A Disease | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

A Disease

The one everyone seems to deny.

45
A Disease
Google

If you would've asked me if I thought addiction was a disease a couple of years ago, I would've said no. My exact words would have been, "It is their choice to pick up the drug/alcohol/whatever". That all has since changed.

Addiction is in-fact, a disease.

Much like any disease or chronic illness, addiction is hereditary. Addiction can run in families, and some may be more prone to it than others. It is a course that is influenced by environmental conditions and behavior, as well as the ability to respond to appropriate treatment, which may include long-term lifestyle modification. Human studies of addictive behaviors have clearly implicated both environmental and genetic influences, as well as connections between the two. There is evidence from adoption and twin studies demonstrating that addiction, like other chronic diseases, is a heritable disorder and, that genes play a role in vulnerability to addiction, aka addictive personalities. As with all complex diseases, environmental risk and protective factors interact with genetics to determine the course and outcome of disease. Just like mental illness, addiction can come out at any point in one's life. Those with a genetic predisposition to addiction will experience a chemical reaction in the brain the first time they use any drug or substance alike, causing brain chemistry changes and an irresistible connection/bond to such. At that moment, addiction sets in and the disease is very real. The use and abuse will inevitably continue and breaking the connection to it becomes seemingly impossible. Yet, those without the predisposition to addiction will have a much easier time in kicking such a habit. Just simply due to the different chemical reactions in the brain. Those with a genetic predisposition to addiction possess a brain that responds differently to certain substances or activities which are essentially objects of addiction. Those who don’t suffer from addiction can logically understand all of that but, won’t be able to relate to the changes in the brain which makes the object of addiction virtually irresistible. Thankfully, recovery is possible and people can overcome obstacles. Just like any disease/mental illness, there is no cure for addiction but it can be treated.

Anorexia, Bulimia, etc. Addiction falls under the same category. If one can really not sympathize with addiction, one simply cannot understand that a person is not their disease. A person is still a person, just with a problem and in need of help. I'm thankful that some may never realize that addiction is 100% a disease. For those people have never felt the pain from losing or even almost losing a loved one to such a thing. Addiction is a scary thing that most cannot comprehend. Yet, I will always be a supporter to those who need it. As well as always sympathizing for those tangled in the messy web that addiction has weaved for them.

Resource: http://killtheheroinepidemicnationwide.org/2016/08...

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196840
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18826
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460866
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28301
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments