Do you really believe addiction is a disease? Apart from a superficial physical dependency I don't even think addiction exists, it's just bad choices. Loads of them, in fairness - but choices all the same. Nice one. Enjoyed reading it though.
I honestly do believe that addiction is a disease. I would also personally disagree with calling it a 'superficial physical dependency' -- my personal belief is that our neurological / physiological and biological (a lot of logicals!) pathways are fundamentally changed when we consume substances repeatedly -- which fosters reliance. I think to use for the very first time is a choice -- and maybe that to use after having quit and thereby severed the physical dependency -- is a choice. But I do personally think that addiction is a real disease. I also think that some people are much less susceptible to it! Not sure if that helps/expands upon my thinking.
In any case, thanks for the comment and thanks for reading!
There's a few reasons I don't like the disease model, for one it gets people off the hook for some appalling choices and behaviors. I've attended over 20 rehab/detox centers in my life and heard people say some horrific things they've done to get money and/or drugs, and the therapist says 'You're not a bad person, you have a disease'. I disagree, you were a bad person, you were a selfish, violent cu*t, and you need to deal with that part of your personality.
Also - what kind of disease makes me wake up, go outside, steal some meat, sell the meat, bunk a train, wait around for hours, score, set up my works, inject it, and then do it all again? I don't trust pharma - they want it to be a disease so they can sell methadone, subutext, suboxone etc, and make an absolute fortune. Whereas if it's a choice, well, you need to take some responsibility, grow up, and stop acting like and selfish arsehole. Not much money to be earned in that version of events.
Hello Luke - if it's a disease, how do you stop? Are the 'neurological pathways' you referred to changed back to their original form? And if so how do you manage that? How do you treat such a disease?
Do you really believe addiction is a disease? Apart from a superficial physical dependency I don't even think addiction exists, it's just bad choices. Loads of them, in fairness - but choices all the same. Nice one. Enjoyed reading it though.
I honestly do believe that addiction is a disease. I would also personally disagree with calling it a 'superficial physical dependency' -- my personal belief is that our neurological / physiological and biological (a lot of logicals!) pathways are fundamentally changed when we consume substances repeatedly -- which fosters reliance. I think to use for the very first time is a choice -- and maybe that to use after having quit and thereby severed the physical dependency -- is a choice. But I do personally think that addiction is a real disease. I also think that some people are much less susceptible to it! Not sure if that helps/expands upon my thinking.
In any case, thanks for the comment and thanks for reading!
There's a few reasons I don't like the disease model, for one it gets people off the hook for some appalling choices and behaviors. I've attended over 20 rehab/detox centers in my life and heard people say some horrific things they've done to get money and/or drugs, and the therapist says 'You're not a bad person, you have a disease'. I disagree, you were a bad person, you were a selfish, violent cu*t, and you need to deal with that part of your personality.
Also - what kind of disease makes me wake up, go outside, steal some meat, sell the meat, bunk a train, wait around for hours, score, set up my works, inject it, and then do it all again? I don't trust pharma - they want it to be a disease so they can sell methadone, subutext, suboxone etc, and make an absolute fortune. Whereas if it's a choice, well, you need to take some responsibility, grow up, and stop acting like and selfish arsehole. Not much money to be earned in that version of events.
Hello Luke - if it's a disease, how do you stop? Are the 'neurological pathways' you referred to changed back to their original form? And if so how do you manage that? How do you treat such a disease?