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:
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
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.
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.
BINGO!
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!
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).
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.
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