Interesting topic...I have gone backBack pain - low
Back strain treatment and forth with this.  I have a doctor who thinks that saying addictionDrug abuse and dependence is a disease is an excuse.  I find myself nodding and agreeing with him, because he makes a lot of good points...he thinks we have the choice to do anything, including taking drugsChemical dependence - resources
Chemotherapy
Drug abuse
Drug abuse and dependence
Drug abuse first aid
Drug allergies
Drug induced hypertension
Drug rash on the back
Drug rash, tegretol
Drug signs and teenagers
Drug-induced hypertension.  I don't want to get into it, because it's controversial and it makes people unfortable to think what they have may not be a disease but simply a choice that they made...a bad choice.



AddictionDrug abuse and dependence is addictionDrug abuse and dependence to me...I know myself, and I know I am weak when it comes to opiates.  From the time a couple years ago that I took my firstFirst progesterone mc10
First progesterone mc5
First-progesterone vgs 200
First-progesterone vgs 400 VicodinVicodin
Vicodin tuss, I knew I was in trouble.  It made me feel great, and my problems seemed much more insignificant all of a sudden.  I remember standing in the ocean after taking my firstFirst progesterone mc10
First progesterone mc5
First-progesterone vgs 200
First-progesterone vgs 400 pill, and a warmth spread through my body.  I was having fun with my childChild neglect and psychological abuse
Child safety seats
Child tylenol cold multi-symptom plus cough
School age child development and husband, but I couldn't wait to get backBack pain - low
Back strain treatment to the car to take another pill.  I just wanted more of that good feeling.  I could go on and on, but I will spare you.  I'm depressed today, and a VicodinVicodin
Vicodin tuss (or a handful) would really feel good right about now.

I already know that I am asking a question that does not have an answer. All there will be is opinion. The problem is that if there is a biological component it needs to be addressed. Having said that, I would like to relate an experience I had concerning behaviorAutistic behavior
Behavior - unusual or strange
Bulimia
Hyperactivity
Suicide and suicidal behavior
Temper tantrums and brainAmebic brain abscess
Brain abscess
Brain herniation
Brain surgery
Brain tumor - adults
Brain tumor - children
Metastatic brain tumor
Posterior fossa tumor
Primary brain tumor chemisty. About 10 years ago I went on prozacProzac
Prozac weekly for about 4 months. Unfortuantely it did nothing for my depressionAdolescent depression
Bipolar disorder
Depression
Depression - elderly
Depression - resources
Depression among the elderly
Depression and heart disease
Depression and insomnia
Depression and men
Depression and the menstrual cycle
Depression in children. What facinated me was that during those 4 months I stopped biting my nailsBrittle nails
Cyanosis of the nail bed
Fungal nail infection
Half and half nails
Ingrown toenail
Nail abnormalities
Nail infection, candidal
Paronychia
Skin cancer, melanoma on the fingernail
Skin discoloration - bluish
White nail syndrome. I have been nailBrittle nails
Cyanosis of the nail bed
Fungal nail infection
Half and half nails
Ingrown toenail
Nail abnormalities
Nail infection, candidal
Paronychia
Skin cancer, melanoma on the fingernail
Skin discoloration - bluish
White nail syndrome biter since early childhood. I am still a nailBrittle nails
Cyanosis of the nail bed
Fungal nail infection
Half and half nails
Ingrown toenail
Nail abnormalities
Nail infection, candidal
Paronychia
Skin cancer, melanoma on the fingernail
Skin discoloration - bluish
White nail syndrome biter. When I was on the prozacProzac
Prozac weekly I made no conscience decicion to stop biting my nailsBrittle nails
Cyanosis of the nail bed
Fungal nail infection
Half and half nails
Ingrown toenail
Nail abnormalities
Nail infection, candidal
Paronychia
Skin cancer, melanoma on the fingernail
Skin discoloration - bluish
White nail syndrome. I just stopped. I never liked the fact that I biteAnimal bite
Animal bite - first aid - series
Animal bites
Brown recluse spider bite on the hand
Chigger bite - close-up of blisters
Flea bite - close-up
Frostbite
Frostbite - hands
Human bites
Inhibited sexual desire
Insect bite reaction - close-up my nailsBrittle nails
Cyanosis of the nail bed
Fungal nail infection
Half and half nails
Ingrown toenail
Nail abnormalities
Nail infection, candidal
Paronychia
Skin cancer, melanoma on the fingernail
Skin discoloration - bluish
White nail syndrome but I do it "against my will".  The only change was a change in brainAmebic brain abscess
Brain abscess
Brain herniation
Brain surgery
Brain tumor - adults
Brain tumor - children
Metastatic brain tumor
Posterior fossa tumor
Primary brain tumor biochemistry.  I can stop biting my nailsBrittle nails
Cyanosis of the nail bed
Fungal nail infection
Half and half nails
Ingrown toenail
Nail abnormalities
Nail infection, candidal
Paronychia
Skin cancer, melanoma on the fingernail
Skin discoloration - bluish
White nail syndrome through "willpower" and have stopped for a few days at a time.  But it is an endless struggle. The second I take my focus off avoiding it, I find my fingersAmputated finger
Amyloidosis on the fingers
Clubbed fingers
Cryoglobulinemia - of the fingers
Finger pain
Herpes zoster (shingles) on the hand and fingers
Janeway lesion on the finger
Kawasaki's disease, peeling of the fingertips
Nail abnormalities
Replantation of digits
Ringworm, tinea manuum on the finger in my mouthMouth sores
Oral cancer.



At this point in my addictionDrug abuse and dependence, bupenorphine was suggested to me by a doctor of addictionDrug abuse and dependence.  In his opinion, I had a disease that needs treatment.  The same as any other chronicAcute vs. chronic conditions
Addison’s disease
Anemia of chronic disease
Cause of chronic bronchitis
Chronic bronchitis
Chronic cholecystitis
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome - resources
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (cll)
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia - microscopic view
Chronic motor tic disorder, re-occuring disease.  He did not seem to care if I called it addictionDrug abuse and dependence, fibromyalgiaFibromyalgia or depressionAdolescent depression
Bipolar disorder
Depression
Depression - elderly
Depression - resources
Depression among the elderly
Depression and heart disease
Depression and insomnia
Depression and men
Depression and the menstrual cycle
Depression in children. His only point was that I need to be on medicationAllergic reactions to medication
Drug allergies
Drug-induced hypertension
Getting a prescription filled
Home pharmacy
Inhaler medication administration and someone else needed to control the pill bottle.  Sometime in early December I will start. Past that I am out of ideas. If I must I will go backBack pain - low
Back strain treatment to meetings 7 days a week, call my sponsor, work the steps, get involved in service work and basically spend a good portion of my life taking about my addictionDrug abuse and dependence.

I agree with Bodymachanic's opinion of addictionDrug abuse and dependence being largely due to biochemistry.  Why would anyone want to "choose" to be an addict?  It's the same thing (as mentioned above) as anyone "choosingChoosing a primary care provider
Choosing a qualified surgeon" to be gay.  Not to compare the two - but with all the stigma and prejudice why would anyone consiously "choose" to be gay?  I happen to come from a familyBirth control and family planning
Choosing a primary care provider
Ewing’s sarcoma
Family troubles - resources with "alcoholic genes" - I'm always telling my son I hope he can distinguish being a social drinker, where you can have a drink or two and let it go at that - and a full blown "alcoholic" where you can't quit drinking once you start. (Like I'm such a good one to give advise...) ha.  Why is it one person can take painAbdominal pain
Abdominal pain diagnosis
Alternative medicine - pain relief
Ankle pain
Anterior knee pain
Back pain - low
Bone pain or tenderness
Breast pain
Causes of painful intercourse
Chest pain
Chronic pain - resources meds responsibly and another abuses them?  I know in my heartCongenital heart disease
Cor pulmonale
Coronary heart disease
Cyanotic heart disease
Depression and heart disease
Heart attack
Heart attack first aid
Heart attack symptoms
Heart bypass surgery
Heart bypass surgery - series
Heart disease that due to my chemistry, I'm "predisposed" to drugChemical dependence - resources
Chemotherapy
Drug abuse
Drug abuse and dependence
Drug abuse first aid
Drug allergies
Drug induced hypertension
Drug rash on the back
Drug rash, tegretol
Drug signs and teenagers
Drug-induced hypertension and alcoholAlcohol and diet
Alcoholism
Alcoholism - resources
Breath alcohol test
Delirium tremens
Fetal alcohol syndrome problems, but that doesn't mean I, or anyone are doomed by this.  My father, who is an alcoholic, quit drinking when he had an almost fatal heartCongenital heart disease
Cor pulmonale
Coronary heart disease
Cyanotic heart disease
Depression and heart disease
Heart attack
Heart attack first aid
Heart attack symptoms
Heart bypass surgery
Heart bypass surgery - series
Heart disease attack.  He felt miserable, but he knew he had to quit, so he did.  I have a friend, who smokes occasionally (as do I-only all the time), who amazes me with her ability to chain-smoke one day, and throw the cigs down the next with no thought to it; same thing with drinking.  I could "never" do that so easily.  I feel like I'm making progress, but it's a fight every day.  It will never be easy for me.  Lisabet

Does the term "drugChemical dependence - resources
Chemotherapy
Drug abuse
Drug abuse and dependence
Drug abuse first aid
Drug allergies
Drug induced hypertension
Drug rash on the back
Drug rash, tegretol
Drug signs and teenagers
Drug-induced hypertension of choice" imply anything to you? How about "sexualCauses of sexual dysfunction
Erection problems
Female sexual dysfunction
Sexual problems overview preference"? Of coarse we have a choice. Maybe we are born with a certain predisposition to addictionDrug abuse and dependence and maybe we have the geneticsAllergies and genetics
Genetic counseling
Genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis
Genetics
Male pattern baldness
X-linked recessive genetic defects
X-linked recessive genetic defects - how boys are affected
X-linked recessive genetic defects - how girls are affected to be an alcoholic from the firstFirst progesterone mc10
First progesterone mc5
First-progesterone vgs 200
First-progesterone vgs 400 drink ... but we still have our "free agency". We can chose to try .... we can chose to fight. We can let the doctor hold the pill bottle or our mother or our husband .... we can alow ourselves to be brainwashed by one program or another. We can go to Tibet and hide in a cave for the next 5 years! The choice is ours. I'm sorry for getting so dramatic .... but I do think we have many options. We grows through overcoming adversity. I guess what I am trying to say is it's all true .... we should do whatever works. Getting clean is a process. I don't see why is has to be some kind of devistating experience. These are not the dark ages. I don't see how it would benifit anyone to suffer through W/D. We need to work with our medical professionals (someone we trust) and work on our spirituality to effect a real change in our souls so we can be free to love. It's funny how the love we feel for our childrenChild neglect and psychological abuse
Child safety seats
Child tylenol cold multi-symptom plus cough
School age child development is more addictive than drugsChemical dependence - resources
Chemotherapy
Drug abuse
Drug abuse and dependence
Drug abuse first aid
Drug allergies
Drug induced hypertension
Drug rash on the back
Drug rash, tegretol
Drug signs and teenagers
Drug-induced hypertension.  Love will cure anything. Lets love ourselves ... guilt is not going to further us in anyway. I hope I haven't said anything wrong or offensive .... I appreciate you and everyone here. I'm even thinking of cutting another 25mil of ultramUltram
Ultram er tommorrow .... (just thinking. I'm not ready yet) .... take care, Goldie

I re-read my letter and it sounds so "confrontational" .... I'm sorry. I am a lousy writer. I tried to make a point and got carried away (smile) ... please forgive me ... G

I believe opiate addictionDrug abuse and dependence is different than addictionDrug abuse and dependence to other drugsChemical dependence - resources
Chemotherapy
Drug abuse
Drug abuse and dependence
Drug abuse first aid
Drug allergies
Drug induced hypertension
Drug rash on the back
Drug rash, tegretol
Drug signs and teenagers
Drug-induced hypertension.  I am was never addicted to any drugChemical dependence - resources
Chemotherapy
Drug abuse
Drug abuse and dependence
Drug abuse first aid
Drug allergies
Drug induced hypertension
Drug rash on the back
Drug rash, tegretol
Drug signs and teenagers
Drug-induced hypertension until recently to opiates.  I am pretty sure that opiates changed my brainAmebic brain abscess
Brain abscess
Brain herniation
Brain surgery
Brain tumor - adults
Brain tumor - children
Metastatic brain tumor
Posterior fossa tumor
Primary brain tumor chemistry, receptor sites, etc.  I was not born with the altered brainAmebic brain abscess
Brain abscess
Brain herniation
Brain surgery
Brain tumor - adults
Brain tumor - children
Metastatic brain tumor
Posterior fossa tumor
Primary brain tumor chemistry and nor prior drugsChemical dependence - resources
Chemotherapy
Drug abuse
Drug abuse and dependence
Drug abuse first aid
Drug allergies
Drug induced hypertension
Drug rash on the back
Drug rash, tegretol
Drug signs and teenagers
Drug-induced hypertension changed my brainAmebic brain abscess
Brain abscess
Brain herniation
Brain surgery
Brain tumor - adults
Brain tumor - children
Metastatic brain tumor
Posterior fossa tumor
Primary brain tumor chemistry.  Opiates did, and now I need permanent help.  Like others, I have found that bupenorphine, or similar, is the solution.  Over a month of naltrexone did not provide enough time for my receptors and other chemicals which became out of whack, to restore to normal.  I either need a permanent supply of opiates, or a miracle medicine which does not yet exist.  I will settle for bupe, which has proven efficacious, twiceTwice-a-day daily.  I could not have made it through another month without something.  I cannot relate to those who say the firstFirst progesterone mc10
First progesterone mc5
First-progesterone vgs 200
First-progesterone vgs 400 week is really all you need to be able to get through to detox, but we're all different I guess.

Sorry, my point was that for me, drugChemical dependence - resources
Chemotherapy
Drug abuse
Drug abuse and dependence
Drug abuse first aid
Drug allergies
Drug induced hypertension
Drug rash on the back
Drug rash, tegretol
Drug signs and teenagers
Drug-induced hypertension addictionDrug abuse and dependence was not a disease, but became one from opiate use, and not to all drugsChemical dependence - resources
Chemotherapy
Drug abuse
Drug abuse and dependence
Drug abuse first aid
Drug allergies
Drug induced hypertension
Drug rash on the back
Drug rash, tegretol
Drug signs and teenagers
Drug-induced hypertension, just a disease relating to opiates.

I gotta say...I completely disagree with the notion that addicts are predetermined in the womb. I have tried just about every drugChemical dependence - resources
Chemotherapy
Drug abuse
Drug abuse and dependence
Drug abuse first aid
Drug allergies
Drug induced hypertension
Drug rash on the back
Drug rash, tegretol
Drug signs and teenagers
Drug-induced hypertension & none of which grabbed hold. I chose to become an addict to VicodinVicodin
Vicodin tuss. I chose to exceed my dose. I chose not to quit. These were all my choice & not some misfire in my brainAmebic brain abscess
Brain abscess
Brain herniation
Brain surgery
Brain tumor - adults
Brain tumor - children
Metastatic brain tumor
Posterior fossa tumor
Primary brain tumor. I've heard the term "addictive personalityBorderline personality disorder
Histrionic personality disorder
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
Paranoid personality disorder
Personality disorders." This I'd support long before the idea that I was born with addictive brainAmebic brain abscess
Brain abscess
Brain herniation
Brain surgery
Brain tumor - adults
Brain tumor - children
Metastatic brain tumor
Posterior fossa tumor
Primary brain tumor chemistry. I do believe that it takes a certain kind of person to let themselves become addicted. Regardless of what you tell yourself, it was your choice therefore your fault. This does not make us bad people. It makes us people. People make mistakes. Some just worse than others.

I have a hard time with the term "disease" also.  Personally, I think its because I am a health care professional who has seen what diseases really are and what they aren't.  I consider my addictionDrug abuse and dependence a "habit".  If you really think about it and look at how and when you take your pills or snort your line, or shoot up, don't you usually correlate it with something you do?  For example, I would always take my firstFirst progesterone mc10
First progesterone mc5
First-progesterone vgs 200
First-progesterone vgs 400 pill/pills in the morning with my 3rd cup of coffee.  So then I would have a pretty good buzz going when I was watching "Rosie"- lol.  I know this sounds simplistic but my point is that when you do this day in and day out, habits develop.  When I was working, I would take them when I hit a certain point on my drive; that way by the time I got to work I felt good.  So then it seems that it would be pretty easy to "break" this habit, right?  I mean, stop drinking coffee or watching Rosie, etc etc.  But its not that easy.  What about if you get used to being high while working?  Quit your job?  No, a lot of times, thats not a possibility.  It gets to a point then that you just get "used" to feeling high.  And thats the hardest damm habit to break.

In my opinion, addictionDrug abuse and dependence BECOMES a disease.  Like many people here have mentioned we begin our addictionDrug abuse and dependence by making a series of choices.  In that way, addictionDrug abuse and dependence doesn't seem like your typical disease.  However, once addicted our choices become increasingly limited.  As the addictionDrug abuse and dependence takes over we become increasingly powerless to overcome it.  I guess to me the difference between addictionDrug abuse and dependence and a conventional disease is that there always seems to remain within the individual the power (no matter how weak) to choice to stop the addictionDrug abuse and dependence, in other words cure the disease.   Perhaps the use of the word "cure" is too strong.  Maybe once addicted we merely treat the disease of addictionDrug abuse and dependence for the rest of our lives.  It is forever there with in us but weakens if we don't relapse over time.  I know alcholics who have quit 20 years ago who still say they sometimes think about the alchohol.  Their thoughts have turned from full blown cravings to merely random unexpected thoughts.



Something seems to switch in our brainAmebic brain abscess
Brain abscess
Brain herniation
Brain surgery
Brain tumor - adults
Brain tumor - children
Metastatic brain tumor
Posterior fossa tumor
Primary brain tumor once we become addicted.  We cross a line that we can never return to.  For example, long before I became addicted to oxys I used them on occassion when I drank.  I didn't drink that often but when I did there was nothing better than what we called a "champ pill" like a loritab or oxy to increase the buzz.  I would take one pill and then not use another for 3 or 4 months.  When I became addicted I crossed that line of mere sporadic use forever.  I can never just take a pill here or there again.  My brainAmebic brain abscess
Brain abscess
Brain herniation
Brain surgery
Brain tumor - adults
Brain tumor - children
Metastatic brain tumor
Posterior fossa tumor
Primary brain tumor is reprogrammed and one pill will never satisfy it.  In that way, the addictionDrug abuse and dependence has become a disease.  The treatment of the disease of addictionDrug abuse and dependence is always in our control.  Of course, as mentioned above, the deeper we become addicted the more control we lose.  Some here have found the strength to overcome years, even decades, of addictionDrug abuse and dependence.  In some miraculous way, they were still able to exerciseAerobic exercise
Aging and exercise
Asthma
Benefit of regular exercise
Bone-building exercise
Diabetes and exercise