Who Isn’t? –

June 1, 2019 – Addiction is a disease. Consider heart disease for a minute. Heart disease affects patients that are genetically predisposed but not all predisposed persons go on to develop heart disease. It is also associated with a poor lifestyle, bad choices, lack of exercise and smoking. The same is true for other non-communicable diseases such as adult onset diabetes and hypertension. If your doctor told you that you had any of these, you would not consider yourself a bad person, but rather you would express concern as to how to improve your odds. This is the right approach to addiction. People who don’t understand addiction often comment to persons that they should “be stronger” or “try harder” to control their use, these statements disregard your genetic predisposition and implies that only the weak are addicts. If this were true then only unsuccessful and unmotivated people would be addicts. Studies reveal that 10% of executives have an alcohol addiction.

We live in a society that prides itself in socializing but is incapable of doing so sober. Many are of the impression that the party was not good if nobody got “turnt up.” This concept makes it harder for predisposed alcoholics to be out in public and not relapse. Society creates addicts and then loathes them for not being able to recover. Alcohol is the answer to everything! You lost your job – booze, your partner left you – booze, you failed an exam – booze, you got a promotion – booze, you’re getting married – booze, someone died – booze, a hurricane is coming – booze! It is very unlikely to be a social event if alcohol was not involved. Imagine being genetically predisposed and society dictates how to resolve your problems? Environmental factors, alcohol availability … all the fertilizer we needed to create the perfect addict! One drink does not define you as an alcoholic. Substance abuse creeps up and alcoholics are not just …

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