Comments on: What is addiction?

By: Brian Archambeau

Brian Archambeau — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 07:18:33 +0000

>I don’t think alcoholism is a disease. I don’t think addiction is a disease.

here’s defination:

alcoholism:

Noun
A disorder characterized by the excessive consumption of and dependence on alcoholic beverages, leading to physical and psychological harm and impaired social and vocational functioning. Also called alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence.

simply put: you can say “my name is erin himmelman im not alcoholic…” not “alcohol is not an addiction”. its the same as bob dole (politic!) saying “i dont think smoking is an addiction”. its a bull. smoking, drinking, smoking, being in outer space with no law….. spacing the addiction with 100% health well being.

anyway how are you? i remember yaSS back in MSD. your english is cool and u look like office millionaire.

tell sarah i say hi again.

Brian Class of 96

By: kaybee

kaybee — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 20:56:36 +0000

I agree with several comments about the dependency the body develops with drugs and alcohol.

programs for treating those with addictions used to be called “Substance Abuse Program” and as of two years ago, once the professional terminolgy came into use, the name changed to “Chemical Dependency Program”.

Family genes are prediposed and there’s battles with depression and self-esteem. Not to mention socio-economy and the cost of living. I’ve gotten tastes of this and that here and there. Alcohol is the legit thing to abuse.

By: Brokeback Mountain O'er Kerman Ct

Brokeback Mountain O'er Kerman Ct — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 06:01:11 +0000

Ben,

Remember… the times I’d borrow your bicycle, read your comic books at your home, or futilely defend against the pass when Ricky was QB and he’d connect to you on your precision five-yard breakout routes, hauling in a TD pass just beyond the mailpost. Remember.

Ben…

I don’t know how to quit you.

-Your Palamar

By: Ben M.

Ben M. — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 19:43:49 +0000

yeah we need to distinguish the difference between psychological and physical dependency. if u’re physically addicted to something, ur brain/body chemistry has been altered to the point u need that substance just to function normally.

here’s an interesting brief account of what it’s like to quit heroin cold turkey: http://men.msn.com/articlees.a.....tid=760919

By: Lolypup

Lolypup — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 13:09:20 +0000

My entire family is made up of drug and alcohol abusers and I wont use the word addict because while free will plays a large role in this we have to understand that both are classified as a disease for a very good reason.

I hate science and biology but even I can understand the chemical dependency on those substance that causes the body to react the way it does.

Let me ask you this, Is lung cancer a disease? And how does one get it? Think about it!

As for the book, I have not read it but let me make clear a few points, the book is a autobiography not a novel (work of fiction), yes many parts of the book were made up or added to in order to make the story more exciting and interesting but the fact remains that its a story of the authors life.

So instead of judging people and trying to decide if the person is just weak willed and a lazy bum who escapes through drugs and alcohol lets consider the fact that these people need our support and help not our judgements.

By: Elle

Elle — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 04:15:40 +0000

Thanks and much appreciation to Dan, the only person here who seems to have any sense other than Sanjay. I am a drug addict. I was predisposed to addiction via family (genetics) and the strong proven link between ADHD (which i have and which was undiagnosed until college… making the chances of addiction that much higher). While I can see where some of you get your ideas from about it being a choice in the beginning, you still have to keep in mind that some people can take pills and be able to stop whenever they want. Some people have no clue how the vicious cycle began and when they really lost their own control. Some people are just more susceptible to being an addict than others and there is plenty of scientifically proven research out there that will tell you just that. Addicts choose their poison as a means to suppress feelings of real life. It could be ADD, post traumatic stress, trauma, loss of a loved one, or whatever… and then some spend years chasing this initial high that once let them feel free of feeling pain, free of compulsive thoughts and depression. When the high becomes one’s “normalcy” and you are chasing the high simply to avoid withdrawal, then you can come and talk to me about your idiotic ideas. Addiction is one the most serious and prevalent problems in American culture and it is surprisingly very problematic among white, middle and upper-class individuals, where people would never think their spouse or child had a problem to even identify. I’m going to give up here… if you want to learn about what you are attempting to preach, I suggest you do research on it. Thanks. (PS- if it was all in my head, I would not be paying the thousands and thousands of dollars to be in the residential rehab program i am in right now. addiction is not something u can kick yourself.)
I am only 22 years old. I have spent the past 6 years of my life hooked on prescription medications and eventually heroin. it sucks. it is exactly as james frey describes it. he wrote the experience better than anyone i’ve ever read before. i could give two you-know-whats if he embellished his story so people who dont get it (you folks) would buy and read it. all the same, he is being real. and addiction is not only a disease, it is a disease you are stuck with your whole life.

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 23:08:27 +0000

I would refer this discussion to people who are alcoholics themselves, recovering alcoholics, people who quit alcohol cold turkey and inquire whether they think alcoholism is a disease or not. It’s like people who do not have drinking problems lecturing or telling people who are alcoholics that it’s not a disease and it is all about the willpower. Quite frankly, I think that would incredibly piss off alcoholics out there as they would claim that you are not in their positions and do not completely understand what it is like and so forth.

So, this is a very, very fine line. I would be more cautious and sensitive with this approach.

By: Swetha

Swetha — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 15:20:08 +0000

My two cents..
While the book was indeed compelling, the fact that it was fiction really pissed me off because the whole time he claimed it as his own story to tell to other addicts. It kind of defeated the whole damn purpose. The convos with his counselor, the wrenching dentist episodes were all made uP!!

As per it being a disease, I think in the beginning addiction can be controlled since it is basically your choice. But as the addiction continues, I think you get to a point where you have very little control over you willpower, becoming a disease..

By: Newbie

Newbie — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 14:44:09 +0000

I have alcoholics in my family. While there may be free will in the beginning, after a certain point I think the free will is lost and dependency kicks in. I also think the abuser has to have a reason to quit - more than just “it’ll be good for you.” They probably know that it would be “good for them”, but that isn’t enough of a reason, especially if the booze or drugs are being used to avoid reality or some past event.

By: Sanjay

Sanjay — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 14:34:56 +0000

On whether to call alcoholism a disease. From a public health perspective, a researcher could say, “Look, there are all these people who show a very similar pattern of using alcohol, and have predictable symptoms like blackouts or cirrhosis.” So, from a public health standpoint, it makes sense to define it as a disease, because the information about the usual course, or what medications or other treatments (like AA or an intervention) might help, could be useful to a given “patient.”

On the other hand, as you say, there is obviously some element of free will involved. Maybe a good way to think of it would be that there are different parts of the brain at war with one another. Your frontal cortex might be telling you, “Don’t take that drink. Your whole family is full of alcoholics, and you are likely to get addicted if you start to drink.” But other parts of your brain–either social memories of how alcohol was used in your family, or physical craving based on a genetic predisposition–might be like the little devil on the shoulder, saying “take that drink…”

Sanjay (I’m a deaf physician from Boston, and have many alcoholic patients)