Popular Posts

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavior Issue

Addiction is a chronic brain disorder and not simply a behavior problem involving alcohol, drugs, gambling or sex, experts contend in a new definition of addiction, one that is not solely related to problematic substance abuse.

Decades of research convinced American Society of Addiction Medicine to change definition


The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) just released this new definition of addiction after a four-year process involving more than 80 experts.

    1. Live Science
    2. Fat Can Be Healthy: Some Obese People Live Long Lives
    3. Urine's Colors & Smells Prove an Indicator of Health
    4. Nice Guys Finish Second, Women Finish Last
    5. How to Win at Rock, Paper, Scissors

"At its core, addiction isn't just a social problem or a moral problem or a criminal problem. It's a brain problem whose behaviors manifest in all these other areas," said Dr. Michael Miller, past president of ASAM who oversaw the development of the new definition. "Many behaviors driven by addiction are real problems and sometimes criminal acts. But the disease is about brains, not drugs. It's about underlying neurology, not outward actions."

More

12 comments:

  1. i call bullshit! no one forced that first bottle of liquor to your lips. no one shoved a joint into your mouth and made you inhale. no one put that gun in your hand and made you rob another person.
    this is another bleeding-heart "revolution" that is going to let stupid people off the hook.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So, if your addicted to sex, you can get a parking permit?

    ReplyDelete
  3. The grant money must have run out!
    Decades of research to tell us absolutely nothing. 80 experts , it's know wonder the liberals are winning everything.
    About as interesting as a brick.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 99% of problems are brain disorders.

    ReplyDelete
  5. oh, so that means I can get a check now!

    ReplyDelete
  6. If this were true, then we wouldn't see such a thing as recovering alcoholics, or drug addicts. What? Did their brain just snap back to normal.

    ReplyDelete
  7. alcoholics and drug addicts change their thought patterns and typically become addicted to positive things. That is why the only recovering crack addicts have found jesus christ.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I can honestly say that I am a recovering drug addict. I have been clean now for 4 years. I did not have to be on anything else to help me recover. It was a realization and choice to get my life back. It was my behavior and not a brain disorder that was making me do drugs. I have changed my behaviors and now my life is the best it has been in a very long time.

    ReplyDelete
  9. 12:59 PM

    Good for you. Keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete
  10. 10:20 I think you meant to say 99% of our Politicians have brain disorders.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow! Talk about coming late to the dance! Addiction professionals have known and taught for YEARS that it is a "brain disorder." Part of treatment and recovery involves changing behaviors...like don't drink or use any drugs (even legal ones) that can be addictive. Your valium, your oxy, your Xanax, and on and on and on.... Those who are successful in recovery have changed their entire lifestyle, their friends & associates, their behaviors, their activities, and, yes, some of them have found religion to be their salvation. So, yes, 9:20, they took that first drink, smoked that first blunt (that's what most of them smoke now) and set in motion a biological process that is excruciatingly difficult to overcome. Do you really think that any human being who knew he or she would become addicted and thereby never have anything, never live a "normal" life, would cause pain to him or herself & everyone they love would not make different choices knowing that. We all (not you, though, I guess) make mistakes & we all (again, not you) do things we regret, sometimes with devestating consequences.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.