true then. The who can claim whatever they like but we are allowed ro disgaree.

A disease is an illness caused by factors, so liver disease, heart disease, cancer, diabetes. Addiction is a condition caused by compulsively choosing to take something that is damaging to one's health <and never taking responsibility it's always becaue of this or that>.

and of course everyone's brain chemistry and everything else is identical, therefore, ta da! Problem solved. End of. Nothing to see here. Why all this wasted air when there is such a simple solution available to all the pain though cause even just to themselves, let along others. The answer has been staring us in the face ALL ALONG!

It certainly has
People CHOOSE to drink to excess
People CHOOSE to take drugs
Fuck around and find out.

Sure wasn't it the WHO have came up with the plandemic, Kung Flu, and tried to magnetise us all with their so-called 'vaccines', and control our minds with the 5G masts?! Who believes experts? I am with you, down with science. Where's y pitchfork?

Ok thats your interpretation of environment but its not a common one. Environment is the ‘surroundings in which one operates’ which includes that person’s society and culture. People don’t exist in a vacuum.

Being raised among heavy drinking for example is part of their environment and surroundings. Being socialised to drink from a very young age, to drink because it’s normal or expected is all part of their environment. Even alcohol being available in the shops is part of the environment.

If there wasn’t any drinking or alcohol around them they would never have picked it up and got addicted. Therefore it’s caused in part by their environment and in part by their genetics (which is one part of what means they get addicted and someone else doesn’t).

What? I said the fact they like the euphoria is always swept under that carpet. That is why they do it. No-one mentioned JFK .

Stop or don't stop just stop calling it a 'disease' and saying they can't help it because trauma. Is smoking a disease?!

Please don't call posters idiots, I don't agree with you but wouldn't insult you.

Addiction is a disease to which people with ADHD are more prone - because they have much more difficulty controlling their impulses. It's easy for those of us without ADHD so say "get a grip, just decide not to have that vodka", but it doesn't work that way. Some people literally can't decide.

So I think it's a disease.

please send your finder's fee bill to the government so you can be appropriately renumerated for your insightful analysis... It will save us all a fortune.