Defining addiction is not difficult but ask 20 people and the answers will vary from somebody who has to use all day to when alcohol or drugs keep you from working.The truth is that addiction to substances or other addictive behaviors has nothing to do with frequency, quantity, or the ability to stop. Addiction is easily recognized and defined by two simple questions. Does the use of the substance (or other addictive behavior) cause problems in life, functioning (or pain), and does the individual return to the use after the use (behavior) again despite the negative consequences. If the answer is yes, then that is addiction.Denial will usually rear its head to argue forcefully and cogently that it couldnt be addiction because (pick one):1. I can quit any time I want.2. If you had the stressors in your life, you would need to use like I do.3. When I get as bad as (fill in the blank) then Ill known I have a problem.4. Addicts are people who lack willpower (or morality) and I am far too intelligent and in control of my life to ever let anything control me!If you want to know if there is addiction in a family ask the kids if mom or dads use of alcohol, marijuana, etc. ever bothers them. If the answer is affirmative, you usually dont need to go any further. It is not normal to return to a behavior if it is causing problems for us and yet, with addiction we see, bright, resourceful, creative people return to their substance use, despite horrendous accidents, and/or traumatic domestic disturbance. Behaviors completely contrary to the individuals values and, ultimately, to the detriment of the people they love the most in this world.Addiction is powerful enough to turn anyone into a monster. We are only now learning thewhythrough science. However, the wantshave been available since the advents of Alcoholics Anonymous. People do recover from this disease and their recovery holds a beacon of light to those still lost in its numbing haze. Causes and new cures will be covered in future articles.
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