Is addiction a disease ( are the 12-Steps religious)?

Is addiction a disease?

IMO yes. I have counseled many addicts over the course of 8 years and seen how it can run in families. Is it a disease as in it has a physiology? Perhaps some brain pathology, and for certain once the addiction to a chemical like alcohol develops it is certainly physical. But what about sexual addiction where no "outside" chemicals are present? Sex releases chemicals into our brain that can give us a "high", so can activities like compulsive gambling.

Are the 12-Steps religious?

No, absolutely not. The 12 Steps were by design made to be spiritual but non religious. The 12 Steps were based on the Oxford group, basically a Christian self help group back in the 1940's. Think of the 12 Steps as the path to recovery... how each gets there can be radically different. There is talk of a "Higher Power" even "God" but this is left purposely nebulous as to not affiliate or align with any specific religion. The men who created the 12 Steps that we know of today did not want the process of recovery available only to people of a specific religion... but to all people of any or no religious affiliation. Many who follow the 12 Steps do find or renew a faith in something greater than themselves... this is not required. But in my experience, long lasting successful recovery is helped greatly in faith of some kind. Some turn to Christ, others to Buddha, others to Islam, others to their own agnostic understanding. No one is told what to believe or lead a certain way. It is a very personal and private journey and unique to the individual.

 

"Alcoholism is a disease, but it's the only disease you can get yelled at for having. '(*)(*)(*)(*) it, Otto, you're an alcoholic!' '(*)(*)(*)(*) it, Otto, you've got Lupus!' One of those just doesn't sound right." - Mitch Hedberg

I think too many cynical secularists have entirely too much distrust for God, religion, and spirituality. They don't really make much effort to understand all of the strength and positivity that can come from those things that can help people build the character, integrity, and will power to meet and overcome the challenges they face in life. It's really a beautiful thing. And it's extremely beneficial if it's approached the right way. But it seems like too many people just assume the worst. They have these very deeply rooted prejudices toward the subject and look for reasons to criticize it. Whether it's arrogant, pseudo-intellectual reasons ("I believe in science and science says there is no God") or angry socio-political reasons ("Religion makes people hate gays") or whether somebody's just lived a (*)(*)(*)(*)ty life and feels like God is punishing them. Everybody's got different reasons, but they all lead to the same place; to this need to reject and condemn God, spirituality, and religion and close themselves off to any positive things that could come from them.

So to answer the questions, is alcoholism a disease? Yes, but it is a self-chosen one. Are the 12 steps religious? It really depends on how you look at it, but it shouldn't really matter. All that should matter is if they work.

 

Who cares if Twelve step programs are religious or not, if it helps one person get off the booze, hasn't something good been achieved?

 

Whoa whoa, there is way to much self accountability in this post, you're going to have to take this post back, and pass the buck around allot more, before this starts making sense to some of these people.

 

I'm almost 6 years clean/sober and have never set foot in a "meeting"....as I consider such a "replacement addiction", and a number of my associates who've been clean for over 20 years, but still faithfully attend 3 times a week seem to support that notion....

but I would never criticize or begrudge anyone trying anything and everything to regain control over their demons....
Though on the issue of the state "sentencing" someone to AA or "treatment" facilities, I vehemently disagree with that..

because none of of that (*)(*)(*)(*) has a chance in hell of working until the addict has hit his or her personal wall.

 

If people who are 'addicted' to smoking, suddenly quit smoking, they were never addicted in the first place. Same with drinkers. Choose to smoke/drink, you can choose to stop smoking/drinking.

 

How is this thread " Political Opinions & Beliefs"?