A Disease??

[njshar]

If drug addiction is a disease, say like diabetes or cancer, why does the afflicted person feel so much shame and rejection??  I have been on again, off again addict.  My family has been there when I have needed them.  Now that I am "on again", why are my loved ones excluding me from holiday get togethers??  Or family parties??  It hurts so badly.  I feel as though they are sick and tired of my relapses, and truly dissapointed in me when I have relapsed in the past.  This time they are excluding me from the holiday family get togethers.  It hurts so badly.  

Back to my quesiton, If addiction truly is a disease, why is there so much shame?????

[bluespence]

I am working on my Master degree in Counseling and I just took a class called Theories of Addiction and the newest research states that addiction is NOT a disease. It is a choice! Now, please don't misunderstand, after you have been using for a while it becomes very difficult and sometimes life threatening to quit and medical intervention is needed. However, the new research did not get as much attention as the old research which stated that addiction was a disease. Yes there is still some family issues that come into play when it comes to addiction, but there is no gene, as previously reported, that makes any of us more prone to become an addict. It comes down to your DOC, length of use, amount of use, etc. I know there will be those that disagree with this post, and that is fine...but don't kill the messenger. I am just reporting the newest research!

[kim715]

I didn't become an addict because of any emotional situation.I really wouldn't use the the words that I chose to become one either.I started taking the pain meds because of medical problems and then I built up a tolerance and started taking more and more to continue to get that 'warm and fuzzy' feeling all the time.The thing I loved most about them is all the false energy they gave me.How I just felt like superwoman on them and how I didn't think there was any task or situation I couldn't handle.Of course that feeling didn't last.I began taking more and more to chase a feeling that I was never going to get again. Like a lot of addicts though,I really believed that I had it all under control.I honestly believed for a long time that I could just stop whenever I wanted to,that what I was doing was no big deal.I would tell myself and anyone who would listen that I was taking them for my back pain,and one didn't work anymore so I had to take 2 at a time to keep the back pain away so that I could function.Was I lying to myself,absolutely.Looking back I had been lying to myself and everyone around me for a very long time,but at the time,for the most part at least,I really had myself falsely convinced that I was taking the pills for the pain and not for the high.I'm an addict and I have no one to blame for that but myself,but I NEVER choose to be one.
I did chose to see the truth and admit to myself and to everyone around me that I had become an addict and thats when I choose to get help and take my life back.

[Shelwoy]

I think addiction is a symptom of psychological disease.It is said addiction is a brain disease, and while that may make sense, think of this- How many people do you know that become addicts without some emotional situation being directly linked to it? I don't know any.I became an addict because I was depressed about my life.I have had a depression disorder as far back as I can remember.
You cannot choose whether or not you have a psychological disorder, but you can choose how you deal with it- and using drugs or alcohol to a point where you become addicted doesn't seem like a disease in itself.You made a choice to become an addict, you do not make a choice to have psychological diseases or disorders.
And as far as shame is concerned- you feel shame because you know it is wrong.You lose self control, and when you are to a point where it shows to people who care for you, you either did it accidentally or because you are truly crying out for help.Most addicts stop caring what people think at a certain point, you should be glad you still care, and get some help.

[dominosarah]

I lost my father to melanoma cancer that metastized to his brain.  He had no choice in his disease.......I do have that choice in mine.  I also believe many of the people dont understand this addiction or disease.  Some think we should just quit and everything will be wonderful.  It doesnt work that way.  Hopefully someday the world will be educated enough to know that we are good people that come from all walks of life and there wont be the shame that is cast upon us.         sara

[steveo30]

man i feel ya.ihurt,dissapointed ,embarrested etc. my family for years ,it took me much longer to gain their respect back. they have long memories,where we tend to forget.they know i'm back to no good because i now tell them everything,they have been to a couple alanon meetings just lately, i'm 47,we can actually relate now even though i'm using.they also know i'm trying to do something about it now.i've been left out of many holidays,mainly because my neices and nephews were there.my siblings didn't want me there to have their kids see me messed up.they know i will never go to that extent again.im trying today.yes addiction is a disease KIM715puts things right in perspective.the good thing is,this disease can be arrested some cancer patients dont have that option.

[CapeTownODAT]

Hi,

When I first got clean all those years ago I was also really ashamed.  I had lost *all* of my friends and most of my family didn't want much to do with me.  I discovered that by talking about addiction with other recovering addicts I was able to see that I wasn't alone in this.  I had done bad things because I was out of control, but other people had done similar things.  Now I don't feel ashamed about my past.  It was my past that got me to where I am today and so even though it was painful I must say that it's all worked out pretty well :)  Of course I had to go through a rehab process (I went to this alcohol rehab) in order to get to a point of acceptance.  Somebody once told me that there "is nothing you've done that is so weird that they don't have a name for it yet", which is sort of reassuring - other people have been down this path and recovered.

:)