Is drug and alcohol addiction a problem of self control or is it a medical condi

1. 71

   JamesPoppellposted 13 years ago

   Is drug and alcohol addiction a problem of self control or is it a medical condition?
   
   Is treatment needed or can one sum up the will power to quit?
   
   

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2. 60

   NarcononVistaBayposted 13 years ago

   This is my opinion, experience and observation, it's not a medical condition because a person has the choice to take or not drugs in the first place. Before the addiction starts, drug use was a choice.
   
   The second answer, I would say that besides the decision of taking drugs, which is under our own control there is no self-control. You see, someone can try a drug the first time and lose control. On LSD, someone may have a terrible trip and have no control.
   
   Once addiction starts there is definitely no self-control. Drugs take over the needs of the body and mind. This is when effective drug rehabs can help.
   
   It is harder and more risky (due to withdrawals) to quit on your own. Treatment usually helps, but there are a variety of programs and one is better than the other. The best way to see if a program will work is finding their success rate.
   
   Hope this helps!

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3. 60

   duffsmomposted 13 years ago

   I think it begins as a problem with self-control then moves into something more medical and definitely needs treatment - both physical and emotional.  I think the success of summing up the will power to quit an addiction depends on the kind of addiction and the purpose the addiction is serving for that person.

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4. 71

   ptosisposted 13 years ago

   
   
   Saying that it's was a "poor life choice" and it's just sheer will power is total B.S
   
   What about the guy who was in a medically induced coma while in the ICU for months?
   
   Do you blame Gabrielle Giffords for choosing to be 'at the wrong place at the wrong time' when shot in the head by Jared Loughner?
   
   Of course when she got better the doctors ramped her drugs down in a safe matter and didn't go 'cold turkey'.
   
   There is more than just a street addled homeless that are addicts. Rx prescribed by doctors are just as addictive. And people should be treated with respect and not disdain for having a valid and real medical problem.

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5. 60

   creativebutterflyposted 13 years ago

   Neither in my opinion, usually there is an emotional trigger caused by trauma or some significant event in your life or a combination of a few emotional things that happen.
   
   You cannot control what you are doing until you realize you have an issue and then get some emotional help to set you on the right path.
   
   I have had several clients with addictions and every time it has been something that happened to them they need to address and overcome.

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6. 61

   lyndreposted 13 years ago

   This is a hard question to answer, as there is so many different opinions on the subject.
   I am an alcoholic who could never have stopped drinking with willpower alone.
   Once I had crossed that line into alcoholism,my willpower was as much good as a chocolate teapot.I required mental health counseling and medication to help me stop.
   I could go into all my problems, including sexual abuse, and use them as an excuse for my drinking,but the choice was mine and mine alone.
   I needed a medical detox to help me stop and take antabuse to  help me stay away from that first drink.
   The one thing I do know is that I can never return to being a social drinker.I have tried this and failed too many times.Once you have developed an addication abstainance is the only answer.

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7. 59

   nolongerintndrlnposted 13 years ago

   In the beginning...it is a choice.  When a person is an addict...that person needs help.  Period.  Look up the word "addict"...and, its obvious what you see...there IS no willpower.  A "user" may not have crossed that line into addiction...meaning...choice is still available.  Medical condition?  I believe that depends on the person and how severe the use is at hand.  Good question...and...really good answers thus far.  ((My answers come from my own personal experience...for...I, myself, no longer live the OLD way))

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8. 60

   MegySuposted 13 years ago

   It is easy to see a predisposition to addiction in families. I think for some individuals, what starts as a lack of willpower or self-control can quickly become an addiction that can sometimes be impossible to get rid of without help.
   
   Addiction can also sprout from the need to escape something else. Often teens in bad family situations turn to drugs or alcohol to try to replace feelings they aren't getting from somewhere else. If these individuals don't have help identifying the source of their addiction, trying to quit may simply result in replacing one addiction with another (i.e. quit drugs, but replace the behavior with overeating).
   
   I think it's these outside factors that can move the addiction into the realm of needing treatment to quit.

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9. 60

   cobrienposted 13 years ago

   Genetics make us more vulnerable to chemical dependency. Mental health issues play a part, even if you don't have a mental illness (meaning a chemical imbalance in the brain), addicts still have mental health issues. Will power won't work. Treatment is necessary. Those who claim to "recover" without help are either just "dry" or just substituting one addiction for another (ex. gambling or eating). The actual recovery process involves cleaning out your closet, and this requires support,

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10. 59

    mahmood1985posted 13 years ago

    its hard to answer but you can find your answers detail in this Alcoholism & Drug Addiction Recovery Workbook  http://u.4nw.net/cdzx  I hope ypu find your answer

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11. 79

    BizGenGirlposted 13 years ago

    Before I can go any further in informing you about the powerful truth behind addiction, and the ways in which you can break the spell of any addiction, I feel its best to start with the psychology behind addiction, which has it's roots (as all... read more

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12. 59

    cathyaddams567posted 12 years ago

    For me it is a problem of self control but then if it escalated to a much bigger problem that is when it turned into a medical one. Visit http://abusetreatmentcenters.net/ to know more.

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13. 60

    icykarma2122posted 12 years ago

    I believe it originates as a problem of self control but can eventually develop into an addiction, which falls under the definition of a medical condition.

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