Is drug and alcohol addiction just a bad habit? Or is it a disease?

Hi Joey,

I've been sober for 14 plus years now. Calling alcoholism a "disease", something the AMA agrees with, walks a fine line.

I prefer to think of it as an incurable condition that can be put into remission. Alcoholism is certainly life threatening.

Joe

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.

It's all of the above. I have been sober for 12 days. I finally feel a sense of peace that I never experienced before. Sadly, I had to get a DUI and nearly lost my marriage. It took rock bottom for me to heal. AA meetings are a Godsend. Either go in person or virtually. I promise they help. But only if you're whole heartedly ready to make a change. No more lies, excuses, etc. Good luck.

@diverdown1 thank you for your comment and for your sobriety.
Joseph

@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!

@staywell25 I was graduating high school in 76...the 70s were a neat time with all the Chevy's the chargers the fords etc. I'm glad you're still around to share your story.
Joseph

The Cycle of Alcohol Addiction
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/cycle-alcohol-addiction

For me it is a disease. My first sponsor in AA was a retired physician and my first sponsee was a practicing physician. We spent much time discussing the disease concept. My sponsee had a hard time grasping it because he said "I'm not cured of cancer if I say 'Hi, my name is John and I have cancer'" so why should saying "Hi, I'm John and I'm an alcoholic" cure me of alcoholism the disease?

My wife is a breast cancer survivor and she has to do a lot to keep her cancer in remission. I have come to realize the things I do to stay sober are actually keeping my alcoholism in remission. Recovered, recovery, recovering, or remission.

Thank you..the more I study addiction and the support from others helps me to face my addiction head on ... then when the desire to use interferes with rational thinking i use the tools of recovery to stay clean.
Still holding on.
Joseph

@jenatsky
The 'entry' point in this "cycle...." is:
1. Binge/Intoxication Stage: REWARD, incentive salience, and pathological habits.

So obviously the obvious question is: WHAT is it you are trying to ESCAPE from?
We all have times when circumstances can be rough (I had very hard times FINDING employment for reasons mostly External, outside My control. This too is part of life everywhere, all times. I'd end up doing minimum wage works after I'd tried looking for work each day in my field. It helped pay for basic needs. But little else except a 'treat' with MacDonald coffee. There was no way to treat with something like beer. Now that I am retired I do treat with beer that most often is one can a Week. Why I never drink More is because the worries that I have today need me to be in good health and shape to deal with...and these require I feed myself with Tasty and nourishing food, treat myself with Enjoyable exertion, resulting in good sleep.
In other words, the need for "REWARD" as in the first step of the cycle in niaaa site above has diminished from the rewards of enjoyable foods and physical activity (and mental workouts). I've thus reduced space for my worries with more simple joys. This I believe has worked for me all my life of over eight decades.

My insight: More simple sublime pleasures equal less need for rewards with alcohol or other addictive habits,