General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAnyone know of any studies that might indicate why some people are able to stay clean/sober and
some aren't?
(Scientific studies, not woo--just kidding.)
msongs
(67,193 posts)Viking12
(6,012 posts)..and those that die of cancer just didn't have the will power to treat themselves. Bullshit bootstrap rhetoric.
Wounded Bear
(58,436 posts)While addiction can respond to the "disease" model when seeking treatment, it isn't like wholly physical ailments like cancer.
There is a strong mental/psychological issue at play as well. Most addicts exhibit signs of OCD, and almost all are to a certain extant co-dependant on others in unhealthy ways.
The fact is, that if an addict doesn't really want to stop, they won't. Intervention can help, if the addict decides they want to stay sober after they receive forced withdrawal. If they don't, they won't.
One problem is with AA itself. I've been around the program off and on for years. I am a poor advocate for it, though I will say that it certainly can be helpful, because it at least offers a support system of sorts, something that most addicts don't have. But AA does not collect data on members and as such, any thing they say about success rates amounts to anecdotal evidence.
etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)etherealtruth
(22,165 posts)I have no insight (I really wish I did), but am posting to kick your thread (and somewhat selfishly, be able to locate it easily)
surrealAmerican
(11,339 posts)... in some societies than it is in others, and that when individuals move from one culture to another it can either increase or decrease their chances of becoming addicted. Now, if only I could remember where I read that ...
In any event, the individual's social connections can have a lot to do with it.
hunter
(38,263 posts)The alcoholic genes are strong in my family. Cigarettes and alcohol killed two of my grandparents.
Another grandparent of mine had an even worse family history. Prohibition didn't slow down their alcohol consumption at all. But this grandfather quit both smoking and drinking in his middle age and lived into his nineties.
How'd he do it?
I might say he was a very strong willed person, or that the drinking and smoking were getting in the way of his other interests and obsessions, but what's that mean?
My grandparents who died alcoholic were strong willed and had other interests and obsessions too.
I don't think punitive approaches work. Absolutely, don't let drunks drive! Keep them away from cars. But punishment is ineffective. Take away their cars, throw them in jail, and many will walk to the nearest liquor store or drug dealer as soon as they are released.
Drug and alcohol addiction ought to be treated as a public health problem. Prohibition doesn't work, and a few people seem to have such an unfortunate combination of genes and experience that they will never be "cured." How do we, as a society, create a place for addicts that minimizes the damage they do to themselves and others, and maximizes their opportunities to remain sober?
laundry_queen
(8,646 posts)but I just watched a documentary last night about the science behind habits and addictions ("Slaves to Habit" . The main points are that people who have a hard time quitting don't have the right tools, that most people who quit do so on average 6 times before they are successful and that it's all a matter of changing just a few things. Things like writing down your goals, having support, tapering down (cold turkey has a horrible track record but they were mostly talking about smoking), having a replacement coping mechanism, understanding you WILL slip up but it's ok, getting back on track when you do slip up and understanding all is not lost.
They also discussed how kids who had unhappy childhoods (emotional or physical abuse) were far more likely to become addicted to anything, really.
Probably not what you were looking for though...