Addiction (any kind) is an illness or a choice?

I think it's a choice. Some people have more inner strength and will power than others so they have an easier time fighting the addiction, but I do believe it boils down to being a choice. I do believe everyone has the power to control their destiny, it just takes more strength than some people are willing to find within themselves.

I think it's a choice. Some people have more inner strength and will power than others so they have an easier time fighting the addiction, but I do believe it boils down to being a choice. I do believe everyone has the power to control their destiny, it just takes more strength than some people are willing to find within themselves.

:yes :agree

I think it's a choice. Some people have more inner strength and will power than others so they have an easier time fighting the addiction, but I do believe it boils down to being a choice. I do believe everyone has the power to control their destiny, it just takes more strength than some people are willing to find within themselves.
I have to agree. I hear so many people blame addiction on having a disease. My husband used to get SOOO mad when he heard that, he would reply with "No, try having cancer.. THATS a disease" He was a cancer survivor.

I never really thought about it much. But, ive heard this used and I think its a crutch for not wanting to take responsibility for their actions.

Sorry if this is harsh, but I once was an addict, so I do have a little personal expirience with it.

i think it truly depends. in the event of physiological addiction a person does not have a choice, their body really does physically need it. on the other hand things like gambling and sex i think is a choice because you are not physically in need of that sex or that gambling kwim?

It is a choice to start something that you know can and will cause a physical addiction. Once you get to the actual physical addiction, it gets gray. It is ultimately a choice to stop, but you need a lot of help, support and willpower to stop something you are physically addicted to.

Let me clarify, I dont mean physical addiction, I mean mental. Physical addiction you can choose not to do the drug, but your still going to get sick! BTDT!

It's a choice......the addict CHOSE to use that drug, smoke that cig, drink that drink, have that sex, gamble that money.....there is never a gun involved being held to their head to START......:arg

my belief is that it starts out as a choice but can develop into a mental illness. some people by genetics can be predispositioned into using something as a crutch. But as most illnesses it can be cured.

It is a choice to start something that you know can and will cause a physical addiction. Once you get to the actual physical addiction, it gets gray. It is ultimately a choice to stop, but you need a lot of help, support and willpower to stop something you are physically addicted to.

those are my feelings too

I believe there's a fine line between a strong desire and an addiction. i believe sometimes guilt can be heaped on a person with addiction by saying it can be taken care of with enough self control. addictions definitly need help. JMO in short

I think it's a choice to get you to where you can call it an addiction.

But I believe addiction is an illness.

I think some people are more predisposed towards addictions, like my brother (who hasn't had a drink in 16 years because he is an alcoholic) should never drink again because he isn't able to control himself when he does drink. I, on the other hand, had no trouble stopping smoking and can take or leave the drinking.

I think that certain addictions are choices, like drugs and smoking, while others are uncontrollable compulsions, like kleptomania.

I believe it is an illness.

It's a choice.

I don't think it's always a choice no.

I think it starts as a choice, and then leads to addiction

my belief is that it starts out as a choice but can develop into a mental illness. some people by genetics can be predispositioned into using something as a crutch. But as most illnesses it can be cured.
I agree

It's a choice.

It may start as a choice but I don't think that it always ends as a one

i believe it always starts as a choice. I think some people are quick to call themselves "addicted" when they just carry on bad habits. i think there are alot of mental illnesses and i would include addiction in there... and i do believe mental illnesses are valid illnesses.. i just think some people are quick to label themselves "addicted" or "depressed", etc etc...

The act of putting the addictive substance in your body in the first place is a choice, but the addiction itself is an illness. There is medical evidence now that proves that addiction is an actual change in brain chemistry.

The act of putting the addictive substance in your body in the first place is a choice, but the addiction itself is an illness. There is medical evidence now that proves that addiction is an actual change in brain chemistry.
I agree your brain chemistry HAS to change when your addicted to something. I did some pretty sad and crazy stuff when I was an addict. I just think some people lean on saying its a disease or an illness as a crutch so they don't have to be responsible for their actions.

I agree your brain chemistry HAS to change when your addicted to something. I did some pretty sad and crazy stuff when I was an addict. I just think some people lean on saying its a disease or an illness as a crutch so they don't have to be responsible for their actions.

Well, now that there is a medical way to determine if someone is addicted, people will have a harder time claiming to be addicted to things when they aren't. If someone says they are addicted to something, ask them if they have been diagnosed. LOL.

The act of putting the addictive substance in your body in the first place is a choice, but the addiction itself is an illness. There is medical evidence now that proves that addiction is an actual change in brain chemistry.

I still think people have control over themselves, even with a change in chemistry. How do some people kick their addictions if they don't have control over it, KWIM? I do think people have control over their addictions, at least to an extent. Smoking is an addiction but millions of people quit, with and without support/help. I quit cold turkey even though it was EXTREMELY hard. I also quit a few other pretty hard core drugs that I was very addicted to during my teen years.

I feel act of taking that first snort of coke or drink of alcohol (etc) is a choice. However the addiction itself is a mental illness. true addiction is a very scary thing, I believe a person with an addictive personality will at some point in their lives become addicted to something.

Yeah, I kicked some hard drugs as well and it was all by choice. I chose to put myself in the predictment and chose to get myself out of it. I just have a hard time swallowing that its a disease.

I still think people have control over themselves, even with a change in chemistry. How do some people kick their addictions if they don't have control over it, KWIM? I do think people have control over their addictions, at least to an extent. Smoking is an addiction but millions of people quit, with and without support/help. I quit cold turkey even though it was EXTREMELY hard. I also quit a few other pretty hard core drugs that I was very addicted to during my teen years.

Not everyone has the same brain chemistry, so not all drugs will effect everyone the same. There are people that will have no problem quitting one drug but a different one would completely lay them out. Visa versa for someone else. There are people who are much more prone to addiction than others all around. I didn't have that big of a problem quitting the drugs I used to do, and I was into it HARDCORE. My mom on the other hand, she struggled for YEARS. She also had bipolar disorder so her brain chemistry was different than mine.

I know personality has a lot to do with it as well, but there IS a change in brain chemistry which has been shown over and over again in medical tests. No two people are exactly the same when it comes to... ANYTHING really... so no two people will have the same experience with quitting addictive substances. It's simple biology.

I still think people have control over themselves, even with a change in chemistry. How do some people kick their addictions if they don't have control over it, KWIM? I do think people have control over their addictions, at least to an extent. Smoking is an addiction but millions of people quit, with and without support/help. I quit cold turkey even though it was EXTREMELY hard. I also quit a few other pretty hard core drugs that I was very addicted to during my teen years.

My Mother is an alcoholic she is recovered. How ever all it would take is her to have that ONE drink and she would quickly be back where she started. An addict may recover but they will ALWAYS be an addict. They can not have on drink or buy one pair of shoes or bet on just one race. Their mental mindset does not allow them to stop once they begin. As the addiction deepens it becomes that much harder to hit that high. You have to drink more, buy more, gamble more just to reach the same level you once reached easily.

I have smoked in the past and sure sometimes I might think a ciggy would be nice BUT I never NEED a ciggy. A true addict will always have that need somewhere inside of them just itching to get out. just going off the experience I have with alcoholics in my gene pool. (yeah there are quite a few of them) All this is general.

You are LUCKY that you could quit cold turkey and not ever have that relapse or not have cravings for any of it anymore. You are rare most addicts will tell you that they always have that nasty little voice somewhere inside.

I think it starts out as a choice.... and ends up an illness.

I've never personally experienced an addiction... but my life is FULL of people who have, so I've watched the cycles over and over.

The people I've seen.... they overestimate their self-control. They start stuff thinking "oh, I'm above the statistics... I can quit when I want to..." until eventually it turns into a full-blown addiction that takes over their lives.

At that point, I believe it's out of their control. It's a disease that could've been prevented.

At that point, I believe it's out of their control. It's a disease that could've been prevented.

I think that is exactly why addiction being a disease is such a hard thing for people to swallow sometimes. Because it is TOTALLY preventable.

I still think people have control over themselves, even with a change in chemistry. How do some people kick their addictions if they don't have control over it, KWIM? I do think people have control over their addictions, at least to an extent. Smoking is an addiction but millions of people quit, with and without support/help. I quit cold turkey even though it was EXTREMELY hard. I also quit a few other pretty hard core drugs that I was very addicted to during my teen years.

Yeah, I kicked some hard drugs as well and it was all by choice. I chose to put myself in the predictment and chose to get myself out of it. I just have a hard time swallowing that its a disease.

I think a lot of it also depends on a person's will. Obviously both of you were smart enough to make the decision to come clean... and strong enough to stick with it. Congrats to both of you, that's awesome :hugs

Unfortunately not everyone is that strong.... I think you two are exceptions to the rule. Addiction is a monster for most people unless they have other crutches to rely on (friends, family, rehab, etc). So good for you!!!

I would have said choice until two years ago.

I had what eventually turned out to be allergies..unfortunately it manifested itself with a horrible cough. The urgent care doc gave me narcotic cough syrup (hydrocodone)...it was WONDERFUL, the only relief I had from coughing in two days. He wanted me on it for five days, after which I stopped very easily...but the cough came back, so he put me back on it.

Fast forward to two weeks later. I could TELL when it was time for my next dose. I CRAVED it. So of course that scared me to death because I was smart enough to realize what was happening and I stopped taking it and told my doctor. He was less than sympathetic, especially when I ended up pulling muscles in my chest from the cough. Another week later we got the cough under control, and I got rid of the stuff because I knew if I kept it in the house, I would keep taking it.

I think that anyone who considers it a choice needs to spend three weeks on narcotics and THEN get back to me. I've never taken illegal drugs and never will, but I can only imagine what the really hardcore stuff does to someone.

it's both...

I would have said choice until two years ago.

I had what eventually turned out to be allergies..unfortunately it manifested itself with a horrible cough. The urgent care doc gave me narcotic cough syrup (hydrocodone)...it was WONDERFUL, the only relief I had from coughing in two days. He wanted me on it for five days, after which I stopped very easily...but the cough came back, so he put me back on it.

Fast forward to two weeks later. I could TELL when it was time for my next dose. I CRAVED it. So of course that scared me to death because I was smart enough to realize what was happening and I stopped taking it and told my doctor. He was less than sympathetic, especially when I ended up pulling muscles in my chest from the cough. Another week later we got the cough under control, and I got rid of the stuff because I knew if I kept it in the house, I would keep taking it.

I think that anyone who considers it a choice needs to spend three weeks on narcotics and THEN get back to me. I've never taken illegal drugs and never will, but I can only imagine what the really hardcore stuff does to someone.
Try many years on narcotics, hard ones...

I would have said choice until two years ago.

I had what eventually turned out to be allergies..unfortunately it manifested itself with a horrible cough. The urgent care doc gave me narcotic cough syrup (hydrocodone)...it was WONDERFUL, the only relief I had from coughing in two days. He wanted me on it for five days, after which I stopped very easily...but the cough came back, so he put me back on it.

Fast forward to two weeks later. I could TELL when it was time for my next dose. I CRAVED it. So of course that scared me to death because I was smart enough to realize what was happening and I stopped taking it and told my doctor. He was less than sympathetic, especially when I ended up pulling muscles in my chest from the cough. Another week later we got the cough under control, and I got rid of the stuff because I knew if I kept it in the house, I would keep taking it.

I think that anyone who considers it a choice needs to spend three weeks on narcotics and THEN get back to me. I've never taken illegal drugs and never will, but I can only imagine what the really hardcore stuff does to someone.


Realizing you're addicted to something is terrifying. Now that you mention it, I guess I have experienced that. First time being all the horrible headaches/etc I had after depriving myself of caffeine for a week... I realized I was addicted & had no idea.

Second time was when I tried to stop taking Lexapro last spring cold turkey. I thought I was going to die.... I've never felt that low in my life.... It was scary.

My Mother is an alcoholic she is recovered. How ever all it would take is her to have that ONE drink and she would quickly be back where she started. An addict may recover but they will ALWAYS be an addict. They can not have on drink or buy one pair of shoes or bet on just one race. Their mental mindset does not allow them to stop once they begin. As the addiction deepens it becomes that much harder to hit that high. You have to drink more, buy more, gamble more just to reach the same level you once reached easily.

I have smoked in the past and sure sometimes I might think a ciggy would be nice BUT I never NEED a ciggy. A true addict will always have that need somewhere inside of them just itching to get out. just going off the experience I have with alcoholics in my gene pool. (yeah there are quite a few of them) All this is general.

You are LUCKY that you could quit cold turkey and not ever have that relapse or not have cravings for any of it anymore. You are rare most addicts will tell you that they always have that nasty little voice somewhere inside.

Oh, I'm not saying I never crave them :lol ANYTHING can set my craving in, from seeing someone on TV smoking to just catching a whiff of a freshly lit cig. The same goes for drinking, which is why I have to be very careful with the occasional drinks I do have. I come from a family of alcoholics, and have lived several years of my life as one, although I have had it under control for a few years. I do still have the cravings for things, but I guess that's part of why I feel that it IS a choice... because as much as I may want it, sometimes even very badly, I have and do choose to not have it b/c I know it would lead to a downward spiral. Even when I drink and I can feel myself wanting another and wanting another, I force myself to stop at one or two.

These feelings I have and the ability to make the choice to not keep doing these things are what leads me to believe that addiction is CHOICE. I know there are other factors, such as physical addiction. Believe me, I was addicted to one of the most addictive drugs you can come across that caused me HORRIBLE withdraws, but I did overcome it and have been clean for 6 years. I made that choice to overcome it, even though I was most definitely addicted.

Realizing you're addicted to something is terrifying. Now that you mention it, I guess I have experienced that. First time being all the horrible headaches/etc I had after depriving myself of caffeine for a week... I realized I was addicted & had no idea.


Hehehe, I'm addicted to caffeine and have known that for quite a few years. It wasn't terrifying like the narcotics though, just an annoyance. Followed by joy because I finally realize why I was getting headaches every Saturday morning!

I think it starts off as a choice,but I think a lot of addiction has to do with genetics.

My family has a history of so many diffrent addictions. I know I have tendency's to get addicted to certain things. That is why I choose not to drink and have not tried any major drugs. I even have to stop myself from gambling . I know my limits ,but I can feel the pull to addictive things.

I know for a fact there is a genetic pull to addictive things. My brother was put up for adoption and raised in a totally different kind of family than me. When we met,he told me that he can see his self being drawn to alcohol. He did not know at that time that our birth mom has alcohol problems. He also suffers from Anxiety and depression ,just like me.

I think a lot of the pull to addiction with my family is depression and anxiety. I think the addiction comes from self medicating .

Oh, I'm not saying I never crave them :lol ANYTHING can set my craving in, from seeing someone on TV smoking to just catching a whiff of a freshly lit cig. The same goes for drinking, which is why I have to be very careful with the occasional drinks I do have. I come from a family of alcoholics, and have lived several years of my life as one, although I have had it under control for a few years. I do still have the cravings for things, but I guess that's part of why I feel that it IS a choice... because as much as I may want it, sometimes even very badly, I have and do choose to not have it b/c I know it would lead to a downward spiral. Even when I drink and I can feel myself wanting another and wanting another, I force myself to stop at one or two.

These feelings I have and the ability to make the choice to not keep doing these things are what leads me to believe that addiction is CHOICE. I know there are other factors, such as physical addiction. Believe me, I was addicted to one of the most addictive drugs you can come across that caused me HORRIBLE withdraws, but I did overcome it and have been clean for 6 years. I made that choice to overcome it, even though I was most definitely addicted.

((((HUGS)))) Addiction blows and it speaks volumes of your strength of character that you remain recovered. I stopped drinking after watching that Sandra Bullock movie it scared me because I could see myself in her. I was lucky though and the alcoholism skipped me. I don't chance it though so it is rare that I do drink. I think it would be to easy to allow it to consume me if I did KWIM?

((((HUGS)))) Addiction blows and it speaks volumes of your strength of character that you remain recovered. I stopped drinking after watching that Sandra Bullock movie it scared me because I could see myself in her. I was lucky though and the alcoholism skipped me. I don't chance it though so it is rare that I do drink. I think it would be to easy to allow it to consume me if I did KWIM?

Honestly, my kids are the only thing that keeps me straight. I know it's sad that I don't do it for myself but being a good mom to them is what makes me want to be clean and able to function properly. The reason I quit smoking to begin with is because Jason said we could start thinking about a family, so I wanted to give them the best start and I swear to you I quit about 4 different addictions cold turkey within about 3 months time. I did have a few relapses and I think I posted in another dearsos thread that I even kept them from Jason b/c I knew he would FLIP, but I have been completely clean from everything except alcohol for 6 years and boy does it feel good to not have my soul owned by any of those substances anymore :blech

Drinking is my one downfall. I usually know my limit and I do feel that I have control over it, but it's still something I have to be careful with. I guess the one thing that doesn't help is Jason encouraging my drinking b/c I am "easy" :suspect and loopy when I drink. One or two beers transforms me into one of the most air headed, silly people you will ever meet and he seems to think it's funny and amusing. :taptap

Anyway,

Sorry about the thread jack :lol

/threadjack

As far as addiction being a choice because you didnt HAVE to take that first hit, or sip, or whatever...
not everyone thinks "oh, when i drink this beer, i WILL become addicted!"
for a lot of people, you do things like that because its social... other people are doing it so why would anyone think they cant? (and im not going to talk about illegal substances that have been taught to us are addictive, sometimes even the first time using them... )

when i was a young girl (from the ages of 6-10ish) i was a klepto. i had the urge to STEAL everywhere i went. i chalk this up to all sorts of family issues and depression, but i also know that stealing, in the beginning, was just a choice.

no little girl ever thinks that 12 years down the road she STILL will want to steal.

i dont anymore. i managed to stop... being so young and very easily made to feel guilty (just from my own thoughts too.)
but i know that it felt so GOOD stealing. having that little something (because i never wanted anything big... just SOMETHING small.. tictacs were my favorite)
i could walk away with a secret in my pocket. something that was JUST MINE that no one else knew about... or could say anything about.

its now a CHOICE to continue stealing... but its an ILLNESS i have, always WANTING to steal... to simply face that CHOICE every time i go to a store... or a friends house and see something small (because at my worst, i stole from friends)
im fortunate enough to have the ability to see what is wrong.. and to have the strength to hold myself to the 'good' standards.

but not everyone has that.

so i feel addiction BECOMES an illness
and still maintains a choice within it.

the choice doesnt change the illness though.

I think some people have obsessive/addictive personalities... Like my sister supposedly has borderline personality disorder and she gets addicted to things easily. Ultimately though it is a choice and to get over the addictions it takes a lot of willpower but I think it can be done if you want it. Mind over matter type thing.

It is hard for me to understand because I have never been obsessed/addicted over/to anything.

Honestly, my kids are the only thing that keeps me straight. I know it's sad that I don't do it for myself but being a good mom to them is what makes me want to be clean and able to function properly. The reason I quit smoking to begin with is because Jason said we could start thinking about a family, so I wanted to give them the best start and I swear to you I quit about 4 different addictions cold turkey within about 3 months time. I did have a few relapses and I think I posted in another dearsos thread that I even kept them from Jason b/c I knew he would FLIP, but I have been completely clean from everything except alcohol for 6 years and boy does it feel good to not have my soul owned by any of those substances anymore :blech

Drinking is my one downfall. I usually know my limit and I do feel that I have control over it, but it's still something I have to be careful with. I guess the one thing that doesn't help is Jason encouraging my drinking b/c I am "easy" :suspect and loopy when I drink. One or two beers transforms me into one of the most air headed, silly people you will ever meet and he seems to think it's funny and amusing. :taptap

Anyway,

Sorry about the thread jack :lol

/threadjack

My DH feels the same way about me when I drink, so I KWYM! I can relate because I keep my mental health in check because of the kids. If I didn't have the kids I might not be trying to get myself all sorted out with the bipolar and other issues. I care more about myself because the kids deserve a healthy & happy Mom. sorry I thread jacked.

I think it starts off as an action, and ends up as a consequence.

Addictions don't just HAPPEN imo. You have to take that first cigarette before you are addicted- and that's your choice.

Once you are addicted, I don't believe it's a choice. However- when you're in the right state of mind, you can choose to kick the addiction.

I think it starts as a choice, and then leads to addiction

:yes

*I think it's both. People can get addicted by choice, but then it gets bad enough to be an illness.

I believe that the initial decision to partake of an addictive substance or behaviour (whatever it may be) is a choice. I don't think anyone chooses to become addicted. IMO the addiction itself is an illness.

I think it's a choice.
But sometimes a choice it hard to break, and that person needs a little help.

I've never had any type of an addiction, so I have no first hand knowledge about this.

i haven't read all the threads but i do think its a choice that turns into an illness and sometimes it doesn't take it long. i know i have a caffeine addiction. no joke if i don't have a little caffeine a day i get migraines and that is an illness. although it wasn't something i would do on purpose i wasn't even aware i was creating an addiction. its actually got my hormones all jacked up now. its not a harmful one by any means. compared to what is out there. but i think that it is a choice that becomes an illness but you also have a choice to cure it as well, and overcome it. for me everytime i pick up a can of coke i choose to feed my addiction instead of drinking a glass of water and getting that migraine by 7 pm. the i think mine is more of a choice with physical consquences maybe that is what i feel more so than an illness but i have never had any serious addictions so maybe had i had to recover from something like that i might feel differently.

I agree with Brandi. I have cravings and I still smoke :blech I just have to muster up the courage to fight those cravings away. One day i'll quit smoking too. I just wanted to see what everyones opinions on the subject were. Thanks for not letting it get nasty :D

i think it truly depends. in the event of physiological addiction a person does not have a choice, their body really does physically need it. on the other hand things like gambling and sex i think is a choice because you are not physically in need of that sex or that gambling kwim?
depends. alcoholism I think is a choice, but inevitably a disease. Some situations/choices, etc I think our choice and depending on the person and that situation and influences determines the outcomes.

my belief is that it starts out as a choice but can develop into a mental illness. some people by genetics can be predispositioned into using something as a crutch. But as most illnesses it can be cured.

I agree with this. I think with addiction it's not black and white.

depends. alcoholism I think is a choice, but inevitably a disease. Some situations/choices, etc I think our choice and depending on the person and that situation and influences determines the outcomes.

exactly when your body physically needs whatever drug it's not a choice you actually need it (granted you could detox and work on your addiction). i think for some things you don't physically need that substance or behavior and continuing to do or use substances/behaviors is a choice it is not a physical NEED.

I think its a choice.

I agree with Brandi. I have cravings and I still smoke :blech I just have to muster up the courage to fight those cravings away. One day i'll quit smoking too. I just wanted to see what everyones opinions on the subject were. Thanks for not letting it get nasty :D

I'm sorry and I normally do agree with you. But it's just not that cut and dry. It's just not.
I've smoked since I was little I was about 9 when I took my first drag and the next few years were spent stealing them. I didn't smoke much and considering I have asthma it's really NOT the smarest decision. But I was freakin 9. I had no idea that what I was doing then would chart the course for the rest of my life. In HS I drank alot but no more then anyone else did. I started smoking weed. I was in a bad relationship my father had just died and I was moved to ky away from all the people I had spent my entire life around. I felt like everything was out of control and I spiriled. I didn't just smoke weed I did acid and coke I tried more then once heroin how I am still alive today I don't know. I drove high I did things that would make alot of you hate me just to get a fix. my ex fiance was beating me I felt completely hopeless. I met matt. He wasn't like ANYONE I was around at the time and the first few times I was around him I was high. He asked me to move down to GA with him he knew that what I was doing would kill me if I didn't stop. I was skinny and guant I can't remember much that's how messed up I was. It's not just that time the drugs took..... it's far reaching it's wiped out memories. I meet people who knew me in middle school and high school they knew me BEFORE I was like that and I don't remember them. I don't remember anything about them in one case they were my best friend back then. I don't remember things about my childhood. It was and still is horrible how far reaching the drugs got. I moved with Matt it was a very hard choice to make I quit talking to everyone from my past (my current past who were involved in everything) it was hard as shit but I got clean without any help from anyone other then matt. I still have cravings. I can't watch movies with alot of drugs in them it doesn't feel like just a craving it feels like a need and I'm so scared I'll slip.
I obviously didn't quit smoking then I quit when I got pregnant with my son it was simple he was in me and like hell I would harm him. I didn't start again until Matt went to Korea. I didn't have friends or anyone around me who smoked until then and the pull to smoke became unbareable. I've quit for a week or two since but I can't just quit. I try but I shake and I get cranky and it's like it's out of my control. I am goign to my doc at my next apt and asking for help. I can't quit on my own. You can sit and say I have no willpower or whatever you want to say but I don't want to smoke anymore I don't but I can't quit. I can't even explain it. I mean with the exception of 2 years I've been smoking since I was 9 I'm 28 that is ALOT of years spent smoking.
So my point in all of this is that is NOT just so cut and dry it's not just about courage. Hell it took more courage then I even knew I had to get clean. Sometimes an addication can rule you're life.

Again, didn't read every page, but whoever said sex addcition is not a chemical dependency is wrong.
At least read about it before you speak, please! :)

My thought is that it is a choice to start something that is habit forming, but I also believe that people do get addicted to things. But the initial action was a choice.

Choice... You always have a choice...

IMO they are both disease and choice. An addict can work through the addiction and lead a healthy life not having to face surgery. However the mental illness still has to be faced and the means by which to correct that illness through phsycological help. the body faces detox or overdose the mind can be crippled beyond repair. Like crack addicts that have baked themselves into mental institutions. It fair to say though that it would take a CHOICE whether or not to fix it. Same as a disease. Do you take the meds that ultimately give you a few extra years of life but deplete your quality of life or do you continue the road of what you truly want? soooo I can agree with both positions on this matter. I have to say though that in my line of work I absolutely HATE the people that allow themselves to slide into addiction and drain everyone else. Let them commit suicide if they like but keep THAT disease to yourself. :onsoapbox

I agree with a lot of PP's. It's a choice. You choose to repeat that action that you know is wrong. Sure there are some psychological disorders that involve impulse control and psychosis and for those people it is still a choice influenced by an illness. Their decision to give into that desire or to seek help in overcoming the desire is a choice too.

I believe it's a choice. My DH choose to drink to the point where he was labled an alcoholic. Just like some of my past friends choose to smoke pot. True it does effect your mind and your body, but you can stop it at anytime when you decide. My grandmother didn't want cancer, but she got it and can just stop having it. That is a disease. Not getting high or drunk or whatever the person's addiction is.

I think it depends.

Starts as a choice then leads to an illness due the fact that for certain things.. like Vicodin or Pec. Your body begins to gain a "need" for it. If it doesn't get that need it will start to go into a "shut-down" mode.

That is why for some drugs a person may take the Doctor will lower the strength of it from time to time to "ween" you off of it.

The difference between a Choice and an Illness is that with choices you can choose. But with an illness that comes from an addiction to a medicine you dont have that choice due to what was stated above!

I think it can be an illness or result/side effect of an illness.

I believe it is an illness.

:agree

I have to say that starting something is a choice, I'm going to use alcohol as an example because i have a lot of family experience in that department. When you decide to start drinking that is a choice but there are psycological factors that will determine whether you will be able to stop when you want to. Some people have the ability to just quit but for those who do not it truly can become an illness.

It is a choice to start something that you know can and will cause a physical addiction. Once you get to the actual physical addiction, it gets gray. It is ultimately a choice to stop, but you need a lot of help, support and willpower to stop something you are physically addicted to.

i totally agree with this!!