The disease of addiction?
Created | Updated Mar 15, 2002
According to the WHO (World Health Organisation), addiction to alcohol or illegal drugs is a genetic thing, a chemical imbalance inside the brain that predisposes certain individuals to become addicts. Hence, once addicted, the victim can never, ever drink or take any drugs recreationally, ever again. There is no real scientific proof to back this up, beyond conflicting reports based on rats and monkeys. Indeed, more and more scientists, doctors, pyschologists and social workers believe the so-called "disease model of addiction" is a myth, encouraging people to feel totally helpless about their addiction because it claims the ability to stop or cut down cannot be conquered by will power alone. Alcoholics Anonymous base their whole agenda on the disease model of addiction and believe that those who learn controlled drinking were never really alcoholics in the first place. Yet the vast majority of problem drinkers DO NOT attend a self-help clinic like the AA and DO learn controlled drinking as they come towards their 30s and 40s. And who's to tell the real from the fake alcoholic at the time, when both are in the gutter puking? Finally, the disease model asks you to invoke the help of a Higher Power, rather than yourself, and only some spritual awakening will allow you to be cured - a bit of nightmare if you aren't spiritual or religious. It also seems very sad to have to be classed as "sick", different to the rest of the world, unable to have even a small glass of wine with your Sunday roast. Infact, J Davies, a psychologist, has spurned this disease theory, having already helped many alcoholics learn controlled drinking. It seems the better way - to believe in one's self and stop drinking too much. What does anyone out there think about this topic?
