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Is it a disease? A mental disorder? A public health epidemic? What I'm asking is: What difference does it make? If locking people up solved the problem, then we would have put this behind us after the crack and heroin epidemics. But it doesn't. It just makes people wards of the state that the rest of us have to pay for.
Addiction is complicated. What causes one Soldier to see horrible things, come home and start a family, and live a successful happy life, while another never crawls out of the bottle and dies on the street?
I think in many cases, I think addiction in and of itself is a symptom of a broader problem. PTSD, Anxiety, Bi-Polar, Depression...
Other people are just wired differently. My old roommate was like that. He'd have one drink and pow, off to the races. Something would change in his face and eyes, and he'd drink everything he could. That was it, and he would remember very little. He had two DUI's by the time he was 22. He did get sober, and has been for probably eight years now.
Why can some people go to the track and budget $50 as part of their monthly entertainment budget, but others go and blow the house payment?
Human beings aren't rational or logical. Almost anything can be linked to a behavior of one kind or another.
Is it a disease? A mental disorder? A public health epidemic? What I'm asking is: What difference does it make? If locking people up solved the problem, then we would have put this behind us after the crack and heroin epidemics. But it doesn't. It just makes people wards of the state that the rest of us have to pay for.
Addiction is complicated. What causes one Soldier to see horrible things, come home and start a family, and live a successful happy life, while another never crawls out of the bottle and dies on the street?
I think in many cases, I think addiction in and of itself is a symptom of a broader problem. PTSD, Anxiety, Bi-Polar, Depression...
Other people are just wired differently. My old roommate was like that. He'd have one drink and pow, off to the races. Something would change in his face and eyes, and he'd drink everything he could. That was it, and he would remember very little. He had two DUI's by the time he was 22. He did get sober, and has been for probably eight years now.
Why can some people go to the track and budget $50 as part of their monthly entertainment budget, but others go and blow the house payment?
Human beings aren't rational or logical. Almost anything can be linked to a behavior of one kind or another.
The reasons why one becomes an alcoholic or drug addict of course vary. Unfortunately in todays society almost any behavior can be excused. I have a disease, I'm bi-polar, PTSD, depression the list goes and an on. I'm 19 and have two kids. Not my fault. I'm living on the streets. Why? Could it be you have a drug/alcoholic problem? No it's xxx fault.
Outside of criminal behavior our society will often accept/justify almost anything these days. Yes, there are legit reasons why some develop debilitating problems but more and more it seems like an excuse to avoid taking personal responsibility. "Hey, can't be helped. Not my fault. I've got..."
When I was a kid, experimenting with stuff, I tried some real good coke. It was fantastic! I knew at that point that I will never do that again, it was too good and I could lose myself in it. On another occasion, I tries Quaaludes. Again, I loved it so that too was never done again. It wasn't difficult to do at all. The Reagan's "just say no" actually worked for me. I know me very well and knew that would become a problem, for me.
Alcoholism isn't a disease. There is disagreement in the medical field as to classifying it as such. Alcoholics Anonymous (which I am a member) was instrumental in getting the classification changed.
However, I would agree with those who suggest genetics may play a part in who becomes an alcoholic and who doesn't.
Alcoholism runs in my family but only I developed a drinking problem. Not my brother. Am I weak-willed or just plain f-up? Who really knows? I'll cop to both.
But I don't believe alcoholism is a disease. AA likes the classification because it helps remove some of the stigma associated with abusing drinking.
"It's not my fault. I have a disease"
Saying it's a disease is not saying it's okay to use as an excuse. Here is the very simple definition of "disease"
"a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness;..."
Sounds like addiction fits that to me. I do not know why you are equating having a disease with making excuses, but the fact some people use their disease as an excuse does not change the fact that it's a disease. Cancer is a disease too, but having cancer doesn't mean you aren't active in seeking treatment for it. Telling someone they have a disease does not mean they can be passive about it.
The reasons why one becomes an alcoholic or drug addict of course vary. Unfortunately in todays society almost any behavior can be excused. I have a disease, I'm bi-polar, PTSD, depression the list goes and an on. I'm 19 and have two kids. Not my fault. I'm living on the streets. Why? Could it be you have a drug/alcoholic problem? No it's xxx fault.
Outside of criminal behavior our society will often accept/justify almost anything these days. Yes, there are legit reasons why some develop debilitating problems but more and more it seems like an excuse to avoid taking personal responsibility. "Hey, can't be helped. Not my fault. I've got..."
Why is there still this assumption that everyone who has an alcohol or drug problem is the dregs of society, people who don't work and collect and have kids out of wedlock. I would think you of all people would realize addiction straddles all walks of life, including judges, professors, bankers, etc.
Why is there still this assumption that everyone who has an alcohol or drug problem is the dregs of society, people who don't work and collect and have kids out of wedlock. I would think you of all people would realize addiction straddles all walks of life, including judges, professors, bankers, etc.
You are so right.. it is in every area of society... I had a doctor when young many years ago who had the smell of booze of his breath and would accept a glass of whisky as he was leaving our house as a parting gift.. can you imagine how many house calls he made and how many halfs of whisky he consumed in one night.. and he was driving... crazy times .
The reasons why one becomes an alcoholic or drug addict of course vary. Unfortunately in todays society almost any behavior can be excused. I have a disease, I'm bi-polar, PTSD, depression the list goes and an on. I'm 19 and have two kids. Not my fault. I'm living on the streets. Why? Could it be you have a drug/alcoholic problem? No it's xxx fault.
Outside of criminal behavior our society will often accept/justify almost anything these days. Yes, there are legit reasons why some develop debilitating problems but more and more it seems like an excuse to avoid taking personal responsibility. "Hey, can't be helped. Not my fault. I've got..."
Again, you're missing the point. No one is saying that we should enable people. No one is saying that anyone should subsidize bad behavior. If someone in my family is a bad drunk, even if they have a separate mental illness or whatever, I'm not going to condone them impinging on my life. If they get mean and start fights, they aren't going to be welcome at thanksgiving.
BUT, if you refuse to understand behavior, you'll never SOLVE behavior.
Throwing someone that's a bad alcoholic into a detox program for a few days isn't going to cure them. They aren't magically going to have the skills/resources/willpower whatever you call it to go out and succeed and stay clean by giving them a good talking-to.
If you don't treat their Bi-Polar disorder, they will continue to drink to combat the lows, the paranoia, etc...
If someone has PTSD, if you don't treat it, they will treat it themselves.
If someone has schizophrenia, he will continue to drink to mute the voices or whatever.
Moralizing and lecturing about it is just as unproductive and harmful as justifying, enabling, or explaining it away.
Why is there still this assumption that everyone who has an alcohol or drug problem is the dregs of society, people who don't work and collect and have kids out of wedlock. I would think you of all people would realize addiction straddles all walks of life, including judges, professors, bankers, etc.
Of course addition affects all walks of life. Judges, professors ect can end up on the street just like anyone else because of poor choices made.
I do not assume everyone who collects welfare does so because of an alcohol or drug dependency. One of the first things I noticed after getting sober was that most people can drink responsibly.
Again, you're missing the point. No one is saying that we should enable people. No one is saying that anyone should subsidize bad behavior. If someone in my family is a bad drunk, even if they have a separate mental illness or whatever, I'm not going to condone them impinging on my life. If they get mean and start fights, they aren't going to be welcome at thanksgiving.
BUT, if you refuse to understand behavior, you'll never SOLVE behavior.
Throwing someone that's a bad alcoholic into a detox program for a few days isn't going to cure them. They aren't magically going to have the skills/resources/willpower whatever you call it to go out and succeed and stay clean by giving them a good talking-to.
If you don't treat their Bi-Polar disorder, they will continue to drink to combat the lows, the paranoia, etc...
If someone has PTSD, if you don't treat it, they will treat it themselves.
If someone has schizophrenia, he will continue to drink to mute the voices or whatever.
Moralizing and lecturing about it is just as unproductive and harmful as justifying, enabling, or explaining it away.
Unfortunately society often does enable such people.
As far as those who have a legit medical condition I've got no problem offering a helping hand.
Again, you're missing the point. No one is saying that we should enable people. No one is saying that anyone should subsidize bad behavior. If someone in my family is a bad drunk, even if they have a separate mental illness or whatever, I'm not going to condone them impinging on my life. If they get mean and start fights, they aren't going to be welcome at thanksgiving.
BUT, if you refuse to understand behavior, you'll never SOLVE behavior.
Throwing someone that's a bad alcoholic into a detox program for a few days isn't going to cure them. They aren't magically going to have the skills/resources/willpower whatever you call it to go out and succeed and stay clean by giving them a good talking-to.
If you don't treat their Bi-Polar disorder, they will continue to drink to combat the lows, the paranoia, etc...
If someone has PTSD, if you don't treat it, they will treat it themselves.
If someone has schizophrenia, he will continue to drink to mute the voices or whatever.
Moralizing and lecturing about it is just as unproductive and harmful as justifying, enabling, or explaining it away.
Like much of what happens in life addiction is often a result of choices we've made.
Addiction is neither moral nor immoral.
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