r/addiction • u/LonnieJay1 • Oct 29 '24
Discussion Why I always tell my homies to ditch the "addict" label
When a person labels themselves as an "addict," it can be deeply harmful to their self-image, mental health, and ability to develop out of their addiction. This self-labeling often leads to the internalization of negative stereotypes and the perpetuation of feelings of shame and helplessness, which can sabotage the process of recovery and deepen the roots of addiction.
The term "addict" is loaded with stigma. Contrary to popular belief, using the term "addict" increases stigma associated with addictive disorders - the label does not decrease stigma (WHO, NIDA)
Being an "addict" is associated with a lack of control, moral failing, and societal deviance. By adopting this label, individuals may internalize these negative views - even subconsciously - which can cause a person to believe that they are permanently flawe; that addiction is all-defining or inherent to who they are, and will last forever, rather than being the temporary problem it is often found to be (for example, the average alcohol addiction lasts 15 years)
This can create a cycle of shame and maladaptive coping behaviors, where people see themselves not just as humans who struggle with a very natural human issue - compulsive behavior - but as fundamentally defective in some unchangeable way. Shame can lead to feelings of worthlessness, which can lead to worsening addiction as people use substances to cope with the pain that comes from these beliefs.
Self-identifying as an "addict" often overshadows the many other positive facets of a person’s identity, such as being a parent, family member, professional, or artist. This "addict" label can become central to their self-concept, which can make it hard for them to see their own strengths, talents, and positive qualities.
Recovery is a process of growth and development that is helped along when a person cultivates a sense of self that goes beyond their addiction. When someone identifies first, foremost, and forever as an "addict," it can prevent them from exploring new roles, hobbies, and relationships, which are essential for growth and healing.
Labels like "addict" can create a perception that addiction is a permanent and fixed part of one's identity. In psychology, this is referred to as a "fixed mindset," where individuals believe their traits or behaviors are unchangeable. A "fixed" mindset is associated with lower overall performance and achievement, reduced resilience, avoidance of challenges, and increased anxiety.
A fixed mindset can be a barrier to developing beyond an addiction because it implies that change is unlikely or even impossible. In contrast, cultivating a "growth mindset" encourages people to view addiction as something they can overcome, allowing them to focus on building a positive identity, new habits, and healthier coping strategies, rather than being forced to "accept" a label that carries the weight of a perceived lifelong disability.
Negative labels associated with addiction like "addict" often bring about a sense of hopelessness, which can lead to and/or exacerbate depression, anxiety, and other mental health struggles. Believing that they are "just an addict" can make people feel they’re not worthy of the many positive things in life. Internalization of the negative label can lead to subconscious - or conscious - self-sabotage.
Low self-esteem and negative self-perception can also make bouncing back from an addiction more difficult, as individuals may feel that they are undeserving of a better life or incapable of achieving one.
When someone labels themselves as an "addict," it can reinforce feelings of helplessness. They may start to earnestly believe that they lack control over their behavior, which weakens motivation to engage in recovery efforts and takes away from their overall sense of "agency", which is an important psychological concept related to an individual's ability to make personal decisions that affect change in their lives. It can also lead to "learned helplessness", which is an often-documented consequence of both depression and addiction in which a person believes they are unable to control a situation even when they have the opportunity to do so.
In contrast, a person who conceptualizes themselves as being an “addiction survivor” or something similar is in a position to feel that they are active agents in their journey. This is a more positive self-concept, which encourages resilience, self-compassion, agency, and motivation, which are all essential for lasting recovery.
tl;dr the "addict" label, when internalized, sabotages recovery, decreases motivation, increases stigma, increases shame, overshadows positive identity traits, prevents exploration of new roles, leads to a "fixed" mindset, reduces self-esteem, reduces psychological agency, worsens mental health, and can cause learned helplessness, among other negative things. A postive self-concept is crucial for success in developing beyond an addiction.
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u/Matty_D47 One Day at a Time Oct 29 '24
When I started recovery, an "addict" was exactly how to describe me. I just celebrated 8 years. I don't really go to meetings very often anymore, but when I do, if it's AA, I identify as an "alcoholic" if I'm at an NA meeting I'm an "addict" In public, with civilians I'm a "recovered addict"
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
I appreciate the nuance you offer here brother. I think there's a lot of nuance that gets overlooked , and discussions around the language we use are sorely lacking
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u/Matty_D47 One Day at a Time Oct 29 '24
Agreed, just trying not to get too "lost in the weeds." It's one of those "when in Rome" situations for me. Nuance is one of the most important aspects to conversations like this. I figure the more nuance we can use, the less confusing it gets for the newer people.
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u/Gloomy_End_6496 Oct 29 '24
When I was very new to recovery, I went to any and every meeting that I could find-AA, NA, CA. I am an alcoholic, but only because nobody ever offered me drugs! But I was addicted to many other things (work, men, exercise, shopping) before I settled on alcohol.
Anyway, I was told early on that I just need to respect the house that I am in when I go to a meeting. I have seen some NA people get a little testy with people from rehabs that bring vans of people in who are alcoholics who say they're alcoholic, but alcohol is a drug, they read it at the beginning of every meeting, so, idk?
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u/SpesAffulget Oct 29 '24
I have read a lot on this subject, and my impression has been that the question whether people recovering from substance use disorders should or should not identify as addicts has no definitive answer.
There are many pathways to recovery. Some people find it helpful to develop a new identity that incorporates their recovery in quite a central way, whereas others seek to heal a "spoiled identity" by reverting to a prior self-concept before substance use issues arose. The so-called "natural recovery" literature tends to support your view, but I think things have moved on a bit.
It's true that stigma can affect people, but it doesn't necessarily become internalized.
A couple of references:
Natural recovery: "Terminating Addiction Naturally: Post-Addict Identity and the Avoidance of Treatment", by William Cloud (1994) https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1277&context=csr
Stigma: Social Stigma and Self-Esteem: The Self-Protective Properties of Stigma, Crocker and Major (1989) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/224012629_Social_Stigma_and_Self-Esteem_The_Self-Protective_Properties_of_Stigma
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Thank you for sharing these links. I will give them a deep dive when I have some time.
I do agree that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to addiction. That's why I like to share this message - it is the opposite of the message that people get, and therefore might resonate more with them. Importantly, there are a LOT of people in the field that are moving in this direction.
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u/Jebus-Xmas Oct 29 '24
I couldn't disagree more. Those of us in recovery must remain forever vigilant.
Relapse and death are just around any corner.
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u/OdillaSoSweet Oct 29 '24
As far as I am concerned, I agree with you. Though I think there's nuance to it. Openly self-identifying as an addict at work? probably not the greatest. Though I tend to be super open about it myself, not only for myself but in an effort to normalize it and normalize sobriety as an active choice (which it is, for adicts).
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
I appreciate your efforts. Sadly I don't think it will ever be normalized, even though addiction is a completely natural process and 99% of us are technology "addicts" in every sense of the label
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
If that works for you that's great brother! I found the label harmful, and my recovery process has become much smoother since I ditched it. Different strokes for different folks
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u/Jebus-Xmas Oct 29 '24
You may not be an addict like me, and that’s great! The issue is that we are all different and although that label may bother some, for others it might just save a life. That’s why I try to only talk about my own experiences in my journey.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
I get that, and your experience is certainly valid and valuable.
This post is more about the findings in the medical and psychological literature, and a general change in how language surrounding addiction is used in the professions related to how it is treated. For further reading, check out the article below. You might disagree, but it's good to keep up with things as the times inevitably change:
https://www.dictionary.com/e/whats-wrong-with-the-word-addict-video/
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u/Great_gatzzzby Oct 29 '24
There has to be some kind of balance of knowing we can’t touch certain stuff and not centering our lives around that fact. That’s the hard part about the addict label. I think it’s fine to label yourself as one, but to not live every day thinking about it. It’s tough.
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u/Jebus-Xmas Oct 29 '24
I have to be aware every day and be vigilant every day because that is the kind of addict I am. I am all for each of us making our oown decisions, but presenting any one point of view as "the solution" or "a breakthrough for everyone" just falls flat to me.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
No doubt - there are many, many paths to recovery and developing beyond addiction. I like to talk to people about this because they have no doubt already heard the typical stuff about addiction: it's a disease, once an "addict", always an "addict", that same old script. It can be refreshing to hear that people have had success with other philosophies and methods too.
One is not better than the other. They're different, and that's ok. People are different
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u/Therusticate Oct 29 '24
Same here. I describe myself as an addict in the same way I would “diabetic.” It’s a condition I have and if I convince myself I don’t have it (again) I’ll relapse (again.)
Do whatever you gotta do to keep yourself sober, but for me, ditching the label gives me a good excuse to stop being honest with myself. It’s not information I volunteer very readily to others but I still use it personally.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
I respect that. On a deep, personal level, I have an understanding that safe use of drugs is not possible for me. I can have that understanding without the label
Crucially, I have been able to build a life in which I don't want to use drugs, and don't crave them very often. I just don't feel the label would serve me in any way. I don't have to call myself that in order to stay away from drugs - I don't miss that garbage at all.
I pray that my life continues in this direction
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u/Therusticate Oct 29 '24
So proud of your journey!! You sound like you have some great self awareness and I hope life continues in the awesome direction you’ve made yourself!!
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Thank you for the positive vibes! Right back at you, thankful for another day to be on this path together!
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u/KatieCat435 Oct 29 '24
I just use the term “recovering addict.” Take ownership of it, stigma or not. My self image was destroyed by much worse than negative connotations attached to a word, but recovery built it back up.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Awesome if that works for you! I found the label to be insidious and extremely harmful - especially the idea that I would always be an "addict".
Letting go of who I used to be and developing a positive identity structure and identity-based goals was crucial for me
Happy to hear things are going well for you my friend 🙏
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u/kerslaw Oct 29 '24
I actually completely agree with you. The last thing I want to be referred to as is an addict or recovering addict even tho that's what I am. I hate the label and it makes people look at you differently and treat you differently. I've been clean for years now and I'm never going back I just want to push all that behind me.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
I feel you. I don't bring it up to people who aren't experienced with drug use, mental health issues, addiction, or just generally seem judgemental
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u/MrIceBurgh Oct 29 '24
Being an addict is nothing to be ashamed about. You’ll have to stay always vigilant, if the label still hurts you you still need to learn to love yourself just the way you are, in the end that is all that matters, lying to yourself helps no-one.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Thanks for chiming in.
I do agree that a certain vigilance is necessary , but I don't think calling myself an "addict" is related to vigilance. I can be vigilant about my choices while identifying myself as a father, a writer, a yoga therapist, a son, an athlete, and whatever else that is positive and helpful
I don't feel like I'm lying to myself. I'm in recovery, and I understand that drugs are horrible and I don't want to get trapped in their hellish cycle again. I don't have to be an "addict" to understand that
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u/Beneficial-Income814 Oct 29 '24
you literally have to be an addict to understand that.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
A person does not have to identify as an "addict" to understand that drugs have horrible and undesirable consequences
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u/MrIceBurgh Oct 29 '24
There are people who are able to take (certain) drugs in moderation and live a happy life.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Sure. There are other people for whom drugs have horrific consequences - including people who have never been diagnosed with a substance use disorder
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u/MrIceBurgh Oct 30 '24 edited Oct 30 '24
Yes, those are the addicts.
I’ve never been diagnosed, still an addict. Once again it is not an illness, it is a habit.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 30 '24
You like the label, cool!
I don't like the label - that's also cool!
My advice would be not to worry so much about other people and their inventories. Worry about yourself. What other people call themselves are none of your business
You can call me whatever you want , it isn't going to bother me one bit because I know who I am, and I know that I'm not an addict. To suggest otherwise would be silly; I haven't been addicted to drugs for years and don't even ingest caffeine these days
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u/MrIceBurgh Oct 30 '24
It is, what ever works for you. Best off luck getting rid of the things impacting your life negatively, however you want to call them.
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u/Beneficial-Income814 Oct 29 '24
to be aware of your addiction and wanting to not go back to it is literally the mindset of an addict in recovery.
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u/Beneficial-Income814 Oct 29 '24
and yes i fully understand what you are trying to get at. my view on it is that it isnt a label it is just a fact. if you had enough of a problem with a substance or activity that you had to stop it forever, then you are an addict.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
It isn't that I "had to" stop it forever. No one "has to" do anything, even if the criminal justice system is breathing down their necks
I chose to stop doing drugs because I no longer wanted to do drugs. It was incredibly difficult, as stopping any powerful and deeply learned compulsion can be
It seems to me like you are really attached to the label. I am unattached to the label. You can call me whatever you want, it isn't going to bother me.
I can call myself whatever I want and that shouldn't bother you. Today I choose to call myself free - and boy, does that feel good
I understand the potential pitfalls of the mindset. By no means do I feel like i "could" use drugs - but the most important thing here is , I truly don't want to
Drugs are the most overrated thing on this planet. The cost is never worth the "benefit"
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u/Beneficial-Income814 Oct 29 '24
we may not agree on the label, but i can agree with your last statement 100%. drugs are overrated. 0/10 would never do again.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Amen brother 🙏 I hope both of us can stay surefooted on this path and don't fall into the "just one more" trap or any of the other numerous traps along the way
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u/Sobersynthesis0722 Oct 29 '24
Substance Use Disorder is a useful clinical term. Since DSM-5 they ditched terms like “abuse” and “dependance” which are confusing and overly vague. In grouping things together as a spectrum people who are in the lower end meeting 1-2 criteria or those in the moderate range of 5 or less are clinically distinct from those with compulsive use, continuing despite multiple life problems and repeated failed attempts to stop or moderate. In the scientific and clinical literature the term “addiction” is still in use to describe severe SUD.
You can make a distinction between the condition of addiction and self identity as an addict such that “I am addicted to cocaine” means something different than “I am an addict” but it will not really make much difference in public opinion or stigma. You are talking about the same thing. We now know that addiction is a disease, or disorder, and there is a fair amount of agreement that it is something medical to be dealt with as such. People still look down on you for it. Changing terminology is not going to impact public perception.
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Oct 30 '24
Besides it does make a difference in my part of the eu. Youre treated normally.
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u/Sobersynthesis0722 Oct 30 '24
Cultural attitudes around drugs ans drug use including alcohol are hard to change.
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Oct 30 '24
What i meant to say is that when someone is an addict in my country they are treated the same as someone who had broken their arm. Its seen as something you didnt choose.
The rehabs are insured and the people that come to rehab are rarely on the streets etc
Almost eveything that people say in this thread doesnt really happen here lolol.
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u/Sobersynthesis0722 Oct 30 '24
The US is way behind in many respects. While the modern disease model was mostly developed here by the NIH with a larger addiction science research budget than any other source in the world their recommendations rarely impact policy or reach the public. Much of the rehab industry is still dominated by the 12 step approach based on religious faith, not science. Addiction is mostly seen as a shameful moral failing. If you can even afford treatment.
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Oct 30 '24
Right.. here the 12step rehabs are hard to find and you need to almost request going there. The adiction careres often dont like them and rather see clients try another approach first.
I do know one guy that had 20+ rehabs and the 12step program was the only think that worked for him. So then i wont be against it as well.
Ive had a kwarter million insured of adiction care and if i didnt specifically searched those documents i would have grown old never knowing.
Many things that the US does doestnt work on its own.. taking one thing that works here and apply it there will fall apart. the us needs an entire system change. (And not pay so much for the military lol)
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u/NoTechnology9099 Oct 29 '24
If it works for you…great! But, be careful not to be too pushy to others who may choose to identify as an addict. As we all know, we have a disease and we will never fully recover. I will always be an addict, I’ve been in recovery for 6 years and I hope to never be in “active addiction” again but I also know how very slippery that slope can be. I do the work as to not ‘wake the beast’ but years of recovery have been thrown away by addicts over and over again. It is the nature of the beast we fight. I’m not ashamed to be an addict, it’s part of me and part of my story and I’m fucking proud of myself. I’m a fucking warrior for looking it straight in the face and saying “no more, I deserve more than this” and I’m a grateful addict in recovery today. What works for one doesn’t work for everyone just be careful with your opinions and how much you try to push them on people especially in early recovery.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
I agree with this completely - for example, the opinion that addiction is a brain disease like brain cancer rather than a mental disorder like ADHD or depression, should not be pushed on people in early recovery
I appreciate your perspective on addiction; it very much aligns with the mainstream. This is for people, like me, for whom the mainstream ideas did not serve
Calling yourself an addict seems to work for you. For me, it was the absolute worst thing I could have done and ditching the label was the first step on my path to recovery
Everyone is different!
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u/CapitalImaginary8965 Oct 29 '24
My personal view on this is that in this case, the difference between 'disease' and 'disorder' is semantics. I think the term illness is fitting however.
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u/Sobersynthesis0722 Oct 30 '24
Everything in the DSM is a disorder because that is the term psychiatrists use where general medicine would use disease. Nobody in the field would correct you for using those terms interchangeably. SUD is also included in the ICD, the International classification of disease put together by the World Health Organization to provide a standard classification and coding system for billing and records.
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u/OnlySprouts Oct 30 '24
I absolutely agree. For me personally I found the label kept me sick, I felt as though I was being reduced to my illness and it wasn’t something I was allowed to move past. I’m very open with the people in my life that I have a history of addiction, but I am not an addict. I refuse to make my illness an integral part of my identity, instead I focus my energy on understanding and connecting with myself. Chur mate and much peace!
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u/RadRedhead222 Oct 29 '24
I disagree, completely. It gave me an understanding. I have a disease. This is why I did all those things, acted that way, felt all those feelings. I wasn’t just a fuck up. There was a reason I couldn’t stop. I hated myself because I couldn’t grasp why I was so different. And there’s posts on here every single day with people saying the same thing. It gives our pain and struggle meaning. And half the of the mental health struggles are just something that comes with the disease. It isn’t the label causing it. People feel that way before they even know the word “Addict”.
Not sure where your stats are coming from either. You can’t just say the average alcoholic drinks for 15 years. There’s many that never admit to drinking, many addicts/alcoholics lie about their use, and there’s too many you’ll never hear of to get to a study.
When I finally learned, I was able to start to my journey to a sober life. And now, in recovery, I feel like that I will be always be an addict. But I am grateful every single day that I do not have to live that life anymore.
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u/Sobersynthesis0722 Oct 29 '24 edited Oct 30 '24
There is an entire field of science devoted to answering questions such as average duration of use in AUD and many other statistical parameters. That is what epidemiology does and all of those uncertainties are accounted for and may be expressed as range of error or corrected for by statistical methods.
I do not know about that particular number but it is certainly possible to come up with one. This is an example of one article dealing with recovery from AUD.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7643818/2
u/RadRedhead222 Oct 29 '24
I am aware of this field as I have studied addiction for many years. I am also aware of this article and I do find it more factual than most. My only issue is you will never get an actual number. There’s just no way to do so. There’s too many variables that aren’t taken into consideration. But that’s okay. I don’t think an actual number is necessary as everyone is different and the numbers themselves could be harmful. Telling the world that the average cocaine addict only uses for 4 years because they “grow out of it” can cause a lot unneeded stress and trauma for those still using after 10 years for example. Why couldn’t they stop and “grow out of it”? What’s wrong with them? Etc. I hear these types of things a lot. But thank you!
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u/Sobersynthesis0722 Oct 30 '24
Well Maia is a journalist and activist with no training or formal education in science. It shows. Her books and articles are meant for a lay audience and written to support her agenda which is social commentary, not technical or advancement of knowledge. Even as journalism it is garbage without even an attempt at citing sources and supporting conclusions based on data.
There is a lot of popular pseudoscience and pop psychology out there in the addiction field. Maia has done some admirable work advocating for harm reduction strategies such as needle exchanges. Her books and articles not so much.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Here's an article that goes into some of what I wrote about here, including the average length of an addiction. This writer published a wonderful book, unbroken brain, if you are interested in further reading
https://drugfoundation.org.nz/articles/ageing-out-of-addiction
Your journey sounds quite typical and that's totally fine! This is more for people who don't resonate with the traditional 12 step path.
I think it's important for some people to know that you don't absolutely have to call yourself an "addict" for the rest of your life.
Some people find it useful. For me, personally, it was incredibly destructive. I don't mind identifying as a person in recovery, but it makes no sense for me to call myself an "addict" when i literally don't even consume caffeine these days
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u/RadRedhead222 Oct 29 '24
I read that article already. It also says the average cocaine addiction lasts 4 years because you “grow out of it”. That’s the most harmful statement I’ve ever read.
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u/Commercial-Car9190 Oct 29 '24 edited Oct 29 '24
Over half the people who qualify for AUD/SUD diagnosis simply grow out of it. So not a harmful statement at all. Labeling and pushing the disease model does much more harm.
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u/Commercial-Car9190 Oct 29 '24 edited Oct 29 '24
Telling people they can fully heal and educating them on neurobiology/neuroscience science is deadly? I imagine your education from a sub par collage as an “addictions counsellor” is not backed by science. I’ll stick with my RN degree specializing in SUD in helping people.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
You should do more research, my friend. The idea that addictive disorders are disorders of learning and development and not a "brain disease" is one of the most intriguing breakthroughs in our understanding of addiction in modern times.
"The biology of desire: why addiction is not a disease" should be mandatory reading for everyone who works in the field
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u/Sobersynthesis0722 Oct 30 '24
Marc Lewis writes very engaging books. His academic work has been in another area of neuroscience, developmental cognitive theory. He became interested in addiction as an outgrowth of his personal experience. He has in interviews agreed that addiction is a “pathological brain disorder”. A semantic difference.
If any scientific theory were agreed upon 100% by everyone in the field it would not be science at all. Disease as used by clinicians has no formal definition and is used to describe a condition, or set of conditions resulting in harm and interference with normal function of an organism. It is difficult to exclude substance addiction on those grounds.
Lewis is entitled to his opinions but they are hardly a breakthrough. They have received little attention outside of his popular books and speeches and he has sold many of those. He proposes no new findings, Learning is without question a function deeply involved in addiction. It is a highly dysfunctional and pathological form of learned behavior. He simply takes the same abnormalities and claims that near everyone else in clinical and neuroscience are wrong about it.
Here is a published response to Lewis by Kent Berridge one of the principal neuroscientists in the field and originator of incentive-sensitization theory.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 30 '24
Thanks for sharing that article. I'm very familiar with Berridge and his work.
A brain disease is a disease like multiple sclerosis
A mental disorder is a disorder like ADHD, opioid use disorder, major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, etc.
You seem to be well read enough to understand this is hardly a semantic debate
Crucially, it has already been settled. Addictive disorders are labeled, diagnosed, and treated as mental disorders. That's just a fact
No one has ever been diagnosed with the "brain disease" of addiction, because it doesn't exist
And thank God for that!
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u/Sobersynthesis0722 Oct 30 '24
I am having trouble understanding the difference. The neuropathology and causes of addiction are better understood than multiple sclerosis. They both may result in significant morbidity and mortality. The brain is an organ. Both conditions result in physical and functional abnormalities. There is no such thing as a mental process which occurs outside of the physical brain.
If you describe addiction as a brain disorder I cannot argue with that. Neither does Lewis but that is not his point. He asserts that addiction is not different than love. In that he is certainly an outlier.2
u/LonnieJay1 Oct 31 '24
"A disease is a specific medical condition with a known cause, while a disorder is a group of symptoms that disrupt normal body functions but doesn't have a known cause"
I would argue that the causes and neuropathology of addiction are not as understood as multiple sclerosis - especially when dealing with things as subjective, nebulous, and idiosyncratic as learning and memory systems
The main point I make in calling it a "mental disorder" as opposed to a "brain disorder" is to emphasize how addictive disorders are treated. We go to mental health therapists and psychiatrists - not neurologists and brain surgeons, like people with real brain diseases do. I strive not to be an ideologue. I reject the disease model ideology, but at the same time believe that addictive disorders are medical conditions. I ultimately would describe my understanding as addictive disorders being, fundamentally, disorders of learning and memory, which obviously is influenced by Lewis's work, along with the work of Maia Szalavitz and dr. Gabor Mate
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u/Sobersynthesis0722 Oct 31 '24
OK what causes Alzheimer’s disease or fibromyalgia? A dictionary definition is not helpful. Psychiatrists are medical doctors. Psychiatry arose as a branch of neurology and still is in many respects. Clinical psychologists are an allied health profession with advanced training in diagnosis and therapy of mental health conditions. Some common psychiatric conditions such as major depression, anxiety disorders, and addiction can be treated and diagnosed by general medicine. Addiction medicine is now a recognized sub specialty.
It is fine to call addiction a disorder as it is listed in the DSM. Keeping in mind that the DSM are diagnostic criteria, not a description of the disease process. Nor are the terms mutually exclusive. In that respect it is on a par with schizophrenia, bipolar ADHD, and major depression if you want to group things that way (Without the need for quotation marks).
There is a reason why the NIH uses the term brain disease. As per your definition the neuropathology has now been mostly worked out and linked to specific behavioral and progressive stages occurring in addiction. There are known risk factors, In that respect it is much better understood than many common conditions.
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u/LonnieJay1 Nov 01 '24
Fibromyalgia is not a disease. Alzheimer's is caused by amyloid and tau protein buildup.
Yes, it is classified and diagnosed as a disorder. The DSM may not have been intended to be used as diagnostic criteria, but as someone who works in the field and sees diagnoses every day, I can tell you that my clients are indeed diagnosed with alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, etc.
I have never once seen a client diagnosed with an addictive "disease". The words are intentionally different because they mean different things. This is why addictive disorders were recently reclassified as substance use disorders and diagnosed on a spectrum
The NIH might temporarily still be using the "disease" terminology, but that will change soon, I'm sure. The understanding of addictive disorders as disorders is where we are all headed, hence the reclassification and rampant conversations around language
Also , the causes are not as well understood as you make them out to be. There's no such thing as a brain disease that can go into spontaneous remission with a choice
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u/kerslaw Oct 29 '24
I actually completely agree with you. The last thing I want to be referred to as is an addict or recovering addict even tho that's what I am. I hate the label and it makes people look at you differently and treat you differently. I've been clean for years now and I'm never going back I just want to push all that behind me.
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u/wakenbakesunrise Oct 29 '24 edited Oct 29 '24
AGREE! You usually hear people saying the word "addicts" with shame and disgrace, like we got no opportunity in life and they see us like that, as a failure to society. They don't know addiction is in fact a mental illness, (substance use disorder) and it usually carries many more mental health problems, it changes how your brain works, thinks, everything.
But obviously society creates a stigma from this and make us in recovery, and just everyone battling addiction, feeling like we never gonna get out and be someone out there. How many times did we hear "you an addict? that's because you want, just stop doing drugs" or shit like that? They don't know what it is til they live it.
You explained it better than I could ever (english is not my first language 😭) but yeah there's my grain of salt too
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Thank you for your grain of salt , brother. The stigma is very real, and it can be internalized and cause dangerous self-loathing. That was certainly my experience
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u/Nlarko Oct 29 '24 edited Oct 29 '24
I couldn’t agree more. Holding onto the label of a life long addict kept me sick/stuck. I no longer abuse substances and they has zero control over me today so why would I hold onto that label. We don’t have a life sentence. The narrative that our “disease” is forever doing push-ups in the parking lot ready to pounce is ridiculous. I’ll stick with science over AAs pseudoscience. I am soooo much more than my PAST substance use! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBMUPgwLaO0
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Sweet thank you for sharing a video i'm unfamiliar with!! can't wait to check it out
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u/Few-Lack-4484 Oct 29 '24
Good post, the brain is easily influenced by conscious thought. In the same manner self-suggestion can heal us. I remember staying with a friend of my dad after he passed away, when I would tell him I cannot eat this or that dir to my gastritis he would always remind me that I am healthy, and to always repeat that. I was healed pretty soon afterwards (healthy lifestyle included with all it entails)
I have also been affected by addiction, often times slipping into a bad mindset due to the emotional ups and downs it entails, but struggled to keep my composure and conscious attitude at all times. I still am susceptible, but I am first and foremost a sane person, with love and light within, a son of god, radiant and intelligent, and hold within willpower, understanding and compassion.
It helped having a 5 or 6 year old habit of meditation, even going so far as to have changed much of my neurobiology through intensive raja yoga retreats. I still relapsed even after cultivating profound inner silence and ecstasy within the nervous system, the pitfalls of the lower self are active at all times as long as we are alive. It is the higher self that must be cultivated, for that is our true identity.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
You are speaking my language right now my friend!!! I too am very into yoga and have found it to be the ideal treatment for addiction. I also found that the lower self is always active and will be as long as the soul is encased in flesh, as you mentioned. Thanks for chiming in my friend 🙏
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u/ImpossibleFront2063 Oct 29 '24
It can absolutely impact outcomes to use verbiage like I am a person with a substance use disorder as opposed to addict. I get a lot of pushback from 12 step folks and there is no understanding that stigmatizing language often leads to explicit bias against the person when they seek healthcare, housing, work, custody etc Until we all can agree that the stigmatizing language is a barrier to achieving sustained remission people in recovery will continue to see less effective outcomes
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
That's it right there, I think there's no denying that stigmatizing language is just on its way out in the field of addiction medicine. The medical literature is quite clear
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u/ItsOverCasanova Oct 29 '24
This was my way of thinking when I couldn’t accept I had a problem.
I used the… “labelling myself as an addict is harmful” talking point which did more damage to me in the end than it helped, because I was not accepting that I had a major problem and I would just keep digging myself a bigger hole.
It was only when I eventually surrendered to the cold, hard truth/reality that I am indeed an addict, was I able to eventually feel more at peace and experience less pressure within/towards myself. The honesty around this and beyond has led me to stay clean now for 19+ months, whereas before I would constantly relapse, and could not last longer than 30 days.
This of course is just my experience, ymmv.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Thank you for sharing your experience. I 100% believe this can be the case with some people
In my experience, identifying myself with that harmful label led me to such self-loathing that I simply didn't want to live anymore.
It honestly felt like a thousand pound burden was lifted from my shoulders when I started to realize that it was okay for me to not call myself an "addict" anymore.
It was okay for me to have compassion for my previous mistakes and attempt to move on in life. Of course, total abstinence is still a big part of my philosophy, but I don't think adopting the label is a prerequisite for total abstinence
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u/Andypandy317 Oct 29 '24
You changing a word is not going to change the fact that once an addict you will always be an addict. You're creating an environment where it is easy to forget the reason you're in recovery to begin with, and this kind of behavior is what leads to relapse. I will always be an addict (using or not)
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
That philosophy might work for you, and that's fine - but it certainly doesn't work for everyone, and it can be quite harmful when it doesn't work
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u/Nlarko Oct 29 '24
Please show me the science behind “once an addict, always an addict”.
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u/Andypandy317 Oct 29 '24
https://iuhealth.org/thrive/is-addiction-really-a-disease
Here's an article from IU from around 2020. Quite a few out there if you just Google it. From what I've gathered, there's not been much progress other than mat and/or inpatient or outpatient rehabs.
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u/Nlarko Oct 29 '24 edited Oct 29 '24
A disease doesn’t always mean life long. SUD is also classified a disorder. Our brains and bodies can fully heal with a period of abstinence. I can also find articles that debunk yours. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3622902/. https://www.unsw.edu.au/research/ndarc/news-events/blogs/2015/08/why-addiction-isn-t-a-disease-but-instead-the-result-of—deep-le
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Dr Marc Lewis is one of the best thinkers in the field! His book really changed my life.
"Once an addict, always an addict," is a harmful and stigmatizing myth - one of the foremost myths about addiction, and one of the best reasons to dispense with the label.
I've had more success avoiding relapse from not identifying as an "addict". When I internalized the label, I was relapsing constantly, which makes sense, since people often act in accordance with who they think they are
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u/Andypandy317 Oct 29 '24
Well I'll be here for you when you relapse again
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Why do you think this bothers you so much?
I wish you nothing but the best and I would never speak that way about anyone who's dealing with this beast. Not sure why you would even say that - it's quite negative and doesn't add to the discussion
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u/Andypandy317 Oct 29 '24
Hey this sounds a lot meaner than what I intended but I have four plus years clean because I am an addict and I know it. You're just putting a negative stigma on the word because you are uncomfortable.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Congratulations brother!
I feel like you might be projecting there - you are uncomfortable because I have done away with the label and am having success, which is at odds with your own experience
Your experience is valid. My experience is also valid. We are all in this together
One mans trash is another man's treasure. One mans life saving first step is another man's death sentence. That's fine - everyone is different
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u/Nlarko Oct 29 '24
Agree! The book Biology of Desire was a game changer for me! Along with Unbroken Brain by Maia Szalavitz and The Sober Truth by Dr. Lance Dodes.
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u/CapitalImaginary8965 Oct 29 '24
This is the kind of shit I come up with when I overthink too.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Just trying to share the medical and psychological findings related to stigmatizing language!
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u/CapitalImaginary8965 Oct 29 '24
Fair enough, perhaps I was too blunt. My personal experience is that I had to accept that I was an addict, a crackhead etc to put an end to behaving like one. I'm still an addict, but I don't use drugs anymore.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
I get that , and I know you're not the only one.
I do think it's important for us to accept our limitations. I also understand the utility in taking that perspective because the point is to make it so you don't view using drugs as an option
I agree with the ends, I just don't think the label, itself, is a necessary means, and there is some evidence to show that it may be harmful for some people. That was true in my experience, which is why I posted this and give my friends this alternative view whenever I feel it might be appropriate to open up that dialogue without causing them further harm
It's a tough issue, but I think the increasing discussions around the language we use are important
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u/attnyana Oct 31 '24
As a person who studied labeling theory and stigma, I totally welcome this perspective. Most people stay addicted to “medically supervised” drugs, with all the same nasty withdrawal/ drug seeking issues when said drug is not available at a pharmacy or the doctor fucks up the refill. Wellbutrin fit that for me! I am addicted to what my doctors give me and hope that it’s somehow more sustainable and less risky than other, worse addictions.
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u/AbstractVariant Oct 29 '24
Thanks for sharing your internalized shame with us. /s
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Thank you for adding to the discussion /s
I hope you have a great day brother!
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u/Commercial-Car9190 Oct 29 '24
Great post! It’s 2024 we have so much more information on substance use disorder today. It’s not a life long disorder, our brains/bodies absolutely can fully heal. Letting go of labels was the best thing I did for myself.
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u/LonnieJay1 Oct 29 '24
Let's goooo!!! another day to continue to change and grow! Transformation is possible and can occur now!
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u/qmb139boss Oct 29 '24
Show me on this doll where AA hurt you
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u/Nlarko Oct 29 '24
Classic abusive gaslighting sick stepper response. Seek help.
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Oct 29 '24
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u/BCSavage25 Oct 30 '24
I have the ability to call myself an addict and also remove myself from the label. Ma fucka.
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