Addiction a disease?

There is a difference .. at least as far as I understand it ...

Wikipedia says it best:
Historically, addiction has been defined as physical and psychological dependence on psychoactive substances (for example alcohol, tobacco, heroin and other drugs) which cross the blood-brain barrier once ingested, temporarily altering the chemical milieu of the brain.

A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs.[1] It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune diseases. In humans, "disease" is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, distress, social problems, and/or death to the person afflicted, or similar problems for those in contact with the person.

First, just a mention that Wikipedia is merely...well, Wikipedia. It's a collection of writings by laypeople that may or may not be correct. Just sayin'.

But reading the definition of disease as Wikipedia lists it, yes, that is addiction. I don't understand how that can be read and NOT construed to be a disease. Addiction is:
An abnormal condition
With specific symptoms and signs
Caused by both external factors and internal factors
Causes pain, dysfunction, distress social problem and death

What part of that paragraph ISN'T addiction?

This gets so hotly debated because people equate the word "disease" with some kind of excuse. I, personally, don't think "disease" is the appropriate word for addiction. But, regardless of what you want to call it, the thing that incenses people is that people seem to call it a disease, throw their hands up and act like since they have a "disease," there's nothing they can do about it and resign all responsibility. That's what's upsetting.

Source: I'm a linguaphilic pedant who has managed to quit smoking AND over-eating.

I don't wanna sound mean but I think addiction is just people that are too weak to stop doing whatever it is that there "addicted" to. Canser is a disease,in my opinion eating,drugs,drinking ect.,isn't!

I'm assuming you've never been addicted to anything then, right? You've never had any kind of compulsions? How nice of you to pass judgement on countless people when you haven't the slightest idea of what you are talking about.

In responce to the OP I think that addiction is more like a disorder rather than a disease. And here is my logic. Diseases kill people. Yes, being addicted to smoking or alcohol can LEAD to a disease that may kill you. Addiction is more of a behavioral, physical, psychological thing. And sometimes it's really hard, if not impossible, to changed the way a person's brain is wired.

You bring up a good point.... though..... when you say that "if a person doesn't eat, there is no disease," how do you feel about Alcoholism? Is it a disease? But yet, "If a person doesn't drink, there is no disease."


Note: I'm really NOT trying to be a smart *kitten*. I'm just curious to the response. Thanks!

i tend to agree with this.

i guess it's the same as all the addiction / obsessive / lack of control type illnesses / diseases / disorders

drug addiction
alcohol addiction
bulemia
annoerxia
obsessive compulsive disorders

all of these can be excused away by, well if she just ate something, she wouldn't be annorexic, if she just stopped washing her hand 20 times an hour, she would be ok, if she just stopped eating so much, she wouldn't be fat, if she just stopped smoking crack, she would be fine....

so, yes, it is an addiction, just like any addiction, but worse than drugs and alcohol, because you have to eat everyday, you don't have to drink booze or take crack, you can't go cold turkey off of it, or you'll get sick and eventually die. it is a mental disease, not a physical thing like cancer, but it ruins lifes just like any addiction, mental disorder.

I don't consider food addiction a disease because if the person doesn't eat there's no disease. I consider any addiction a disorder and not a disease.

Your thoughts?

MOST substance based addictions fall more towards classification as a disorder than disease in my opinion. I think it is not a mere coincidence that ICD-10 categorises them under mental / behavioural disorders. Having said that some addictions do exhibit traits that tend to push them more towards a disease classification so there are no hard and fast rules here. As such it is open for debate.

I think disorder has less social stigma to it than disease so for the addicted maybe a more sympathetic title. Having said that disease seems to imply that the addicted person has in fact no control over their actions and may make the ordinary member of the public less critical of the addicted person. No control = no choice = more understandable. If choice is implicit it makes the addicted person seem feckless. They could stop what they are doing but they simply choose not to do the things that make them healthy.

Interesting subject which necessitates rational debate. Not like dumbass grammar arguments...

Schizophrenia, like addictions and eating disorders and anxiety disorders,is in the DSM the manual of mental disorders. You cannot effectively treat schizophrenia or true bipolar without medication. They are more serious, IMO than a minor skin cancer that can be excised.

Ill also clarify that addictions are often treated with meds : chantix methadone and Wellbutrin and another new one for opioid dependence the name of which escapes me. Not a doctor, but I wouldn't be surprised if EDs are treated with meds.

Addictions don't go away just because the behavior stops. Ever know a dry drunk? You almost wish he'd go on a bender and at least unclench for a moment. People switch addictions all the time. Ny friend got off coke, and was a ridiculous smoker coffee drinker and raging *kitten*.

Similarly is PTSD less serious because absent the traumatic event there's no PTSD? I should think not.

Lastly, until a person has the years of training and supervision needed to declare addiction or not, maybe just when someone says addiction hear them say "This is hard and there's more going on than I just want a ____" and be kind.

In responce to the OP I think that addiction is more like a disorder rather than a disease. And here is my logic. Diseases kill people.

Forget spelling and grammar. Your logic is flawed.

Google search "nonlethal diseases". First two results:

List of Nonlethal Infectious Diseases
http://www.livestrong.com/article/139195-list-nonlethal-infectious-diseases/

Non-Deadly Genetic Diseases
http://www.livestrong.com/article/74445-nondeadly-genetic-diseases/

Okay, Mr. Spock. I was talking figuratively not litteraly. Thank you. Have a nice day.

Food addiction is just not possible - to my mind at least, addiction is to do with something that we don't *need* but which the body is convinced we do.

Each and every one of us *needs* food - without it we die. It's a necessity, not an addiction. We don't *need* sugar though, so he could be suffering sugar addiction - that is very real (scientifically confirmed as such). Likewise we don't *need* nicotine, alcohol, heroin etc.

that's a really nice thought. I need to eat, therefore food can't become an addiction. But that's not true. Would that it were, but unfortunately is not.

Addiction isn't about what your body ACTALLY needs, it's about what your brain TELLS your body it needs so that your brain can get the chemicals it's grown dependant on. And the science backs up that eating certain foods/an over abundance of food brings in the same chemicals as drugs, as sex and as drinking. Addiction isn't about which chemical you're ingesting/injecting/inhaling, it's about the chemistry in the BRAIN.

someone has a bad day and the happy drugs in the brain go down. now, in a non-addict/non-active (for enough time)-addict's brain there are options to increase the levels again. there are a lot of them. you give your brain the right stimulus and it releases the happy drugs from your petuitary and you're better. but that's not how it works for an active addict. because an active addict has crippled their petuitary through non use. so the brain has become unable to feel better on its own and it sends out signals to get them. and the addict uses. it can be drugs, alcohol, sex OR FOOD. it just depends on what you have told your brain will get it that happy chemical.

it is entirely possible to become addicted to food, because food WILL cause an increase in the right chemicals in the brain.

Most likely it's just another excuse for being lazy. Food addiction and compulsive overeating are obsessive compulsive disorders that generally lead to death if not MEDICALLY treated. However unless your gym friend is eating around 15,000 food calories a day chances are he's just weak willed and looking for a socially acceptable excuse to give up.

I know everyone tends to like calling whatever their issue is a "disease" or giving some other medical excuse for their issues to keep themselves blameless and avoid the work involved in fixing the issue. However the cases of actual disorders are few and serious, not necessarily something you'll see in 9 out of 10 people who claim to have them.

I too am an alcoholic, 14 years sober. In the book Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholism is defined as an Illness, not a disease which I think is a good description for any addiction.

In responce to the OP I think that addiction is more like a disorder rather than a disease. And here is my logic. Diseases kill people.

Forget spelling and grammar. Your logic is flawed.

Google search "nonlethal diseases". First two results:

List of Nonlethal Infectious Diseases
http://www.livestrong.com/article/139195-list-nonlethal-infectious-diseases/

Non-Deadly Genetic Diseases
http://www.livestrong.com/article/74445-nondeadly-genetic-diseases/

Okay, Mr. Spock. I was talking figuratively not litteraly. Thank you. Have a nice day.

Sorry. I didn't mean to sound glib. Or like Mr. Spock. It was very late for me and the conversation seemed to be turning into grammar and spelling arguments, taking away from the discussion at hand. I wanted to point out the problem in your supporting argument rather than focus on spelling.

I don't necessarily disagree with your statement that "addiction is more like a disorder than a disease." I was pointing out that the logic you used to support that statement is incorrect. That's all. I think your statement is a good one, and probably at the crux of this debate. But you cannot support the statement "addiction is more like a disorder than a disease" with the logic that "Diseases kill people" - figuratively or literally. It is simply not a true statement. Some diseases are lethal. Some are not.

Healthy debate is good. I think people can learn from healthy debate. But there needs to be a level of logic and reason for it remain healthy and good.

agree, I consider overeating and undereating and addiction a disorder, all on the same level pretty much, nothing more nothing less.

I'm going to speak from personal experience. I've been addicted to everything you could imagine. The only thing I'm having trouble kicking is the cigarettes! I think my problem stems from genetics, OCD, and pathology. I just cannot wrap my head around someone saying I have a disease. What about the people addicted to bodybuilding? That is a healthy addiction. So does it seam right to label that addiction a disease? I think not.

I also think that it's really easy for people to judge others with addiction because they've never experienced what it's like for themselves. So instead of calling me weak for not being able to kick the habbit, try walking a day in my shoes.

I think everyone has been addicted to something at one point in their life, bad or good habit, addiction does not exclude anyone. And you can be a strong person who has a weakness ofr something, everyone has their weaknesses. You know that you are a strong person, especially if you have overcame so much already!

YES there are lots of addictions and disorders..

I have a very rare blood disorder which can kill me at any moment plus epilepsy.
There are people who have eating disorders such as bulimia, aneroxic, obesity... One point I MUST get across... A larger person in life can be bulimic.
When it comes to addictions and disorders though addicts choose to smoke. Drink. Have that extra bar of dairy milk * like me ;-) * . Inject. People with DISORDERS choose none of their situations. I didn't ask for a cancerous blood disorder or epilepsy but hey. You simply.get on!

Now to my beautiful amazing dad -
My dad from the age of 19 was a alcholic ( sorry I can't spell that word ) ... He travelled the world and the life style he led when he was in a band and after the band split he worked abroad driving the national express buses... He got in with the wrong crowd and obviously started drinking and smoking.60 cigars / cigarettes a day, a litre of jack daniels every other..!
5 years ago my dad was diaganosed with being diabetic! Which he done his insulin for daily and obviously this is a disorder.
However early one morning 26th June 2010 I got a call from dad saying he was in hospital. I asked him why and he said ' its alright sugar, they're just doing a few tests ' ... Well I went up there... Bad idea I'm unsure but seeing my poor dad sitting there on a drip in tears, can barely keep awake and shaken... I looked and simply said ' what's wrong ? " and his reply? ' I've been told sweetheart that one more drink will kill me and no more cigarettes as my arteries are closing up..:-o well I simply looked... Got up and walked. I never knew he drunk until that day! He's got serosis of the liver. Which is a DISEASE.. which was caused by a ADDICTION which started very young when my granddad wanted my dad to ' be a man ' so dad smoked at 12. Drunk at 19. He got told he can never work again and that's torn him apart ..
HOWEVER he left hospital. Lost 8 stone in weight, stopped the drink imediately. Cut the cigarettes and he's just MWAH!! He gets very zzzz some days and can sleep up to 18hrs but his condition knocks him for six!

But you know something?
Every single day i wake up and smile. My dad is here. My hero. Maybe some of you think ppftt can't see why but trust me.. he's the bestest man in the world and I love him to bits.

Some of you're family members are not here through drink and I'm deeply sorry XXX

I agree, I think its more of a disorder than disease.

i like this.