Is Addiction a Choice?

andyzee · Feb 13, 2012

Let's let Whitney RIP. In my book as stated, in the end she was just human. However that thread brought up some good points. Those points being whether or not addiction is a choice or a disease. I just turned 55, lived a good long life with a lot of "experience" In my experience to say addiction is not a choice is bunch of crap, it is a choice. Worst case you can say it's a character flaw, but make no mistake about it, it's a choice. Same as smoking, drinking, or overeating.

Nick · Feb 13, 2012

Hard to say. I have had compulsions for things before (food, overeating, beer, :lol

but never anything serious. I even occasionally smoked cloves and cigarettes in college when I was a bartender and never felt the "need" for one. So it's hard for me to say, having never been in those shoes.

I think you always have to make a choice at first to do it the first time. I mean, no one is addicted to heroine who hasn't done it, right? But once you do... I gather there are drugs that are horrendously physically addicting, and that I can see from that point forward as no longer really being a choice, at least not a very easy one, because of physical reasons.

Psychologically, even harder to say, because everyone controls themselves in different ways.

I don't think there is an easy answer to this question ...

hammer · Feb 13, 2012

I think addiction itself is not a choice but in the vast majority of instances the actions that lead to addiction certainly are.

andyzee · Feb 13, 2012

Nick said:
But once you do... I gather there are drugs that are horrendously physically addicting.

The most horrendously addictive drugs would be tobacco and alcohol. If someone puts there mind to it they can quit, I have. Not easy, but can be done

Nick said:
, and that I can see from that point forward as no longer really being a choice, at least not a very easy one, because of physical reasons.

Psychologically, even harder to say, because everyone controls themselves in different ways.

I don't think there is an easy answer to this question ...

You're right in that there is no easy answer, maybe, but there is always a choice. That's where character comes in. Once again, won't get into detail, but talking from experience. The psychological aspect is the hardest part.

2knees · Feb 13, 2012

andyzee said:
In my book as stated, in the end she was just human..

that's some heavy duty insight right there bro.

riverc0il · Feb 13, 2012

I don't think there is any answer to this question. I don't think we should just shrug our shoulders, label someone an addict, throw them into 12 step programs (that fail more often than not), and blame it on chemical imbalance in the brain. But on the flip side, addiction can be truly crippling to the psyche and I understand it is incredibly difficult for many people to find the will power to overcome a physical reaction that the body generates demanding more of something. I think the word "choice" isn't the best way to look at it. I think people with certain minds and certain physiologies have more "choice" than others.

riverc0il · Feb 13, 2012

andyzee said:
You're right in that there is no easy answer, maybe, but there is always a choice. That's where character comes in. Once again, won't get into detail, but talking from experience. The psychological aspect is the hardest part.

So you have character because you succeeded but anyone that fails does so out of lack of character? I bet there are a lot of people with good character that can't overcome addiction. Boiling it down to character is a bit too simplistic, even if it is true that it is a "choice", I think it is more than just character.

On the flip side, I am a bit of a determinist so the whole argument is kinda moot from my perspective. :lol:

andyzee · Feb 13, 2012

riverc0il said:
So you have character because you succeeded but anyone that fails does so out of lack of character? I bet there are a lot of people with good character that can't overcome addiction. Boiling it down to character is a bit too simplistic, even if it is true that it is a "choice", I think it is more than just character.

On the flip side, I am a bit of a determinist so the whole argument is kinda moot from my perspective. :lol:

No, my mistake in the way I worded it. It doesn't come down to having character, or good vs bad character. It comes down to a weakness in ones character, or even more accurately just weakness.

andyzee · Feb 13, 2012

riverc0il said:
I don't think there is any answer to this question. I don't think we should just shrug our shoulders, label someone an addict, throw them into 12 step programs (that fail more often than not), and blame it on chemical imbalance in the brain. But on the flip side, addiction can be truly crippling to the psyche and I understand it is incredibly difficult for many people to find the will power to overcome a physical reaction that the body generates demanding more of something. I think the word "choice" isn't the best way to look at it. I think people with certain minds and certain physiologies have more "choice" than others.

The same can be said for robbers, murders, rapists, etc...The way society is going we find explanations for everything, yet that is not an excuse.

Riverskier · Feb 13, 2012

Addiction is a choice. If you choose to try a substance that is known to be highly addictive and deadly, continue to use said substance, then end up addicted to it, how is that not a choice? Once addicted, there may be some psychological issues that pervent some people from quitting. However, you have to make poor CHOICES over and over again to get there.

andyzee · Feb 13, 2012

2knees said:
that's some heavy duty insight right there bro.

Of course it's obvious. It's just that as different celebrities die off, we seem to lose track of this.

andyzee · Feb 13, 2012

Riverskier said:
Addiction is a choice. If you choose to try a substance that is known to be highly addictive and deadly, continue to use said substance, then end up addicted to it, how is that not a choice? Once addicted, there may be some psychological issues that pervent some people from quitting. However, you have to make poor CHOICES over and over again to get there.

Very good point, you don't sniff coke once and get addicted, you don't shoot heroin once and get addicted. You have to do it over and over.

ScottySkis · Feb 13, 2012

Well all I can say in a bad time in my life i did do the experience the "party" and I can see how easy it is to become addicted if you know anything about it the high is same effect on human brain as sex, that is not easy thing to not get addicted to.

andyzee · Feb 13, 2012

Scotty said:
Well all I can say in a bad time in my life i did do the experience the "party" and I can see how easy it is to become addicted if you know anything about it the high is same effect on human brain as sex, that is not easy thing to not get addicted to.

To take it a step further, you do coke or speed one day, you stay up until noon the next day, Well guess what, you suddenly need something to get you through that day, and the same thing happens again. You've suddenly developed a cycled, and that's how the addiction starts. It's a strength in character that allows one to get out of that cycle. Weakness, one falls to the wayside. Darwin.

ctenidae · Feb 13, 2012

Want to do it more than you want to quit? Addicted.
Want to quit more than you want to do it? Not addicted.

Complete cold turkey quit smoking after 18 years. Smoked as much as 2 packs a day for some stretches (stupid restaurants...) One day I decided I was tired of it and didn't want to smoke anymore. So I didn't.

Could someone who is addicted to heroin do that? Probably not- the physical symptoms are muych worse, and will generally overcome the desire to quit without help. A lot of other drugs are good at dulling your desire to do anything, much less quit taking them.

andyzee · Feb 13, 2012

ctenidae said:
Want to do it more than you want to quit? Addicted.
Want to quit more than you want to do it? Not addicted.

What if you just enjoy it and want to do it but can control it? Believe it or not, it is possible.

ctenidae said:
Complete cold turkey quit smoking after 18 years. Smoked as much as 2 packs a day for some stretches (stupid restaurants...) One day I decided I was tired of it and didn't want to smoke anymore. So I didn't.

How long since you're last cig. Wish you all the best, but I once quit for 9 years, second quit, I'm now on 6 years.

ctenidae said:
Could someone who is addicted to heroin do that? Probably not- the physical symptoms are muych worse, and will generally overcome the desire to quit without help. A lot of other drugs are good at dulling your desire to do anything, much less quit taking them.

What are you basing this on? That heroin is tougher to quit.

Interesting concept how folks thing that illegal drugs are more addictive than legal ones. Has anyone ever tried quitting coffee for a week. If you're a regular coffee drinker, give it a try.

ALLSKIING · Feb 13, 2012

andyzee said:
What if you just enjoy it and want to do it but can control it? Believe it or not, it is possible.

How long since you're last cig. Wish you all the best, but I once quit for 9 years, second quit, I'm now on 6 years.

What are you basing this on? That heroin is tougher to quit.

Interesting concept how folks thing that illegal drugs are more addictive than legal ones. Has anyone ever tried quitting coffee for a week. If you're a regular coffee drinker, give it a try.

Your off your rocker to compare quitting coffee to heroin.

andyzee · Feb 13, 2012

ALLSKIING said:
Your off your rocker to compare quitting coffee to heroin.

No, you're off you're rocker if you think that's what I was doing. I was simply trying to illustrate the misconception people have about legal vs illegal in terms of quitting. Coffee is not easy to quit, is it tougher to quit than heroin? Don't know, never did it. Have you?

ALLSKIING · Feb 13, 2012

andyzee said:
Coffee is not easy to quit, is it tougher to quit than heroin? Don't know

If you can't answer that question then you should probably not be posting in this thread.

andyzee · Feb 13, 2012

ALLSKIING said:
If you can't answer that question then you should probably not be posting in this thread.

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