Response To "Stop Calling Drug Addiction A Disease"
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Response To "Stop Calling Drug Addiction A Disease"

Addiction is a disease, just get the facts right.

1774
Response To "Stop Calling Drug Addiction A Disease"
The Spokesman-Review

Last week, I saw this article about addiction come up a few times on my Facebook timeline. Each time, someone had something negative to say about it. I don't disagree with those people. The title caught my eye - "Stop Calling Your Drug Addiction A Disease". I instantly got mad. While I'm not an expert (no one really is an "expert" - we're all still learning) in neuroscience, drug addiction or neurological disorders, I can certainly say (with my one semester of Drugs & Behavior knowledge) that addiction is a disease.

In this article, the writer points out that the person chose to take drugs the first time. Yes, that's true. But that's not the whole story. Can you tell me that person chose to get addicted? No. They didn't. Addiction is something that affects neurons (maybe the author doesn't know what those are) and the receptors in the brain. There are so many more factors that go into someone becoming addicted than just, "you chose this".

The other thing that was really bothering me about this article was that she compared addiction as a disease to cancer as a disease. Which - sorry - the two don't correlate. These are completely different diseases that affect completely different parts of the body (OK, besides brain cancer, but you get the idea). This was also interesting as someone recently shared on Facebook a post of someone saying: "If narcan is "free" to addicts because they have a disease, why isn't "chemo" free for cancer patients". Honestly, there's a whole lot wrong with this.

For starters, narcan is used to stop overdose. It's a blessing to have to help those who are addicted to opiates. In 41 states, you can get access to narcan without a prescription -- think of all the lives that have been and will be saved because of this.

Chemotherapy is any drug used to treat disease. Narcan is not treating disease. How are the two correlated at all?

While healthcare in the United States slowly becomes nothing and the opioid epidemic gets worse, I think keeping an open dialogue about opioids and reducing the stigma of addiction is the key to understanding.

People didn't choose to be addicted. It's not their fault.

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

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

46026
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

29138
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

953533
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

160325
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments