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Addiction: The Balancing Act
Addiction, and it’s ugly tentacles seem to be the topic of turbulent discussions everywhere. Recently, someone close to me sent me two different correspondence on addiction and asked what my thoughts were on the opinions written. Upon reading both, I shared a very strong opinion and view that this is exactly the type of thinking that has hindered, opposed, and kept our culture ignorant and focused on the wrong things as it pertains to addiction and substance use disorders.
The identification and treatment of addiction and substance disorders, have for nearly a century, gone in hundreds of different directions. Tons of opinions and treatment protocol been used to treat the symptoms and effects that they wreak on our culture, our loved ones, and on ourselves.
The true essence of successfully identifying, educating, and treating addiction and substance use disorders comes in having a balanced, informed, open-minded, and personally developed program of Regenesis.
A one size fits all, cookie cutter approach to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of such ailments is not only irresponsible, but in many ways keeps individuals and those affected, in the turmoil and struggle indefinitely.
Regenesis works to represent a balanced, informed, open-minded and fact based look into what a balanced view of addiction and substance use disorders can really do in conquering addiction and substance use disorders. Many families, friends, employers, faith and community based leaders, and so on have struggled intensely to find answers and help those so immensely affected by addiction.
There is hope. There are answers. And there is help!
Back to those written correspondence...
Polarizing Opinions
The first was an article posted on social media, and had nearly 900k followers. None of the information was sourced, except a brief comment eluding to an article within the Canadian Medical Association Journal. There was simply a person’s opinion “ that addiction starts with a choice therefore it can’t be a disease.”
As the article plays out, it is very obvious that the writer is not in any way objective to the subject matter. There is an overt subjectivity to the tone in which can only be recognized as someone whose life has been gravely affected by addiction. And let’s face it, if you’re life has come in contact intimately with addiction you know firsthand that it is like a burning fire to the soul.
But, just as entangling and imprisoning as addiction can be, so to is the ignorance and lack of understanding that comes with it for those watching from the outside. The anger, bitterness, and resentment that those affected carry towards the addicted becomes their own personal struggle and can lead to just as destructive behaviors.
Not having a balanced perspective of addiction can lead to some very limiting beliefs and paint a person in to a very deep corner, with very few options of how to get out.
The article used was never truly quoted or referenced. For future point of reference, the Canadian Medical Association Journal has many editorial pieces posted. One of which clearly contradicts the owner of the aforementioned article. *Please review for yourself http://www.cmaj.ca/content/184/2/155
The second piece shared with me was a post on social media from a self-proclaimed “holistic addiction recovery counselor and coach.” That “years and years ago I was a full blown alcoholic and cocaine addict, and used to believe genetics was the cause of addiction. I was dead wrong. Genetics, have nothing to do with an addiction regarding the cause of any addiction. And regardless of how many “experts” will tell you that addictions are not your choice...they sure as hell are!”
As you read more, you find out that he has a multitude of courses, supplements, trainings, etc for sale just FOR ADDICTION!!! Wow!!! Who knew that was out there?! I say that tongue in cheek. As you explore his offerings you quickly realize that he openly admits that addiction has many faces. I found that his posturing of the subject on social media was certainly done so to solicit a response for his program...a purchase!
Lastly, in regards to this holistic healer, I found it quite a huge turn off that he would tell you to disregard what the “experts” say about addiction. He single-handedly placed himself at the top of the recovery food chain as the all-knowing and exclusive curator of healing. And it seems, he is encouraging you to ignore decades of research and science as it relates to the subject of addiction. Of course, in the end you need his program and views to truly be set free! Hmmm...let’s move on.
The Faces of Addiction
Is it choice? Is it a disease? Is it a disease that began by choice? Is it curable? Whose fault is it? Is it genetic? Are alcoholics and addicts just really not trying hard enough? Isn’t this just maladaptive behavior? Did childhood cause this? Isn’t this a moral issue? 12-step programs? Is it spiritual? Is it just a chemical imbalance? Can’t they just stop? Can anyone really ever truly recover? Isn’t there some medication that can cure this? What are they trying to cover up? Hide from? Make go away?
This list quite honestly could go on and on and on….
We see the symptoms, the fertile ground for, and fruit of addiction all around us every single day! For most of us, it doesn’t take but a few seconds to conjure up the thought or memory of someone that has been tragically struck by addiction’s darkness. Lives shattered, homes broken, jobs lost, divorce, kids without a parent, abuse, crime, mental problems, physical ailments, and on that list goes on.
The Truth about Addiction
“In the United States, more than 14,500 specialized drug treatment facilities provide counseling, behavioral therapy, medication, case management, and other types of services to persons with substance use disorders.” *1
That's almost 300 centers per state!
Of course we know some states are large, some small, and many in between so the true number per state varies. Depending on sources there are approximately 25-35 million people in the US currently struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol. If you add gambling, sex, food, and cigarettes those numbers could go as high as 100 million people!!!
Let’s clear up some much misguided, misinformed, and highly controversial ideas about addiction.
Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Addiction affects neurotransmission and interactions within reward structures of the brain, including the nucleus accumbens, anterior cingulate cortex, basal forebrain and amygdala, such that motivational hierarchies are altered and addictive behaviors, which may or may not include alcohol and other drug use, supplant healthy, self-care related behaviors. Addiction also affects neurotransmission and interactions between cortical and hippocampal circuits and brain reward structures, such that the memory of previous exposures to rewards (such as food, sex, alcohol and other drugs) leads to a biological and behavioral response to external cues, in turn triggering craving and/or engagement in addictive behaviors. *1
Addiction is linked to genetics. Estimates are that between 50 and 70 percent of the variability in susceptibility to becoming addicted can be accounted for by genetic factors.
Epigenetics-These effects arise from a newly recognized genetic mechanism called epigenesis, which enables the environment to make long-lasting changes in the way genes are expressed.
Why are we losing the battle of addiction? What are we missing? What are the missing parts? Surely someone has some answers!
What do the experts say? Who are the experts? How did they become experts? The answers to the “expert” question stirs up as many arguments as the chicken and the egg. So, for arguments sake, let’s just say we won’t refer to anyone by the term expert, except where it is used in an outside source.
By leaving that term “expert” open ended we afford ourselves the room to look at things through the lens of what is working for individuals, not the amount of coursework, training, or program knowledge a recovery and sobriety professional or volunteer might have.
What are the recovery efforts that have practical and measurable results? In addition, let's look at those things that are not working for individuals statistically.
The US Government has much to say about addiction, costs of addiction, and treatments.
What is being done to help those in Addiction? Resources? HELP!!!
Alcoholics Anonymous, is probably the most far reaching, long running, sobriety and recovery group in America. There are many offshoots of AA that focus on other substances, ie Cocaine, and extend as far as Al-Anon. Al-anon groups are for those affected by alcoholism/addiction, but they are not or tend to not to be an alcoholic/addict. In the early days of AA, the group boasted great recovery success!
A self-proclaimed recovery rate of 75% or better in the late to early ‘50s! Pretty good, right?! As the years passed and the groups grew larger, and farther reaching the success rates of sobriety have fallen to what some say is between only 5-10%.*4
Some say those numbers have fallen because AA used to use an interview process. They screened potential members and only allowed those that were really serious to join the group. *5 - Bob D. AA
References:
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