Addiction: A Choice or A Disease?

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Addiction A Choice or A Disease?

• Drug Alcohol Addiction Rehab Treatment Center
  California

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• For years people in Portland, OR have debated on
  whether or not addiction is a moral defect or a
  disease. Many of us initially saw addicts as
  individuals lacking free will, but new scientific
  theories have helped to create a better
  understanding of addiction in recent times.
• The truth is, addiction is a disease, not a
  choice.
• Many people who disagree with this notion often
  argue that the addicts made the decision to use
  the substance in the first place, but while this
  is true, its of little importance. Many people
  try drugs socially without ever becoming addicts.
  Others however, may have an illness or a
  biological predisposition to addiction. Drugs can
  affect the brain physically, creating an urge or
  need for the user to continue abusing the
  substance. When addiction steps in, its almost
  always impossible to reverse without professional
  help.

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A Look at Addiction

• The National Institute on drug abuse defines
  addiction as a chronic, relapsing brain disease
  that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking
  and use, despite harmful consequences. They go
  on to say that it is considered a brain disease
  because drugs change the brainthey change its
  structure and how it works.
• The main point here is that, once addicted to a
  drug, a person may feel the need to continue
  usage despite the harm its doing to them and
  everyone around them. Its not that they want to
  be labelled as crack heads or that they do not
  know that its bad for them, theyre simply
  unable to stop.

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Addiction as A Disease

• In many ways addiction is similar to life
  changing diseases such as diabetes and asthma
  affecting people in Portland, OR . For starters,
  like asthmatic patients in remission who
  experience shortness of breath and other symptoms
  at odd moments, addicts typically tend to have
  several relapses before recovering. Secondly,
  like these diseases addiction can be managed and
  treated.
• However, more importantly, addiction is
  considered to be a disease because it alters the
  natural state of the brain. It not only creates a
  compulsive drive for the addict to continue use
  of the substance but it also pushes them to make
  irrational or unreasonable choices and blame
  others for their addiction.
• Without getting too sciencey, lets take a closer
  look at how addiction changes the brain.

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How Addiction Alters The Brain

• Feel good drugs as they are more commonly
  called changes the reward circuit in the brain.
  With continuous use the brain's ability to
  function on its own is severely weakened,
  specifically the regions involved with making
  decisions, learning new information and
  controlling ones behaviour.
• According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse
  nearly all addictive drugs directly or
  indirectly target the brains reward system by
  flooding the circuit with dopamine. If youre
  not familiar with Dopamine, think of it as the
  part of the brain that regulate your desires,
  emotions, feelings and motivates you.
• With dopamine in the mix, its no wonder addicts
  find it so hard to quit using drugs on their own.
  Drugs help to stimulate the release of dopamine
  to produce a feeling of euphoria that the user
  will continuously desire to revisit. For someone
  to be able to resist taking the drugs, the area
  of their brain that regulates their behaviour
  will need to be functioning properly.

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But, Why Does It Matter How We View Addiction

• For those of you who have never had to deal with
  an addict Portland, OR this may all be
  irrelevant. However, for those of you who may
  have an addict in the family or a friend who is
  an addict, its important for you to understand
  that addiction is a disease and not a choice. The
  way you view the condition will have a great
  impact on how you interact with the addict -
  whether you shun them or try to be of help.
• Once you understand that addiction is a disease,
  youll learn that

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Firstly, It Has Little To Do With Self Control

• They made their bed and must lie in. Thats the
  response many people in Portland, OR tend to
  give when they hear of someone dying from an
  overdose or another drug related condition. They
  believe addicts are able to make conscious
  choices and therefore deserve what happen to
  them. This belief is not only wrong, but it
  doesnt help anyone either.
• While its arguable that they have a choice, many
  addicts find it difficult to make the right
  decisions even if its for their own good.
  Remember, the vast majority are not addicts by
  choice, instead they feel they cant live without
  the substance. And in majority of the cases,
  their bodies becomes so reliant on the substance
  that they begin to experience serious withdrawal
  symptoms if they stop usage.

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Secondly, Treatment Is Important For Recovery

• Due to their dependency on the substance its
  almost impossible for some addicts in Portland,
  OR to recover on their own. As mentioned before
  addiction has little to do with willpower. Even
  so, going cold turkey or utilizing home detox
  kits have been proven to be both ineffective and
  dangerous. This is why rehabilitation centers are
  important to recovery.

• Drug treatment centers in Portland, OR are
  equipped to provide professional care, from
  administering medications to providing
  counselling. They allow help addicts to get
  engage in activities that can help them to regain
  their normal lives.

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Thirdly, Its Okay If They Fail At Their First
Attempt

• Since addiction is a disease, you shouldnt
  always consider relapse as a failure of the
  Portland, OR treatment facility . Recovering
  addicts can relapse for a variety of reasons.
  When this happens it simply means that they need
  to continue treatment or take a different
  approach.

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Recovery Is Possible

• At the Boulevard Treatment Center in Portland, OR
  we are devoted to helping addicts reclaim their
  lives from addiction. We guide our patients
  through every step of recovery, from the moment
  they enter our facility to the moment they begin
  their new lives and beyond. Read about the rehab
  treatment options we offer at our Portland, OR
  center and feel free to contact us with any
  questions you may have.

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CONTACT US

• Phone
• [phone]
• Email
• info_at_blvdcenters.com
• Mailing Address
• BLVD Treatment Centers
• 448 South Hill Street
• Suite 303
• Los Angeles, CA 90013