Addiction; Disease or Not?

[*michaelsean*]

(09-03-2019, 03:01 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: I get that from education, training, and experience.

Physical dependence and addiction are not the same.

I'll use pain management patients as an example.  Most pain management patients are prescribed opioids to control their pain.  One hundred percent of those patients will eventually become physically dependent upon the opioids if they take them long enough and will go through withdrawal if they stop them abruptly without weaning off of them.  Some of those patients may progress from physical dependence to addiction, but not 100%.  If you're physically dependent upon a medication such as an opioid to treat pain, but you are taking it therapeutically, aren't abusing it or taking it for non-therapeutic reasons, and it isn't causing other problems in your life then that patient isn't addicted, but they are physically dependent. 

I think I mentioned I drank every day all day as well.  18 to 24 beers or other drinks every day.  I no longer do that.  Nobody is restraining me.  Are you claiming I wasn't addicted?  Do you believe Matt didn't have a psychological addiction to nicotine? And you are telling me that in one of the medical classes you took they stated a person cannot stop using through willpower? Maybe if you gave us your definition of addiction because I don't see any that say what you are saying. The AMA doesn't state that in their definition. If someone goes to rehab, what do you consider that? Or AA? I'm guessing you look at the word "inability" as something that can't be changed. It can.