Addiction: Disease or Choice

A recent newspaper article stating a new drug, Fentanyl, which is one hundred times stronger than morphine or oxy is in town and can be attributed to several recent deaths.  In the online comments, one former addict compared her "disease" to cancer.  Completely, totally, utterly, inappropriate comparison.  This is the claim that got me thinking about whether addiction is a disease or a choice.  Personally, I believe addiction is a choice and I'll explain why.

Addicts, both former and present, swear up and down addiction is a disease.  Not one addict will admit they chose to take that first hit of drugs.  They are all about the excuses as to why they took that first, second or third hit.  Believe me, I've heard my share of sad stories, both from current addicts, former addicts and non-addicts.  Each group has an equal amount of horrible life circumstances, usually beginning in childhood or their early teen years.  One group turns to the self-destructive behaviour of addiction.  The other does not.  How can one group, with the same turn of events in their lives, manage to thrive despite those heartbreaking and terrible events?  Choice.

What is the definition of a disease?

• an abnormal condition of a part, organ or system of an organism resulting from various causes, such as infection, inflammation, environmental factors or genetic defect and characterized by an identifiable group of signs, symptoms or both.

By that definition, an addict hasn't got an organ or system issue caused by infection or inflammation.  I'll give them environmental factors, since street and prescription drugs are a part of everyone's environment now.  I'll even give them the genetic defect because I do believe addictive personalities can be -- but are not always -- genetic.  The rest of the definition certainly does not fit an addiction profile.  At least, not in my unprofessional, observation-only opinion.

I've watched several people in my circle go down in flames, due to drug addiction.  Usually hitting the proverbial brick wall several times before they get it together.  Even now, I am standing on the sidelines watching another one go through addiction.  Breaks my heart, watching someone torture themselves with drugs, when I know very well they can make the choice to get clean.  Is it easy to come back from?  Absolutely not.  It requires an inner stubbornness the size of the North American continent -- or larger.  This is choice.

However, I refuse to enable the habit by pitying them, by giving them money, a roof over their heads or allowing them excuses, such as an abusive childhood.  You chose the path you are on.  Choose to get off it by getting professional help.

Until then, I don't want anything to do with you.  Why?  You can't believe a word that comes out of an addict's mouth.  You can't trust them in your home; they'll rob you -- even if you share the same gene pool.  You can talk till you are blue in the face about making good choices, but until the addict is ready, they will NOT change.  The truly sad thing is they play Russian Roulette with their lives each time they feed their addiction.  Addiction is a selfish life choice.

Maybe an addict can explain to me -- again -- how their "disease" can even compare to cancer?  Every choice made by an addict drives them further down this ugly road.  It isn't an illness that sends them down this path.  Just a series of really bad choices.  Someone suggested cancer is self-inflicted by lifestyle choices, such as smoking.  How do you explain the non-smoker who dies of lung cancer, yet never subjected themselves to second-hand smoke?  Explain the long-time smoker who doesn't ever get lung cancer.  How do you explain the child born with leukemia or eye cancer?  What about all the kids diagnosed with ugly and very rare forms of cancer?  Children haven't made any lifestyle choices that cause their cancer.  Some are so young, it wasn't the parents' choices either.

How would you, a recovering addict, explain an auto-immune disease, such as Type 1 Diabetes?  I guarantee there is not one person with Type 1 who did something to "cause" their disease.  No eating of too much sugar.  No lack of exercise.  Auto-immune disease just happens -- and there are many such diseases.  I will also guarantee caring for a person with this chronic, life-long, incurable-to-date disease is extremely difficult and emotionally demanding.  Because this disease doesn't play nice or follow rules.  Nor will it ever go away.

Recovering addicts CAN follow rules -- they choose not to.  It is that very lack of ability to follow rules that get addicts into trouble in the first place.  Wound up on the street because you're an addict who can't hold a job?  Get the shit kicked out of you by the dealer you stiffed?  Can't get any family or friends to take you in?  Why???  Because of a "disease"?  Sorry.  Because of choice.  Every lifestyle issue is driven by choice.  Yours.  Not mine.  Not your parents.  Not because of abuse.  Not because you got dropped on your head as an infant.  Because you CHOSE the path you are on.  And YOU are the only one who can choose to get your shit together.

If you must believe addiction is a "disease" to get your shit together, then fine.  However, I will not agree with that analogy when a few people I know simply decided one day that enough was enough and got clean -- without professional help -- and are still clean, productive members of society to this day.  That, to me, screams choice, not disease.

Instead of blaming every one and every circumstance, own what you have done to yourself and your loved ones.  Own it.  Then change it.