The word “addiction” brings to mind images of users hooked on heroin or cocaine. But for many people, substance addiction is a matter of personal choice, not a life-long struggle.
However, for those who struggle with substance addiction, it can be a very real and difficult struggle.
Addiction to any substance is a disease and not a choice, regardless of how hard it is to accept.
Personal choices contribute to addiction in several ways. For example, people with substance addictions often engage in self-medicating with substances. This can include using drugs or alcohol to soothe painful emotions, as well as using substances to escape reality or self-image issues.
It is also important to note that substance addictions are a disease, not a choice. It often takes a great deal of pressure, stress and despair to push someone over the edge and turn to a substance for relief.
Addiction is a chronic disease with relapses that can be difficult to overcome. However, with the right treatment and support, anyone can overcome their addiction to any substance.
What is Addiction?
Addiction is a disease that causes harm and is preventable. However, people with addiction also have a “BiP” (biocommon path) that is triggered by life events such as family stress, relationship problems, financial problems, or other types of stress. During a BiP, substances are used as a way to cope with the stress.
Over time, this usage becomes an addiction and can cause a physical or psychological dependency.
It can also lead to an “Addicted Self-Image”, which can be a difficult concept for the self-esteem-deprived addicted person to accept.
The Basics of Addiction
Many people with addictions are unaware that they have a problem. When someone is aware that they have a substance addiction, they can begin to treatment. Diagnosis of a substance addiction is based on four main criteria:
- You have consumed a wide range of substances over time, often heavily.
- You have a negative relationship with drugs or alcohol.
- You have displayed symptoms of a disorder or disease involving drug or alcohol use.
- You have failed a number of drug tests.
Self-medication with substances
When someone with a substance addiction feels as though they have no other option but to seek help, they may turn to self-medication. This may include the use of legal drugs, illicit drugs, or other types of medication.
Self-medication is not a solution to addiction, but it can be a part of the recovery process.
Some people find that taking medication to “self-medicate” with works better than trying to stop using drugs all by themselves.
Help for an addiction to any substance
Physical and psychological treatments for substance addictions are very similar. Many of them work by changing your “biocommon” to reduce your desire for substances. For example, cognitive behavioural therapy, or “CBT”, is a psychological treatment that helps people “remember” why they drink or take certain medications.
There are also “counseling” or “talk therapy” options that explore the relationship between the person and their substance rather than focusing on the substance itself.
Bottom line
The good news is that substance addictions can be treated. The treatment process can be long and difficult, but it is worth the effort. It is important to remember that addiction is a disease and not a choice. With the right treatment and support, anyone can overcome their addiction to any substance.
