August 19, 2009

Disease

I have struggled with addiction being a disease, not sure why, if it is just a general society denial or something else? I now can connect the dots with thoughts like the ones below:

A Diabetic who watches their sugar, eats healthy, exercises, takes their medication properly and monitors their disease, is not cured but can live a "well" life.

A Diabetic who eats sugar, does not exercise or monitor their sugar levels is not cured but also does not live a "well" life.

An addict who works a program, goes to meetings, rehab, works a 12-step, does everything they can to stay clean is not cured but can live a "well" life.

An addict who is in denial, does not work a program, does not attend any meetings, any rehab or do any 12-step program, does nothing to attend to the addiction is not cured and does not live a "well" life.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm a recovering alcoholic/addict and also struggle with the word disease.

Some prefer defect; I prefer compulsion -- an insatiable compulsion.

I liked your message. I'm going to follow your blog. If you ever need to talk, I'm a good listener.
Sue

Anonymous :) said...

I think the idea of this being a disease is good because then someone connects the idea of 'treatment' to it. With drugs, my question was, 'doesn't everyone who takes an addictive drug become addicted? I finally settled on a belief that a regular person would become addicted and a person with this disease would become ADDICTED! If you know what I mean.

The neverending battle of child's opiate addiction said...

Sue, I think insatiable compulsion sums it up pretty darn good!

Madison, I do understand exactly what you mean and I too have thought about it in those terms. I guess there are different degrees of the addiction disease, or compulsion.

Again, love this blog community, helps me so much.

Gin said...

BINGO!

Her Big Sad said...

That is the exact analogy I use, (I am diabetic). It has helped me explain it to many family members.

Wishing you a peaceful day!

Bar L. said...

This is a great analogy. I've used the diabetic connection to explain the need for anti-depressants too. Its acceptable for a diabetic to take insulun to replace that missing chemical in their body, so why do so many people have a hard time with people replacing the missing seratonin, dopamine and the one that starts with an "N" that I can't spell.

Its very hard to watch an addict in denial...or one that just doesn't want to get well (my son).

kristi said...

It is all a matter of choice. I have family members who have been addicted to crack, alcohol, and more. It hurts the family the most.