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It Is Not the Disease of Drug Addiction, It Is the Disease of Addiction

Addiction

By Zach BeckwithPublished 5 years ago 2 min read
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It's not the disease of drug addiction, it's the disease of ADDICTION.

When I was in an active addiction, even as a hardcore addict, I never believed addiction was a disease. After all, I made the choice to use drugs for the first time, like so many of us. Which is most often the argument made by non believers. However, when I made the choice to work on my recovery, I realized I am not just a drug addict... I am an ADDICT. The drug addiction is not the disease. It's the disease of ADDICTION. Dis-ease of the mind. Dis-eased thinking.

I used to believe it was the drugs that were my only issue. However, now that I no longer use ANY mind-altering substances I've come to realize that my thinking is the issue. My obsessive, compulsive, hyper focused mind. I now see, clean, that my dis-ease will manifest itself in so many ways daily if I am not actively seeking my recovery as aggressively as I seeked my next fix... I've come to realize I cannot do anything, even the healthy things without it making my life unmanageable. Whether it be food, the gym, karate, kick boxing, yoga, relationships, and even my recovery. Too much of anything is not good for this guy, and that is what makes me an addict. That is the disease of addiction... again not drug addiction, as drugs were just a symptom of my dis-ease.

I also look back on my life, and realize I was an addict well before I tried my first drug, including alcohol... I was addicted to many things, both healthy and unhealthy as a young kid/teen. I was always the child that could never stop after one pop tart, or one oreo. I had to have the whole box...

Ultimately, we must give up on the debate on whether it is a disease or not, because all it does is divide us. We create the division, and that does not get us closer to resolving the issue of addiction, and many issues that go on in the world. We must come together, because nearly everyone has been affected by addiction one way or another and some of us haven't even come to realize it yet.

So whether you feel pity for the addict in active addiction or not is irrelevant. Whether you believe it's a disease or not is also irrelevant. All I ask is that you try to understand that it is everywhere around us, and when that person you love comes clean, and asks for help, put your pride and ego aside, and lend them your hand. Because my hand will always be out for ANYONE who needs it.

addiction
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