Addiction... Disease Or Choice?! (Top voted first)

Updated

Hi, I’m Herb... My question is, why is addiction considered a disease & not a choice?! I can & have quit addiction but I don’t know anybody that has “quit” cancer, heart disease or diabetes... I’m convinced that addiction is a choice, not a disease!

3 Replies

Earliest Newest Votes
1

Hello Herb! How are you?

It is often considered a disease, since some people can inherit a genetic propensity for addiction, just like cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, according to NIH studies. If their parents, grandparents, or others in their lineage were addicts, it could make them more prone to becoming addicted to any given substance, such as drugs, or alcohol.

That does not apply to everyone that experiences an addiction, of course, but it has been found to apply in the prevalence of cases. There are always exceptions to any rule, someone may not develop heart disease even if it runs in their family, someone else may develop diabetes even though there is no trace of it in their family. All of us are different.

Is there anything else I can help with?

Was this helpful? 0
2

Re: Verwon (# 1) Expand Referenced Message

Thanks much, best explanation I’ve heard yet, but I still think addiction is a choice!

Was this helpful? 0
3

Re: Herb (# 2) Expand Referenced Message

Hi Herb. No one knows if they will become addicted. The first choice to use will eventually answer that. For the addicted person it is now a disease. Because they can not stop. You can binge drink or drink daily and then stop. At some point alcoholics lose the ability to to stop to make that choice. It intefers with your life health and people continue to drink. I dont think it's a choice to require life long treatment. you now have a disease that causes multiple system damage.

Was this helpful? 0

More Discussions:

Corex Addiction Treatment

My boyfriend used to take corex cough syrup.. Whenever he is depressed or if he is in tension... He took it as a drug. I...

3 REPLIES
addiction to fiorinal

I need to know how to break an addiction to fiorinal ## Fiorinal contains Aspirin, Caffeine and the Barbituate Butalbita...

3 REPLIES
5mg morphine addiction

I broke my ankle two weeks ago and the doctor started me on 40 - 80 mg a day then after a week I dropped down to 20-30mg...

1 REPLY
Soma Addiction Information

Have been told that Soma, or Meprobromate, is over-the-counter in Europe, and used mainly for anti-seizure med. Any info...

4 REPLIES
Oxynorm And Oxycontin addiction and issues

Hi, Last year May my wife had kidney problems which caused her severe pain, she was prescribed oxynorm 10 mg to be taken...

1 REPLY
addiction to 75ml methadone daily for 22years and other drugs dont no how to begin

I am a 42year old male my first drug was at 15 years old it was hash/ever since I was 5years old I suffered from very se...

5 REPLIES
chantix works on gambling addiction as well

I was addicted to internet slot games for 4 years. I am on my 3rd week of Chantix and have deleted all the games and blo...

5 REPLIES
pain killer addiction for 20 years,

I worked in alot of factories in my teens so i started getting RSI along with back ache. So naturally i went to gp who p...

1 REPLY
Naltrexone for pain pill addiction

Hi... my husband has been addicted to pain pills off and on for the past 5 years, with things getting really out of hand...

3 REPLIES
orange round pill with an 415 suboxone addiction

I found this AN 415 pill in my BF precipitó along with an A 14, he is been on the road for pill addiction, is this ...

2 REPLIES