The One Key Fact About Addiction You’ll Most Want to Know
There is one key fact about addiction that can help both the addict | alcoholic and their family members and friends. This fact is the 21st century definition of addiction, namely:
Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease.
There is one key fact about addiction that can shatter the shame and open the doors to treatment and long-term recovery.
Addiction has long been referred to as a disease, but the addition of the words, “chronic, often relapsing brain,” to the definition is new – 21st century new.
Why now?
Advances in imaging technologies of the past 15-20 years, such as fMRI, SPECT and PET, have resulted in an explosion in brain and addiction-related research. These technologies allow scientists to study the live human brain in action, over time, during substance abuse, with mental illness, with medications, during key developmental periods and the list goes on. These capabilities, along with collaborative research and funding efforts, are truly revolutionizing how we now understand addiction. Not only how we understand it, but also the many ways we can effectively treat it.
Let me explain.
Disease by its simplest definition is something that changes cells in a negative way. The disease of cancer, for example, changes cells, such as those in the breast, in the case of breast cancer, and those in the prostate, in the case of prostate cancer.
When organ cells change negatively, the health and/or functioning of that organ changes, which in turn changes the health and functioning of other parts of the body.
In the case of addiction – it changes cells in the brain. Because the brain controls everything we think, feel, say and do, addiction’s negative impact on brain cells changes a person’s thoughts and behaviors.
The nature of these brain changes explain why addicts | alcoholics will lie, cheat, steal and break promises to those they love the most. They also explain why some addicts | alcoholics relapse and why treating the disease of addiction requires healing | re-wiring the brain for which there are many approaches that can work. These approaches can work when the disease of addiction is treated like other diseases, such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease, and that’s by using the 3-staged disease management approach. This approach includes: 1) detox/stabilization, 2) acute care/rehab and 3) continuing care. Quoting from the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), Treatment for Alcohol and Other Drug Addictions, “the length of the treatment and rehabilitation process will necessarily vary widely from case to case. In all cases, however, a continuum of care [stage 3 of the 3-stage disease management approach] and a structural social support system (e.g. self-help groups, professional therapy and medical supervision) are needed because of the severe nature of the illnesses and potential for relapse.”
And who are the authorities behind this definition?
There are a number of them, including: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).
To learn more about the chronic, often relapsing brain disease addiction
…including the risk factors for developing the disease, how it hijacks the brain, why adolescent addiction needs to be treated differently, why relapse can occur, as well as what constitutes effective treatment, please take some time and browse through the following three resources:
The Addiction Project produced by HBO in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
Understanding Drug Abuse and Addiction produced by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Drugs, Brains and Behaviors: The Science of Addiction produced by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
When we truly understand this disease for what it is, we can accept the addict | alcoholic must stop all use of their substance of choice because of the nature of this brain disease and then do whatever it takes to heal | rewire their brain. And for the latter, I’ll leave you with NIDA’s, “Principles of Effective Treatment.”
Lisa Frederiksen
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Lisa, thank you for your tireless effort to educate the public on how we think about addiction, particularly the ‘relapsing brain disease’ concept. So important for us all to understand and embrace in order for us to move forward! I will be posting and tweeting this! Cheers.
You’re so welcome and I really appreciate all of your support and efforts to spread the word, Leslie!!
Great distinction and right on time for me, Lisa. Just last evening I gave a talk at a, “phase 2” acute care/rehab facility where and when I asked folks about their understanding and acceptance of the simple truth that…addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease.
All but one gave me “the nod” and the woman who needed to know more was left with a better understanding in large part to my being a regular reader of your informative posts. What has helped me most are the ways you offer of describing these assertions in easy to understand language. And…as brain science teaches us (reminds us?)…repetition is the Mother of all invention.
Grateful again. Many thanks!
That’s fantastic, Herby! Thanks for sharing your success with this approach!
Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease – thank you for writing about this important topic. So many, I feel are not sure what addiction is and are confused by all the chaotic behavior. The more we know, the more understanding we have and the better we do. Thanks Lisa!
You’re so welcome, Cathy. I learn so much from you, as well – thanks for reading and adding your comment!