Addiction Recovery Basics

I have seen many different definitions for addiction and tend to compare and contrast them looking for answers and simple explanations. One point of view on addiction and one I’ve given some thought to is this: taking a look at addiction as ‘a repetitive destructive behavior, that is marked by obsession and compulsion, continued use despite negative consequences’.

Now I translate that into plain language, ‘we continually do something that causes a lot pain, cannot explain it, and that stuff happens and we can’t stop.’ That to me sums up addictive behavior. If you are currently engaged in it or in addiction recovery you know exactly what are talking about. If you are a spouse or a loved one and trying to learn about addiction, it doesn’t make a heck of a lot of sense. I feel for you, it is not logical nor is it easy to understand.

I used to shake my head in wonder at that old drug campaign that said, ‘just say no to drugs’, man they just didn’t get from an addicts point of view. I remember trying to explain to my father what it was like being an alcoholic. I said, ‘Dad picture somebody that goes out on the birthday, they have too much to drink, and make a fool of themselves. Then they wake up in the morning don’t remember half the night before, have a massive hangover and get sick. What do they do? He said ‘Well probably they wouldn’t drink again for a long long time.’ That is exactly wrong.

From the addicts point of view, they would wake up in the morning sick as a dog and make themselves a bloody mary or a screwdriver. The way not to feel bad is not to stop, that makes sense. Every single alcoholic or addict I know that I’ve told that story to, laughs and nods with me with understanding. Every single ‘normal’ person that tell that story to just stares blankly and doesn’t understand the logic. Why? Because there is no logic.

Why do addicts behave the way they do when drugs and alcohol are introduced into their system? I don’t know, but the mental and physical reactions are certainly different then most people’s reaction. I do not it is a learned behavior, if it were we could just ‘unlearn’ it. That doesn’t work.

 

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