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Is drug and alcohol addiction just a bad habit? Or is it a disease?
Addiction & Recovery | Last Active: 20 hours ago | Replies (17)Comment receiving replies
That is a good question. I am also in recovery for a good amount of time. I know that I have battled this from the age of 14, so about 41 years now. I believe it to be a dis-ease but I also know that my physiology reacts differently to mood altering substances...the "phenomenon of craving" is very real. Also, my tolerance to substances grew and grew. The amounts of alcohol that I consumed would probably land others in the hospital or possibly kill them. I lost my partner of 28 years to alcoholism. He literally drank himself to death, so I do believe it is a disease in the sense that he and many others are not able to stop themselves. I guess the question is is addiction a disease of the body or the mind? Depends on one's definition of disease.
Replies to "That is a good question. I am also in recovery for a good amount of time...."
@diverdown1
Sounds so familiar...I was early teens in '74 and using for many years. I learned finally in 2017 that the 12 step program holds the answer. I will say finally after many years of hearing the rhetoric of
"recovering " addict was never penned in the BIG BOOK. What is mentioned in the early days of the program is
"Many of them did RECOVER ".... I then realized "RECOVERED " is what the program has offered me, not lifetime
"RECOVERING "... so I did what the founders did and I continue to be recovered!
Thanks for the honesty DD.
I'm so very sorry you lost your partner to this terrible disease. It doesn't matter that much what we call alcoholism, we all know the symptoms, and the outcomes. It's a matter of picking a path.
I battled alcoholism since age 16. Well, that was the first time I recall getting lit up - drank a dixie cup full of brandy (I grew up in WI where brandy is like mother's milk.......). I still remember how wonderful I felt, warm and confident. But in all the years since, and all the drinking, I never found a high as good as the first one. Sad story.
And I have to be careful. I also got addicted to opiates that were prescribed for pain (it was a time when it was much easier to get a Dr to write an Rx, with refills). At least I never bought pills on the street, but got addicted nonetheless. But I stopped that too, with the help of AA.
Thanks again, and I wish you all the best!
Joe
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@diverdown1 thank you for your comment and for your sobriety.
Joseph