What are your thoughts on drug and alcohol addiction?

Question

Do you think someone is always addicted?

Answer 1

I think drug and alcohol addiction is something you spend the rest of your live recovering from. Even though the addict may think he/she can safely use either of them again, it is a huge gamble and can lead them back to where they came and statistically usually ends up worse then it once was. I've known people that were clean and sober for years only to go back and have "just one" one of them is dead now because of it.

Answer 2

Yes, I believe that if we are talking about a true physical/psychological addiction, he/she will struggle, to some extent, for the rest of his or her life. Most all addicts go through stages where they like to think they are cured, and they can resume to a low/moderate drinking level. However, I have yet to meet one person this plan works out for. I think it is part of a grieving cycle one goes through along the path of integrating being an addict into ones self-concept. Many studies show that an addict can be sober for a significant period of time, attempting to live as a social drinker. However, addiction changes ones brain chemistry in such ways that within a very short period of time, no matter the rationalizations and promises to drink normally that are made, that within a very short period of time the addict will esencially be right back where he/she was on the path to hitting bottom.

As much as all addicts, family members and friends, and medical personel wish it were true, addiction is NOT like a bacterial infection that can be cured eventually with antibiotics, eventually returning the body/mind to its original condition.

The true acceptance of addiction as a part of yourself and your day-to-day existence is, from my experience, the most difficult step. When you first look over the 12 Steps, it looks like the easiest one---Yup, I have a problem here, done! Check that one off and move on. I can fly right through these steps and be cured! Unfortunatley, working the program looks nothing like this.

Im sorry my answer seems so rambling, so to answer your question straight out--if you are referring to addiction in the clinical sense (I think you are), yes. Once an addict, always an addict.

Answer 3

My thoughts are I am glad not be be either a drug addict of a alcoholic as I'm sure it must be a miserable waste of a life.

Answer 4

I think that alcohol and drug addiction is hell.Hell for the addicts and hell for their family ,friends,and everybody else in the picture.It's a day to day struggle.Someone that is an addict will always be an addict.AA and NA are always there for you,but you've got to want it.It's all up to you to want to live a sober life.

Answer 5

I think someone can only be helped if they want to be helped.
Its good if they know they have a problem.
And its terrible if they have accepted the way they are.
I think that once someone is addicted they must quit it completly to stop the problem.

Answer 6

i like to drink, but am i addicted?...........guess that depends on who you ask i guess. i think everything is o.k. in moderation and the problem with the world today is that everyone wants to butt in on everyone else's issues and complicate things - hey if you wanna drink it's not hurting me any so go ahead and load up!

Answer 7

left to run its course it will kill off the person and leave an empty shell that is hopeless and can no longer breathe mentally&spiritually. it can cause psychosis and sooooooooooooooooooooooo many other problems, the list is a fact and the truth.

Answer 8

not all of them, its the choice that is the addiction

Answer 9

course not. they can always stop, with some effort.