Understanding the Illness of Addiction

One of the most supportive things families can do is learn about the addiction and what their loved one is experiencing. Knowing different treatment models will be critical in getting your loved one the help they need. One way of understanding the illness of addiction is using the first step from the 12-step recovery model: we admitted we were powerless over our addiction; that our lives had become unmanageable. The idea is to admit powerlessness two different ways: one being with the body, physically powerless and the other with the mind, mentally powerless. The unmanageable piece is the spirit or otherwise known as internal discomfort.

An important aspect of understanding and treating suffering addicts and alcoholics is the ideas in the first step in the 12-step process and how it relates to the illness. The concept of powerlessness is one of the keys as well as the unmanageability. Being powerless is by definition being without power, choice, or control. If an individual had the ability to control or choose to stop using, how could they be powerless? The will power of an individual also would not work, because it implies that one has some sort of power. Any dictionary will give any number of standard definitions; all explaining that being powerless is having no influence, ability, or control. "I am powerless over the weather." I have no ability to choose, control, or do anything else to the weather. The weather does not ask my opinion when it wants to snow, rain, or become windy. I also have no choice over the sun setting, in fact some days I wish there were more hours in the day, and I could postpone sunset, but no one ever asks me what I think.

The word choice means something along the lines of selecting or making a decision. If I were presented with the opportunity to go kite surfing or hiking, I would choose to go kite surfing. If you asked me whether I wanted a cheeseburger or bacon pepperoni pizza, my choice would be the pizza. The interesting thing is that most professionals, family members, and addicts themselves believe they have a choice in the matter of the illness. Some common phrases used in the treatment world by the three previously mentioned parties, all of which imply the sufferer has the ability to choose, are listed below.

"I'm powerless and today I have a choice."
"Why don't you just choose to stop?"
"When he wants it bad enough, he will quit."
"Remember how bad it was next time you want to pick up."
"Think it through."
"If you loved me, you would stop."
"I will quit when I want."

Along with choice the other keyword used is willpower. Most addicts/alcoholics who have been trying to get clean and sober for over a month will openly admit that their willpower is not going to help them. Treatment professionals will also openly admit this. Willpower is just not good enough in the treatment of this illness. The word will means thinking. A few years ago I saw a definition that said the mental powers. It is ultimately another word for choice. If one had willpower, it would still be power which would give them the ability to control the illness. So the question I always ask professionals and addicts is, "how can these guys/girls have no willpower but have a choice?" Like I mentioned above, being powerless means not having any choice, power, or control, therefore, anyone who really suffers from this illness has no choice or willpower, or they are not powerless.

Cancer patients have no power, choice, or control. They are powerless over the cancer. Someone with cancer does not tell the cancer what to do or how to specifically affect the body. The cancer does what ever it feels like, creating a wake of devastation behind it. This is the exact way this illness works. The individual with the illness is powerless mentally and physically, and there is the underlying unmanageability following them, sometimes subtly, the whole way.

My understanding of this illness, like I mentioned before, is body, mind and spirit. The illness is different from substance abuse/dependence disorders explored in the DSM-IV-TR. In the beginning of this article I stated the illness was 3 parts of body, mind and spirit and that it was comprised of a physical powerlessness, a mental powerlessness and a spiritual unmanageability. Having a well-informed understanding of the illness is paramount in helping people recover and move forward in their life.

Using this understanding, families may come to the realization that their loved one does not have a choice to NOT drink. They are powerless. It becomes the families' responsibility to learn how to affectively guide them into addiction treatment. If the addict or alcoholic is powerless, it is not probable that they are going to choose to go to treatment. This is where the family comes in. Be the source of strength the addict needs, learn how to guide them and move them into treatment.

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