Addiction
 

There's been a grayscale on what is an addiction? Most shows like interventiion claim over and over that addiction is a disease. South Park has an episode based on what is an addiction.

Here's the full episode based on Addiction: http://www.southparkstudios.com/full...14-bloody-mary

Do you think Addiction is a disease or is it something else? I'll talk to you guys about it, it's not a problem with me I don't have an addiction to anything other than yaoi.

Well, first we ask Websters to define this(cause I like definitions, but some people don't so I hid 'em)

Then a handy one by dictionary.com


If we're talking about the first then no, it's not a disease. The same thing goes when someone say 'Oh, I'm addicted to [insert activity, action or object] they probably don't mean that they're truely addicted by the other definitions. It's not compulsive and they have no control over it.

However, if it's a compulsion that they can't control, yeah that's bad. A disease? I dunno, really, I mean, I firmly beleive that if you want to stop something you can. Will it suck? Probably. I was addicted to caffeine, the actual compulsive, psychologically damaging, etc version of addiction. I beat that addiction and it sucked. Do I think I had a disease? No, just a problem.

I will admit, I sometimes think people use the 'disease' card to get out of being held responsible for how they acted or behaved. I know that not everyone can beat an addiction on their own, and I fully support people that fight to curb one, but I'm not going to give them the easy out of 'oh you're [sick]'.

I don't think addiction is a disease, it's more of a habit.
In your case it seems more like an interest/hobby. xD

In my psychology class in both college and High School kept saying that addiction is a disease, I fought tooth and nail over it . I had to stand myself up everytime when it's brough up saying that to me addiction is a form of habit you created, lets say cocaine.

When you first take cocain,e it was the best high; then when you take it more and more like a habit, then your body starts to become dependent on that drug so your body is telling your mind "I need this." And you can get off of it, it'll be hard, but it can happen when you put the time and effort to it.

The only time when I call something a disease is when you already had it in you before you take it, like a biological disease such as sickle cell anemia.

I would like everyone else's opinions PLEASE

I think an addiction becomes a "disease" when it takes over ones life completely and they can't stop thinking about it and suffer from such powerful urges to do whatever they are doing that they never leave the house, forget to eat and drink water. When it becomes THAT Much of an addiction I think it should be classified as a disease.

Edit: However its not a disease like physically like with your health. More like a mental addiction where you can't stop thinking about it and constantly need to have it, like a drug-but it can be from things to jacking off while watching porn to stuffing your face with food and constantly eating.

I don't necessarily think an addiction is a disease so much as a mental state of mind. If your brain "thinks" you need something, it tells your body it needs it. I would classify it more as a disorder, but not a disease. A disease I think would imply that it is an infection in your body that needs to be purged. An addiction is (usually) a self inflicted dependancy on something. I can't say I've been addicted to anything in my life, but I do know a fair share of people who've had problems. My uncle was an alcoholic, so you could say he was addicted to drinking. When he had a heart attack at 35, he realized he needed to stop, and fast, and with that mentality curbed the addiction and now lives an (almost) alcohol free life, drinking only socially, one or two drinks at gatherings. I think it'd be safer to say if an addiction was a disease it could not be cured without medication, and many people can throw addictions without medicine or aid, just sheer will power.

I don't think there is a thing such as addiction, people choose their own actions. umm, perhaps being addictingly attached to someone, like how I am with my boyfriend. I know i have had a bad habbit of biting my nails since i was little little bitty, so have tryed to stop. it's very hard. I use to bite them down to the nub, now i just kinda chew on them but don't bite them off really but end up kinda picking some off a tad bit. >.< They look very great compared to before though.. I don't think i'm doing as great as i was before though. I need to start trying to polish my nails. they will look pretty...so it will make me less tempted and make me say, no to myself..

My honest opinion? Addiction isn't REALLY a disease. I used to watch intervention ALL the time. People CHOOSE to be addicted to whatever it is they're addicted to. They weren't born with a crack spoon in their hand, a bottle of vodka, etc etc.

As Mitch Hedberg once joked about. xD;

"Alcoholism is a disease, but it's the only one you can get yelled at for having. Goddamn it Otto, you are an alcoholic! Goddamn it Otto, you have Lupus! One of those two doesn't sound right. "

I think addiction is a disease.. Im addicted in some avatar sites and gambling in games and in real life... I dunno but my father is also addicted in gambling... >.< maybe i get this from him..

It varies on what the addiction is.

If, it doesn't harm others or yourself then it probably wouldn't be a disease, but if wrecks ones life then yeah it would be a disease. And, a horrible one at that too.

For example addiction coffee or junk food wouldn't be a disease I don't think, but addiction to illegal substances would be a disease or atleast it has become a disease.

As somebody who suffers from addiction and is in recovery from drug addiction, yes I would say it is a disease.

Not everyone is born with cancer, but they can still get it from life experiences. When you suffer from a drug addiction, it completely takes over your mind, body, and soul. To chase that high that you can never get again is hard to deal with when you will never get better. Getting into recovery, now that is a different story. Once you find that hope, you made the decision to go back out again.

I grew up with an alcoholic mom and a crackhead dad. Seeing what they went through, yes, I honestly believe it is an addiction. If you honestly, 100%, TRULY ADDICTED. Not that "oh I'm so addicted to pocky teehee~" kinda thing. If it's hurting you, your life, and the ones around you- you're addicted and yes, it is a disease. It's something you generally need help with- whether it's counseling, physical therapy, medicine, etc. I don't think alcohol and drugs are the only true addictions, though. If you're so addicted to video games you're neglecting your life, your friends, your family, your priorities then it is still harming you.

But me, for example, being addicted to pandas is just something I joke about. It isn't harming me and those around me (just my FINANCES) so I wouldn't consider that a disease.

I don't consider it a disease
It is out of habit or if the stuff they use has anything that causes it addicting
however, originally I think it was used so people could have an excuse for it
as well as try to get help
hmm from the definitions posted though I can see where people are coming from saying it is a disease
with it making life conditions worse, so there are the actual diseases that we can't control and the man-made ones that some don't want to control and instead of changing life styles they claim it is the disease making it... which to some people, is just an excuse not to change...
there could be other reasons mental state of mind and something that is in it making it addicting maybe even plain laziness to do anything to make changes

still doesn't consider it a disease however, some diseases could be causing it,
sometimes things aren't noticed by people/doctors, I know someone who had an organ that ruptured and it wasn't found for 2 years and people thought it was other reasons until the person was opened up... luckily he lived

Lift this thread

It's not a disease it's just inconvient. I'd say that's why people call it that. Because it's something you'd love to get rid of, but something that keeps coming back.
It's kind of like, cancer.
My sister's baseball coach had breast cancer, and it was something of course she couldn't get rid of right away, she couldn't just sit there with a scaple and cut the lump off and be done. People relate addiction to disease because it's something we find incurable, there's always that light at the end of the tunnel, and always a cure, but it's working hard enough to get to that light.
So- she beat it once, and it came back.
Addictions are often things we turn to when sad, lonely, bored, nervous, ect. It`s triggered by our emotions. A smoker, both my parents smoke so I`ve noticed this, and watch you may see it too.
Look at the way they hold things in their hands, they`ve got a smoke on the brain to the point of holding things like a smoke, chewing on the end of pens like they`d pop a smoke in their mouth.
You notice these little ticks. And it's worsened by how the person feels.
But it`s not a disease, I`d say people call it that because it`s hard to over come. Just like Cancer. Not that I should be relating those two, because they're totally different things. Even though one leads to the other.. In man cases, when it comes to drugs.
But addictions in general can be anything, but I'm assuming you're speaking of drug abuse, and alcoholism. Kind of addictions. Not so much- Oh yeah me myself, I'm addicted to guitar, I have to play or at least strum my hand up and down like I'm playing. ONCE a day. Or I go bat shit insane.

Well, I'm definitely addicted to reading in general. Stories... I have to have stories. Books and books and books. Fanfiction, too. I think so much about stories in general. And I crave them endlessly. Music, too, for I believe the world is a dull place without music or books.

Addiction, though, depending on what it is can range from harmless to (of course) harmful. A harmless addiction (like music) hurts no one and everyone ultimately enjoys it. A harmful one (like kids stealing freon from air conditioning units to get high) can usually wind up being fatal. And that's what is scary. What people will do to get high, that is. Who the hell comes up with the idea of snorting bath salts?

I suppose that's where the gray area comes from, though. Where do you draw the line? And that's where things get difficult. If it's harmless and doesn't have an impact on your life, is it okay to let it go or should you treat it like if you were doing something that could kill you? And that's the problem. You can't exactly lay a line down and say 'this is too far' if the things you could be addicted to are wide ranging from innocent to dangerous.

It depends on how you define "disease".
Addictions are psychological, but they're also physiological.
Any activity that produces a strong endorphin rush can be addiction, although drugs produce this much easier than other things.
If something is highly pleasurable, we try and repeat it. Eventually, this can take priority over other activities, and become harmful.
But it is not a disease in proper sense, since it isn't a harmful outside virus or bacteria or etc. You could call it a disorder, though.

To me an addiction is when you repetitively go back to something over and over and over just to get that "high" of excitement, happiness, or horror to make you feel better with/about yourself or a situation. Like dealing with people who are depressed and "addicted" to cutting themselves or people who are overweight and "Addicted" to eating certain foods that makes them feel "better". I believe it's more of a decision then a disease but it does borderline look like one if the person subconsciously goes and does that same action without thinking twice about it. Then it may very well be a disease.

@Batty

I have to disagree with you. No one chooses to be an addict. They try something and like it. They keep doing it because they like it. And then they realize...shit...I can't stop. I feel like absolute shit if I stop.

Personally I believe it depends on the person. Like if my internet was taken away, I'd feel socially isolated and anxious and shit like an addicted person would be. Even though technically the internet isn't considered addictive.