DISEASE CONCEPT
It may or may not come to shock to you that we have never known a culture that has not used addictive chemicals. Nor have we ever known a drug using culture that has a significant percentage that become addicted or have misuse/abuse that leads to serious trouble. With our culture it has always been alcohol; however, recent trends have began to include opiates, and amphetamines
Developing a Psychological Addiction
- The Learning Process
- The Cellular Changes
- The Genetic changes
It does tend to run in families -50% chance that the child of one or more alcoholic children will become alcoholic; However, that does not explain why the other 50 % percent want or why alcoholics come from families where chemical dependence has not been a problem in the past.
DISEASE CONCEPT – PHYSICAL
PRIMARY ? PROGRESSIVE ? CHRONIC ? TERMINAL ? TREATABLE ? LEARNED ? TREATABLE
In 1956 The American Medical Association recognized chemical dependence as a disease–a disease as much as diabetes or cancer is.
Experts used to think of chemical dependence as a symptom of emotional or psychological disorders. In other words “If we find out what is wrong then they want drink” But we now know that chemical dependency is not the result of some deeper hidden problem; it is the cause of many mental, emotional and physical ailments. For instance alcohol might be involved in 25 to 50 percent of all admissions to hospitals.
Once you have developed harmful dependence you will always be dependent; however, the dependence can be put into full remission. On the other hand’ if it NOT addressed it will lead to death.
Progressive, the disease is progressive in that it gets worse over a course of time
DISEASE CONCEPT – MENTAL
- PREOCCUPATION
- LOSS OF CONTROL
- INCREASED TOLERANCE
- HIDING SOURCE
- BLACKOUTS
- DENIAL/DELUSIONS
- COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR
DISEASE CONCEPT – BEHAVIORAL
- RATIONALIZING
- BLAME
- FROZEN FEELINGS
- MINIMIZING
- EUPHORIC RECALL
- REPRESS/SUPPRESS MEMORIES
- DISHONESTY
- LOW SELF-ESTEEM
- SHAME/GUILT