Not everyone understands the truth behind addictions. There are many misconceptions about it that leave people thinking that all addicts are weak, uneducated individuals who are hopeless if they relapse and are overall bad, unproductive people in society. These are myths. In truth, addiction is a chronic disorder that does not discriminate, affecting the lives of people of all ages, ethnicities, cultures, religions, communities, and statuses. The relapsing of addicts does not constitute hopelessness, in fact addicts are most prone to relapse in the first few months of being clean and sober, and it is said that understanding the events surrounding the relapse can be healthy and aid in preventing future relapses. Let’s talk about some other misconceptions about addictions.

Can’t addicts just use willpower to get over their addiction?

Willpower is an important factor in overcoming adversities, however it alone cannot help addicts conquer their addictions. Neuroscience has proven that long term substance abuse—whether it be with drugs or alcohol—can actually alter the brain’s chemistry and affect the brain’s reward system. Repeated use of the substance ultimately leads to impulse control issues, intense cravings, and the compulsion to continue to use. The chemical changes in the brain make it extremely difficult for addicts to quit their addiction simply with willpower. The decision to stop one’s substance abuse is not as simple as some people assume, especially when one’s brain has been altered to desire more of the substance.

Marijuana is a non-addictive drug, right?

Wrong. Another myth about substance abuse is that marijuana is a non-addictive drug. However, in truth there is such a thing as marijuana use disorder, which 30 percent of marijuana users encounter. In severe cases, this disorder can develop into an addiction. Signs of marijuana use disorder is often associated with the withdrawal symptoms the users experience when not taking the drug, such as irritability, mood and sleep difficulties, decreased appetite, cravings, restlessness, and/or various forms of physical discomfort. Like with other forms of substance abuse, the frequent use of marijuana results in the brain adapting to the drug and reducing production of and sensitivity to its endocannabinoid neurotransmitters, which are involved with physiological processes like appetite, pain-sensation, mood and memory. Marijuana use disorder then becomes an addiction when the user cannot stop using the drug even though it interferes with various aspects of their daily life. It is estimated that nine percent of marijuana users will become dependent and addicted to the drug.

Aren’t addictions just bad habits?

Addictions have also been mistaken as bad habits, however habits and addictions are two different subjects altogether. Habits have been defined as automatic, regular actions enacted by a person, and bad habits are negative behavioral patterns such as biting nails, fidgeting or procrastinating. Addictions, however, are biological attachments to consumption of substances. Interestingly, all addictions start out as habits, but when a dependency is created on the substance it manifests into an addiction. An example of this can be when someone habitually drinks a glass of red wine with dinner every night, which transforms into an addiction if the person finds his or herself drinking several bottles per day. Addictions are not bad habits but bad habits can become addictions.

To conclude, there are may misconceptions about addictions and the people working through them. It is important to understand that addictions are not simply bad habits or things you can overcome with just determination. They are brain-altering, biological attachments to the substance an addict uses. These attachments result in intense cravings that when not met can physically and emotionally affect the user. The topic of addictions can be far more complex than one originally imagines.

To learn more about the misconceptions of substance abuse, visit: "Five Myths About Addictions," "Habit, Compulsion, and Addiction," and "Just a Bad Habit or Addiction?"