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July 14, 2015

Addiction Or Disease?

Finally, some common sense.
From the NY Post:
Addiction is not a disease. It’s simply a nasty habit, says neuroscientist Dr. Marc Lewis, himself a longtime addict and professor of developmental psychology, in his new book, “The Biology of Desire.”

[...]The disease theory has powerful forces behind it, has money behind it. Perhaps most important, it has a comforting thought behind it. Hey, it could happen to anyone. You’re not a morally flawed individual if you catch the flu, are you? We don’t think of people with autism, “They could beat it if they tried.”

Addiction-as-disease is in some ways a thoroughly American idea. It ties together how we approach medicine (with a precisely defined target and a definitive program to fight it) and our proudly tolerant spirit in which being judgmental is seen as a kind of vice. Plus it opens up profit opportunities from sea to shining sea.

If addiction is a disease, though, why do most addictions end spontaneously, without treatment? Why did some 75% of heroin-addicted Vietnam vets kick the drug when they returned home?
What do you think?

I was addicted to nicotine for over thirty years. I quit smoking overnight - it just took a bit of prayer and a heart attack to motivate me.

3 comments:

Fredd said...

The American left has been turning scumbags into victims for quite awhile, now. It seems to work in advancing their agenda item of eliminating any sense of morality left in the land.

Addicts are simply weak, lazy folk who choose to engage in whatever vice comes their way. But not to liberals, oh no. There before the Grace of God go us all, right? Could happen to anybody, right?

I, too, was sucking down the Marlboros to the tune of 3 packs a day, when I could buy a carton of Cowboy Killers at the U.S. Army commissary for $1.41 in 1976 in what was then West Germnay. A CARTON, 10 PACKS! Now they are $6 or $7 bucks a pack, and smokers think nothing of it. I, too, quit cold turkey on June 16th, 1991, when a pack of cigarettes finally hit $2.00/pack in the vending machines. That was the last straw for me.

Tiger Woods was addicted to sex, right? A helpless victim, who simply couldn't say no to every bimbo that came down the pike. He got counseling for his disease, and he's better now.

The guy in reality is simply a slime ball scuzz bag who has the character of a weasel. And now he can't win a tournament to save his greasy soul.

Doom said...

Depends. While addiction may become a disease, if it started with choice, then it is simply a filthy habit. How could someone not have a choice? A severe accident, or illness, in which large addicting doses of pain reliever really are required. Or even some number of surgeries. (Although, I think some who go in for surgery often... might be selling self for painkillers). Most of us, if dosed strongly, could not resist addiction, nor is it easy to fight. However, for those who were told, knew darned well how addictive this stuff is, and did it anyway? That is an illness of choice.

As to damnation though? We each have our crosses to bear. Much as with homosexuality, or any other sin, it isn't about... absolutely... being sinless. It is about knowing what is sin and doing your best to not be a party to it. It's those who surrender to sin who are damned.

I think the push to forgive through science, whether it be psychology (he is psychotic, so not able to decide correctly), or medicine (he is an addict), are simple means of trying to turn man into God. What's funny is, in my church, forgiveness is quite easy. It's asking that is difficult. No father I have confessed before has quibbled. And my first confession? He didn't even blink. My stuff was rather ordinary, mind you, just... the volume. :p Seriously. Well... that's my theory. Moderns trying to invent forgiveness without anyone having to ask or change. It's a dead end in the physical and spiritual world.

Kid said...

We need a Lot more of this thinking.
Losers will always find excuses for their actions/inactions. We cannot let them get away with it. They are the problem, not anyone or anything else. They should be ridiculed not supported and hand held.