Is addiction an illness or a weakness?
Poll: Is addiction an illness or a weakness?
Total Members Polled: 160
Discussion
I thought it would be interesting to hear some public opinion on the attitude towards addiction (If here is anything like the general public).
My question is; Is addiction an illness or a weakness?
If you see someone who is addicted to Alcohol, Drugs, Gambling etc do you see the addiction as a product of bad decisions they have made, or do you view addiction as an illness which to a certain extent is something the person does not have any control over?
Or something else?
My question is; Is addiction an illness or a weakness?
If you see someone who is addicted to Alcohol, Drugs, Gambling etc do you see the addiction as a product of bad decisions they have made, or do you view addiction as an illness which to a certain extent is something the person does not have any control over?
Or something else?
Very hard to pigeon hole. In my learning/experience, it stems from psychoemotional development in childhood. The balance of needs being met externally and integration of emotions internally.
Those who have an 'addictive' personality will usually have a lower emotional need of others. This external justification and acceptance of emotion is achieved through their addicition.
Certainly not a pathalogical illness but, arguably, a series of bad descicions...albeit subconsciously and very difficult to realise exist!
Those who have an 'addictive' personality will usually have a lower emotional need of others. This external justification and acceptance of emotion is achieved through their addicition.
Certainly not a pathalogical illness but, arguably, a series of bad descicions...albeit subconsciously and very difficult to realise exist!
Surely it goes deeper to the reward system in the brain, historically doing something that was pleasurable or eating something that tasted good was rewarded with a small chemical hit which they would then remember and go back to. The more you ate the nice ripe berries that tasted good you would get positive reinforcement and want to do it again.
In the messed up world of drink, drugs, gambling etc. if you positively reinforce something you get pleasure from you stand a chance of getting addicted. I think most people work the same way in that regard but just some don’t have the self control to break the pattern. Anyone could probably quickly get addicted to opiates for example but it would take a strong willed person to stop and force themselves to break the habit.
Some people just don’t have the will to change, maybe not enough reasons to live in the first place or no real goals they want to achieve so the addiction isn’t stopping them doing what they wanted to do in the first place.
In the messed up world of drink, drugs, gambling etc. if you positively reinforce something you get pleasure from you stand a chance of getting addicted. I think most people work the same way in that regard but just some don’t have the self control to break the pattern. Anyone could probably quickly get addicted to opiates for example but it would take a strong willed person to stop and force themselves to break the habit.
Some people just don’t have the will to change, maybe not enough reasons to live in the first place or no real goals they want to achieve so the addiction isn’t stopping them doing what they wanted to do in the first place.
I think - purely empirically - that problem addiction is composed of two separate elements:
1. Tendency to addiction
2. Tendency to low self-control
In other words, to be an addict you need both. I've known plenty of people with either one or the other who aren't addicted to anything.
I don't think either is an illness, more a personality trait.
1. Tendency to addiction
2. Tendency to low self-control
In other words, to be an addict you need both. I've known plenty of people with either one or the other who aren't addicted to anything.
I don't think either is an illness, more a personality trait.
grumbledoak said:
Hoofy said:
I consider it a symptom and use this as a basis for helping clients. Works for them.
In the case of people effectively anaesthetising themselves out of real life with psychoactive drugs like alcohol I would agree. Not sure the same is true of gambling.
Gambling isn't chucking your hard earned money into a slot machine with the odds against you - that's just stupidity. 
But people do play those machines a lot.The issue is one of emotions.
Edited by Hoofy on Monday 18th November 13:09
otolith said:
The first two options don't appear to be mutually exclusive. There are lots of illnesses which one ends up with as a result of bad decisions.
Exactly.It's very difficult to categorise addiction. What is certain is that it is a downward spiral that becomes increasingly harder to get out of.
Thankfully, other than a very mild caffeine addiction, i've never experienced it, nor do i want to. Must be horrible to be dependent on something to the extent that it controls your life.
Johnnytheboy said:
I think - purely empirically - that problem addiction is composed of two separate elements:
1. Tendency to addiction
2. Tendency to low self-control
In other words, to be an addict you need both. I've known plenty of people with either one or the other who aren't addicted to anything.
I don't think either is an illness, more a personality trait.
I would have to agree that it's a personality trait. However when it comes to mental illnesses then it can become hard to seperate an "illness" from a "personality trait". Depending on the extent of the trait then it can become an illness. Therefore the line is somewhat blurry and so it could be defined as either in many cases.1. Tendency to addiction
2. Tendency to low self-control
In other words, to be an addict you need both. I've known plenty of people with either one or the other who aren't addicted to anything.
I don't think either is an illness, more a personality trait.
Depends on the addiction i suppose.
As a smoker, i put my pathetic dependance on nicotine 100% down to my own lack of willpower to just not light up.
I'd guess an addiction to a substance more serious may start as a similar relationship based on rational choice vs willpower. But it can easily lead to a more physical bodily need for the stuff which would then become an illness.
As a smoker, i put my pathetic dependance on nicotine 100% down to my own lack of willpower to just not light up.
I'd guess an addiction to a substance more serious may start as a similar relationship based on rational choice vs willpower. But it can easily lead to a more physical bodily need for the stuff which would then become an illness.
Some addictions are heavier than others. Anyway I don't like a too "gooder" approach to addicted people. I don't consider them just sick, they have problem but they are the first that must work hard to get out. I am not saying that they don't have to right to get some help, just not the same amount people affected by proper illness get.
matsoc said:
Some addictions are heavier than others. Anyway I don't like a too "gooder" approach to addicted people. I don't consider them just sick, they have problem but they are the first that must work hard to get out. I am not saying that they don't have to right to get some help, just not the same amount people affected by proper illness get.
The question is what is a proper illness then? The problem with mental illnesses is that it is often not "unnormal" behaviour, it's that it happens too much/ at wrong times/ without control. And since it's a gradual change then it's hard to say where the boundary is. Just because it's not as obvious as a broken leg it doesn't make it less real.Can't see how it can be pigeon-holed so easily, some people make bad decisions and for some it is an illness.
I have an addiction to pain killers, due to being in a lot of pain and waiting for an op. I find myself taking tramadol when I'm not in pain to stop it becoming an issue in the first place. My doctor agrees it's an addiction but also gives me a new scrip every second week.
I have an addiction to pain killers, due to being in a lot of pain and waiting for an op. I find myself taking tramadol when I'm not in pain to stop it becoming an issue in the first place. My doctor agrees it's an addiction but also gives me a new scrip every second week.
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