Is addiction really a disease?
Written on July 21, 2009 – 2:46 pm | by Drug Abuse Help
People say it is. I have been to rehab myself, and I think it’s more like there is nothing for that person to live for, hence why they let themselves be subjected to jails, institutions, and death.
I personally think any disease with no symptoms other than drinking, and drug abuse can be considered a disease.
That’s a little too far fetched, and I love NA, and AA, but I can’t see the AMA really making it official in the late 60’s.
To understand what I mean, you need to know someone in AA, or NA, or know some AA, NA, history.
Withdrawal can happen from anything, what I am talking about is that the American Medical Association considers being a drunk to be a disease, like cancer, or Alzheimer’s.
Taf said:
Jul 21, 09 at 4:20 amIt depends how you define a disease. If enough people do it throwing litter will be called a social disease.
I have listened in the past at AA to some real nonsensical ideas of why alcoholism is a disease, people refusing to apologise for hurting other people on the grounds they are victims themselves of a disease.
The closest and best answer I have heard for the disease argument is that it is a disease after some has started drinknig alcoholically.
For me, the greatest component in alcoholism is cognitive. What I am thinking. And what I am thinking can change. Therefore, the greatest emphasis is not in the fabric of my body, but on my education. I am not saying there could not be other factors, but a disease is certainly not the overriding one. It is an excuse.
Maria_B said:
Jul 21, 09 at 4:32 amAddiction is a disease, there are symptoms like withdrawal when you try and give up drinking or smoking etc… And with alcoholics it is proven there is a gene that makes people like that so when they start drinking they can’t stop until the pass out or are blind drunk.
Helen_W_ said:
Jul 21, 09 at 10:34 amThere is a bit of history here beyond what you know. It is true that the AMA defines alcoholism as a disease, but the reason they came up with this definition was to get health insurance companies to pay for medical "treatment".
You may also find it interesting that the American Psychological Association does NOT consider alcoholism a disease; in fact it does not even use the term "alcoholism".
http://www.fpnotebook.com/Psych/Exam/AlchlAbsDsmIvCrtr.htm
You may also want to do some research on the effectiveness of 12 step programs before you get too entrenched. It’s fine if you want to use them, but at least, know the truth.
http://www.orange-papers.org/
http://www.peele.net/
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=weblog&wlid=6&id=443&cn=14
chrissylin said:
Jul 21, 09 at 11:05 amEveryone listen to this documentry below……there is no current test to verify mental disease; biopsy, bilogical, blood or chemistry test. There is no rational science that they think is the cause by the symptoms of mental illness is a disease. There are no real cures in Psyciatry. Psychiatry does not have one case report of one disease validated. The American Psychiatry Association meet in the DSM community and they vote and making no behavioral and emotional disorders. And they start immediately start calling them diseases. Then they tell the public this. Total lie!
There is nothing to identify a diagnosis. Who benefits? The people that make the diagnosis!!!
badb1tch said:
Jul 21, 09 at 6:13 pmbut addictions do have symptoms. if you don’t get the drug or alcohol you go into withdraw that is a symptom. also if you haven’t had it you become irritable.
Gale said:
Jul 21, 09 at 6:44 pmidk what to say?
xoxo said:
Jul 21, 09 at 8:45 pmComing from someone whos had a fair run with drugs and is still trying to quit opiates, I dont think its a disease.
Its not like it just happens, you set yourself up for it.