Drug abuse is not a disease it is bad life decisions

originally posted by: cooperton

originally posted by: Blue Shift
Comedian Doug Stanhope said that sometimes people just find something they like doing more than living. Is that a disease, or just a philosophy?

It's like procrastinating destiny.

That self-preservation instinct is amazingly strong. Takes a lot to get past it.

I was an addict in my younger and dumber years. Opiates got me. I was on them every day for years. I liked the way they made me feel, I abused them, got addicted, sought help, got better, and have been clean a long time. Simple as that for me.

I agree with the bad decision argument. Sure, it becomes a disease. Your brain changes and you are physically and mentally dependent on the drug.

You make a decision to start down that path, and you make a decision to get better. I quit when my first daughter came into this world, so I had motivation. Never went to any meetings, never saw a therapist. I got it into my mind that if I couldn't do it for my kids, who else would I do it for?

originally posted by: Schmoe11
I was an addict in my younger and dumber years. Opiates got me. I was on them every day for years. I liked the way they made me feel, I abused them, got addicted, sought help, got better, and have been clean a long time. Simple as that for me.

I agree with the bad decision argument. Sure, it becomes a disease. Your brain changes and you are physically and mentally dependent on the drug.

You make a decision to start down that path, and you make a decision to get better. I quit when my first daughter came into this world, so I had motivation. Never went to any meetings, never saw a therapist. I got it into my mind that if I couldn't do it for my kids, who else would I do it for?

Agree with most everything you said and congrats, however "it becomes a disease" is not correct. Addictions are not diseases, neither mental or physical. Schizophrenia is a disease, cancer is a disease, heroin cravings and withdraw are not.

originally posted by: panoz77

originally posted by: Schmoe11
I was an addict in my younger and dumber years. Opiates got me. I was on them every day for years. I liked the way they made me feel, I abused them, got addicted, sought help, got better, and have been clean a long time. Simple as that for me.

I agree with the bad decision argument. Sure, it becomes a disease. Your brain changes and you are physically and mentally dependent on the drug.

You make a decision to start down that path, and you make a decision to get better. I quit when my first daughter came into this world, so I had motivation. Never went to any meetings, never saw a therapist. I got it into my mind that if I couldn't do it for my kids, who else would I do it for?

Agree with most everything you said and congrats, however "it becomes a disease" is not correct. Addictions are not diseases, neither mental or physical. Schizophrenia is a disease, cancer is a disease, heroin cravings and withdraw are not.

I have to disagree. There are a ton of diseases that are brought on by poor decisions. You said cancer is a disease. Do you mean like lung cancer from smoking? Smoking was a bad decision, and it led to a disease. The list of diseases caused by the choices a person makes is far too long to list here. People choose to smoke. No one chooses to get lung cancer. People choose to do drugs. No one chooses to become addicted.

Disease: any harmful deviation from the normal structural or functional state of an organism, generally associated with certain signs and symptoms and differing in nature from physical injury.

a reply to: panoz77

You're right, I contradicted myself there, didn't I? You can't decide to not have cancer or schizophrenia once you have it, but you can decide to beat an addiction. It's up to you to overcome it.

a reply to: Schmoe11

True. But I can say the same thing about diabetes.

Bad decisions like abuse of certain drugs, foods, alcohol can lead to diseases, but the addiction to those harmful substances is not a disease (it's a bad life choice), but they can result in diseases.

a reply to: panoz77

It's a lot more than bad lifestyle choice. Being addicted means it owns you, your chemical physical being and your mind.

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: panoz77

It's a lot more than bad lifestyle choice. Being addicted means it owns you, your chemical physical being and your mind.

Ok, fine. That does not change the fact that addiction is not a disease. Addiction, whether physical or mental is a choice, a hard choice, but a choice. This is proved by the many thousands of addicts who cleaned up and stay sober, they had to finally make the hard choice, not the easy one. You can't will cancer away, but you can make the hard choice and give up addiction.

a reply to: panoz77

Many can't 'will it away' and die from it.

a reply to: panoz77

All you need do to resolve this is look at the definition of the word disease:

Disease: any harmful deviation from the normal structural or functional state of an organism, generally associated with certain signs and symptoms and differing in nature from physical injury.

emphasis added

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: panoz77

Many can't 'will it away' and die from it.

Wrong, many "won't will it away" and die from it. They can, but won't.

originally posted by: Vroomfondel
a reply to: panoz77

All you need do to resolve this is look at the definition of the word disease:

Disease: any harmful deviation from the normal structural or functional state of an organism, generally associated with certain signs and symptoms and differing in nature from physical injury.

emphasis added

Definitions are changed to suite the new "accepted" mostly liberal definitions. The definition of "vaccine" has recently been updated to include mRNA treatments within the last year. Just change the definition of a word, that's all it takes.

a reply to: panoz77

They won't because they can't.

An addict could care less whether addiction is a disease or not. All they know is whatever it is they suffer and die because of it. I have been dealing with and been around addiction and addicts all my life. I was going to post my own thoughts on addiction but I think the text below does a better job.

By Operation Clean Recovery / May 6, 2018

Explaining addiction to a non-addict is not something simple. It’s hard for non-addicts to understand what addiction is and what it does to the addict. Dependence weakens the body, mind, and lifestyle of those who suffer from the disease, and unless you’ve experienced it personally, it can be hard to understand. First of all, a lot of non-addicts get thrown off by the definition of a “disease.” You don’t just outgrow an addiction as you potentially would a disorder. The fact is that addiction is indeed classified as a disease of the brain and body. The compulsive use of substances despite the health risks and other consequences is a daily struggle for abusers.

More than one factor contributes to labeling addiction as a disease. The American Medical Association, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and other notable medical organizations classify addiction as a disease. Those who have been impacted by addiction include not only the abuser but friends and family of the user. Non-addicts can sometimes find it difficult to understand what is going on with an addict during the abuse, and after sobriety. There is an importance of understanding the differences between addicts vs. non-addicts in a society where addiction is unfortunately all around. In many instances, addicts feel that there is no way of explaining addiction to a non-addict, that there is no way a non-addict can comprehend what they are describing.
Explaining Addiction to a Non-Addict

Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and addiction similarly follow a pattern of remission and relapse. These can be managed and treated, but not necessarily cured. Changes in the brain make addiction more difficult to cope with as a physical dependency is formed. The ability to make rational decisions is destroyed by the loss of behavior control. Willpower just isn’t strong enough for a person to stop using a substance for good on their own. When explaining addiction to a non-addict, it’s essential to understand that addicts’ brains are different, as changes in neurons and circuits do compromise health and decision-making.

Although addiction is a misunderstood disease, it is a highly known issue. So why would people begin substances if there’s a risk to addiction? You may also find yourself wondering how to understand a drug addict, especially if you’re close to one. When it comes to understanding a drug addict, it must be known that addiction can happen to anyone. Although there is a risk for addiction when an addictive substance is first used, not everyone thinks of it. Sort of like when a decadent dessert sits in your reach, and even though you don’t want the consequences of eating it, you must try it. Of course, refraining from sweets is less difficult than restraining from drug use. When substances are introduced, the environment may play a strong role.

Take what you can use and leave the rest.

explaining-addiction-to-a-non-addict

They can and won't.

I am addicted to tobacco. I can quit, but I choose not to at this time. I quit for 12 months, but chose to start again. It was a choice I made, I choose not to quit at this time. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances there is.

It really is that simple, it is not "complicated" like some in this thread want some to believe. Drug use and addiction is a choice, a bad life choice, but a choice nonetheless.

Some people have certain maladies that cause them to be in constant severe pain. The kind of pain that only opioids can alleviate. Yes, these people may become addicted, but it has to be weighed against a zero quality of life if they cannot get some relief.

These cases certainly exist, however now they can never find a physician to prescribe them because of the typical knee jerk reaction by the government to attempt to solve drug abuse and penalize the physicians themselves if they do prescribe them.

It leaves the poor patients no where to go except illegal venues that take all their money with no quality control of strengths and purity that will kill them long before the disease will.

originally posted by: panoz77
They can and won't.

I am addicted to tobacco. I can quit, but I choose not to at this time. I quit for 12 months, but chose to start again. It was a choice I made, I choose not to quit at this time.

You chose to start again lol.
What a joke!!!

You are an addict.

a reply to: panoz77
Why did you choose to stop smoking?
What made you choose to start again?

originally posted by: Itisnowagain

originally posted by: panoz77
They can and won't.

I am addicted to tobacco. I can quit, but I choose not to at this time. I quit for 12 months, but chose to start again. It was a choice I made, I choose not to quit at this time.

You chose to start again lol.
What a joke!!!

You are an addict.

Yes, it was a conscious choice to start back up. I know the risks, the consequences and I chose to start again. I like it, it is a choice I made.