Posted by SLS on November 8, 2005, at 19:57:26
In reply to Re: Very debatable » SLS, posted by mama141 on November 8, 2005, at 15:53:53
> I understand and respect your thoughts on individuality and differences. My concern in all of this is just how much of our ability to choose or implied loss of that ability, has been culturally imposed? ie: "I have a "disease" therefore I cant help the way I am"
I often hear "Now that I know that I have a disease, I can help the way I am."
I am unprepared to label sweepingly alcoholism or addiction as being diseases. However, they are what they are. We can understand and treat them without the label of disease as long as we have an accurate description.
> -- is the one end of the spectrum.
Exactly. There is quite a bit of interindividual variability in the proportion of biological versus psychological (if one can make such a distinction) components along that spectrum.
> How about what we pass on to our children?
Yes. Codependency is a learned behavior. The addict and the enabler are roles within a dysfunctional family unit that is often repeated through generations.
> Or what our culture teaches them as far as self-control and personal responsibility?
This is where I think it is important to understand the dynamics of addiction and to recognize that they are not the same for everyone. It might be the place of culture to teach self-control and personal responsibility within the context of that culture, but it cannot fashion the nature of addiction in its own idealized image. It is what it is.
What is disease?
Is addiction a disease?
Do people have a responsibility to participate in their own recovery from disease? When an addict relapses, is it at that moment that they no longer participate in their own recovery?
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:575263
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20051106/msgs/576875.html