A common misperception of drug addicts is that as individual’s, they lack willpower and deserve to be judged for this self inflicted behaviour and its consequences. Scientific research says otherwise, stating that addiction is a chronic disorder which can be treated much like other chronic illnesses can be treated.

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ADDICTION IS A CHRONIC DISORDER

Addicts cannot control their desperate need for drugs regardless of the results of their addiction. This lack of control has been caused by the changes in the brain due to excessive drug use and contributes towards the behavioural changes.

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Dr Nora Volkow, the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the United States, believes that the brains of people who are addicted have been modified by the drugs. She says, “Absence of the drug makes a signal to their brain that is equivalent to the signal of when you are starving.” She says that the signal is so powerful that the individual’s state of deprivation causes him to believe that it is absolutely necessary to take the drug for survival.

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With prolonged use, addictions become more serious. The addictive progression is measured by the following:

• Amount of drug used

• Frequency of drug use

• Context of drug use

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As the condition worsens, addicts require more drugs, more often and they use drugs in circumstances where they never would have in earlier times. As this more risky drug use increases so do the consequences thereof and the illness becomes more difficult to treat. The resulting health ailments, social, financial, legal and family consequences become worse and everything spirals downward.

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Having said all of this and painted a realistically bleak picture of an actively addicted person, please understand that none of this excuses the addict to a life of helpless victim. The individual needs to take responsibility for his or her own behaviour and recovery from addiction. However, it does explain how an addict cannot stop drug abuse by force of will alone.

Not everyone who tries drugs becomes an addict.

Certain people seem more susceptible to addiction than others and it may be due to a genetic predisposition.

On the other hand, having an addict in the family definitely does not mean that future generations are condemned to a life of addiction.

The best treatment of addiction includes the healing of the entire person.

 Medication, therapy, social services and rehabilitation are included in the treatment. The psychological causes, as well as the physical consequences, are dealt with.

It has often been believed that an addict needs to desire recovery in order to be treated for drug addiction; however recent findings suggest that pressure from friends, family, employers or the legal system on the addict to obtain treatment, improves their treatment outcomes.

Relapse (the falling back to substance abuse during recovery) is common to addicts with serious disorders.

People who are not addicts find this very frustrating and difficult to understand.

Depression, anxiety and a huge amount of shame often accompany relapse.

During this time, the addict needs support and treatment to continue the process of recovery and not to give up.

In time I believe that public perception will become more gracious during these difficult periods.

To successfully treat or support addicts, the network of people around the addict needs to understand that addiction is a treatable brain disorder and that the addict is not some weak character that deserves to suffer in order to ‘learn a lesson’.

The following definition of addiction is offered by The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM): “Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations.

This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.”

What we are dealing with is the biological relationship that humans have with chemicals in a certain context.

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THE DISEASE OF ADDICTION

The disease of addiction is a motivational disturbance. It disturbs both the neurotransmission in the brain, as well as the interactions within its reward structures. This causes addictive behavior to take the place of healthy and caring behaviors.

It can get so bad, that the brain’s inherent survival instinct, even such basic instincts as hunger and thirst, are overtaken by the disease, causing the alcoholic or addict to prioritize using drugs and alcohol above everything else.

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As the basic text of Narcotics Anonymous states: “We placed their [drug] use ahead of the welfare of our families, wives, husbands, and our children. We had to have drugs at all costs. We did many great harms, but most of all we harmed ourselves.”

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Despite this scientific evidence, addiction is still widely seen as a moral failing. The view still exists that the addict of an alcoholic is just lacking willpower or is too weak to stop using or drinking. This stigma, in many instances, prevents some people from seeking the treatment they so desperately need. Yet, people still do not understand what addiction is.

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The morality issue and stigma surrounding it prevent desperately needed open discussions about the topic.

Causal factors to addiction, to name but a few, may range from a genetic disposition and co-occurring psychiatric disorders to exposure to trauma and unhealthy social support.

 

Putting the causes aside, the end result is nearly always the same: significant worsening of personal relationships, broken families, deteriorating health, and possible loss of employment and homes. Yet, the disease of addiction renders that addict and alcoholic unable to stop using or drinking.

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The focus on addiction must be shifted away from the punishing mentality of social stigma, to that of prevention and treatment.

But what is a social stigma and why does it still prevail around addiction and alcoholism, despite all the scientific evidence that addiction is a brain disease?

A stigma is a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. It also means bad reputation, disgrace, dishonor, humiliation, and shame. It is society’s way of placing judgment on a person or situation and more often than not, it is belief from long ago that has been proven wrong but still continue to exist

In order to break the social stigma associated with the disease of addiction, the science behind it must be known and widely shared. This will make it easier for people to seek help when they need it.

Often, people with addiction are treated less favorably in society, resulting in the fact that those suffering from addiction or alcoholism attempt to hide their sickness. They are afraid of losing their jobs and try to keep the benefits it provides. They attempt to save face with their families and society and to keep their families intact.

Addiction is often triggered by trying to cope with a high level of stress, chronic pain, or depression. The social stigmas associated with addiction and alcoholism, only exacerbate these problems when one feels the need to hide the disease instead of seeking help to recover from it. This catch-22 situation invariably causes addiction to escalate and not recede.

So, what can be done about it? If you know someone silently trying to overcome addiction, reach out a hand today. Contact us and find the help that everyone deserves.