what the American psychiatric association defines drug addiction as

http://focus.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/1/2/190

i dont necessarily see anything wrong with it. the only thing im skeptical on is the disease part, i wouldn't label it a "disease."

im trying to decide if its just propaganda? it seems fairly valid actually. just seems like a harsh definition.

Actually the diagnostic criteria for depenednce varies for each drug.

Check out the DSM-IV, that is the book of diagnostic crieteria (a sort of definition) for all mental disorders recognized by the APA.

AKA the book with the list of "dis order" in peoples minds that we can sell them drugs to treat. is it just me and the Dead Kennedys that think people can make up whatever shit they want to say is not normal as long as they have a drug for it. its gotten corporations rich. and made "self medicating" and more enjoyable drugs illegal. fuck the APA

One of the key diagnostic criteria for any disorder is that it "significantly impairs" the person's day-to-day life. Its ok to be as strange as you like but if it stands in the way of doing the things you want to do then it is a disorder.

Also, very few people are forced into psychiatric treatment. most people identify a problem in their life that they need help with. They then make an appointment with a psychiatrist/therapist/counselor to get the help they need.

So i dont see how you can see the APA as contriving disorders when virtually all psychiatric patients go into treatment because they feel tat they need help.

"tv invents a disease you think you have. so you buy our drugs and soon you depend on them" when i see people reading pamphlets with the symptoms of (insert diagnosis here) with a drug label on them i see it as drug companies MARKETING illnesses to people. (as my friend tells me he perfectly meets the criteria for adhd).

That seems fairly correct.

Except for, as was stated before, the disease part. I hate it when people say addiction is like a disease, as if it's not their own fault. Don't want to get addicted? Then don't fucking take the risk of experimenting with drugs!

It's gone too far nowadays. Now a junkie can take legal action if they're fired from their work under the grounds that they're a junkie. That's fucking bullshit! If I was a CEO of a company, and there was someone fucking the dog because they were too fucking stoned to do a good job, then I'd fire their ass! But nooooo, it's a fucking disease! Fuck you.

[/rant]

lol do you happen to be a ceo with a junkie problem?

Yea in college at the moment we have to do these "alcohol awareness" classes, we even get a grade at the end with like 5 UCAS points or some shit.

Anyway, one topic was alcohol addiction, and the teacher was like "it is a disease", and I was like, "no it isn't, it's self inflicted, how can it be a disease? You're just glorifying their problem".

And yea, I forgot what I was saying.

Like ADHD (Bullshit) There basically giving out legal speed to 'Problem' children. As if there not already bad enough, pumping them full of methamphetamine is really gonna help.

and the endless problem of governments with double standards.

Like ADHD (Bullshit) There basically giving out legal speed to 'Problem' children. As if there not already bad enough, pumping them full of methamphetamine is really gonna help.

Its so hip and be cynical and call ADHD bullshit, for people who actually have ADHD amphetamines really work.

But for these clueless soccermoms who want something to fix that their kid is a littel shithead, I dont think prescribing them addictive stimulants is the answer.

Addiction is all in the mind. But i dont wanna be anywhere near a heroin addict when they cant get their fix.

If you remove the mind, you remove problem right?(basically if their dead their no longer addicted)

It's a mental pull unlike any other when you're addicted. Fuck food, fuck safety, fuck work, fuck my friends, just let me get that shit in my arm as quick as possible then make sure I have more for the next time I get sick.

For those of you saying it's a weakness I honestly wish it was that simple. I'm a strong person, and my addiction is something I had to get serious help with, otherwise I'd still be in the same spot or worse. Those people you see that are terribly strung out and you ask them "why" often cannot answer "why". I know I sure can't. I did feel weak because I couldn't comprehend why I kept coming back to using despite all the harm I was causing myself and others. I can still remember my dad telling me, "You just need to quit cold turkey!" as if he were an expert on addiction. As if that's why his brother was a heroin addict then died on methadone and drinking. I remember the people in detox telling me that shooting up opiates for pain relief is unheard of and only addicts do that.

I'm fucking hurting and It's my only relief.