Myths of Addiction (Part 1)

I have a Google “news alert” set up for the keyword 'addiction'. It sends me a daily a email with links to a variety of news articles, blogs, etc. containing that word. As you can imagine many of the links lead to some pretty crazy things. At the same time they can give a great overall view of how society “sees” this chronic, progressive, unnecessarily fatal disease. Too many of these news stories have one thing in common, they perpetuate many of the myths associated with addiction. Let's look at some of the major myths about this lousy disease.

Myth #1: “They did this to themselves.”

This myth is partially correct. All addicts have to have that first exposure to get things rolling. No exposure, no addiction. (ALCOHOL IS A DRUG!)

Unfortunately, our culture has used mood altering substances for hundreds of years. We celebrate life (the birth of a child, birthdays, promotions, new businesses, art, etc.) and death, with alcohol. (ALCOHOL IS A DRUG!)

“It's Mary and Johnny's 21^st birthday next week. Let's take them out for their first “legal” drink!” This can be heard in businesses, colleges, and homes around the country every day. When I was practicing anesthesia, the sales-reps would show us their newest piece of equipment and then tell everyone, “When you get off, stop over at the XYZ pub/restaurant/hotel for “Happy Hour”...the drinks are on me!” For 80 – 85% of the people who drink alcohol it's no big deal. They “know when to say when”. For someone with a genetic predisposition to addiction, it can be the first exposure that begins the process of the disease of addiction. (ALCOHOL IS A DRUG!)

It is no different for people who try any other mood altering substances. Those with the genetic “wiring” to develop the disease of addiction run the risk of becoming addicted. It's genetics/exposure/chemistry/evolution. Exposure alone doesn't cause addiction. Exposure plus genetics does. A strong family history of addiction (ALCOHOLISM IS ADDICTION!) is the best “predictor” we have today. If one of your parents has a history of addiction...BE CAREFUL! You could be next. Willpower won't prevent addiction...not using mood altering substances can.

The disconnect about the disease of addiction happens because the 85% who “know when to say when” find it hard to believe the 15% who become addicts ((ALCOHOL IS ADDICTION!) can't “just say no”. Once the disease has been triggered, the ability to control use goes away. The longer the disease is ignored the worse it gets. The worse it gets, the harder it is to treat successfully and the less likely long term recovery will be achieved. We don't wait until the cancer is so advanced it can no longer be ignored. If we do, no one is surprised when treatment only provides a short period of remission before it returns with a vengeance! EVERYONE is surprised and disgusted when an addict relapses after treatment.

I have never met an addict who said, “When I was growing up, I KNEW I wanted to be the best addict I could be!” Just like no one who smokes cigarettes or uses other tobacco products wants to end up with oral cancer, lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, etc. These nicotine addicts (NICOTINE IS A DRUG!) “did it to themselves”, yet we don't berate them or ignore them when they end up with a horrible disease. We treat them! Treatment DOES work. Recovery IS possible. But neither will happen as long as we believe the myth that they “did this to themselves and they deserve what they get.”