As a college student, I have come across many addicted people; hence, I have honed my knowledge about addiction. Based on past knowledge and experiences, I knew addiction was a social ill that lowered the quality of life that people lived. Therefore, in this paper, I will delve into a personal experience I have had with addiction. Addiction is a concept that almost everyone has first-hand, second-hand, or third-hand knowledge of. Before this assignment, I had not given much thought to my own personal or professional experience with drug abuse. Before becoming a social work student, I tended to avoid situations that I perceived as undesirable. Addictions were eluding me, whether in my personal life or professional career. My mother separated my brothers and me from my grandma because she was a drug user. At the age of eleven or twelve, I finally met my grandmother for the first time. I did not have any feelings for her because I was no well acquainted with her at that period to form any opinions about her. I was largely unaffected by my grandmother’s drug use behavior. My mother would have allowed her to be a part of my life from the beginning if she had been sober or had never been an addict before I was born.
Besides, I am aware that my grandfather was addicted to heroin, but had already recovered by the time I was born. Perhaps, our relationship would be different if he had not overcome his alcoholism behavior before I was born. My father is quite protective of me, and I am sure he would have kept me away from my grandfather if he was still using drugs. My grandfather and I had a cordial relationship right up to his passing. Because he was my only grandfather, I am happy that his addiction did not affect my life. After reflecting on my own and my colleagues’ personal and professional experiences with addiction, I identified the event that impacted my life most. As a result of reflecting on that period – thanks to this assignment, I have recently become appreciative of some of the effects my mother’s relationship with an alcoholic user had on me. An alcoholic mother is the subject of the next section of this work, which I will describe.
The alcoholic user my mother dated was the first person I met; I use the term alcoholic since he is still addicted to alcohol. I remember meeting him. My mother first discussed her ex-boyfriend with my brothers and me to properly introduce us. When my mother informed us that she would be living with a new spouse in a few days, we were surprised. My mother’s ex-boyfriend arrived already drunk, and he continued to imbibe for the rest of the afternoon. I was instantly appalled and horrified by his actions, and I realized then that I did not want to build a relationship with him. I doubted my mother’s judgment based on my first impression on the man. “A man who behaves in this manner attracts my mum; why? These are some of the questions that flashed through my mind. I could not help but wonder. It is hard to imagine what kind of mom would allow a man like this to be around her children. To avoid any more misunderstanding, I immediately broke off contact with my mother’s ex-boyfriend. When he became an alcoholic, I was only fourteen or fifteen years old, so I had no understanding of what had led to his drinking problem. Initially, I wondered why this man could not control his drinking behavior and why he had to drink till he was intoxicated every time he did so.
Deliberating on my personal history and what you have learned from the course, addiction is a process marked by dependency on drugs and substances in day-to-day human activities. Psychology research and literature have effectively established that addicted people cannot control their feelings, emotions, and feelings towards drugs and other essential aspects in human life (Van Benthem et al., 2020). I believe addicts have a strong urge to continuously engage in drug abuse, a feeling that addicts cannot control. For example, my mother’s new spouse could not resist the urge to drink despite the fact that alcoholism undermined the overall well-being of the entire family. Her drinking was marked by constant and numerous wrangles that negatively affected our psychological development. Research shows that addicts lack the free will to control their cravings (Van Benthem et al., 2020). I find this argument convincing, specifically because addicts cannot quit using the drugs and regulate their urges voluntarily. This assertion is supported by the brain-disease model that I came across as I was researching for the paper. The model argues that addiction affects the neuroscience perspective and reduces the attributes of free will because it relocates the brain function and diminishes any blame attributed to addiction (Van Benthem et al., 2020).
Addicts lack control over their behavior which forms the basic definition of addiction. Research has demonstrated that addiction overcomes people’s capacity to believe in free will; hence, addicts have lack meaningful control over their behavior (Van Benthem et al., 2020). The inability to control a person’s behavior explains why alcohol addicts show adverse withdrawal symptoms when they try to avoid using their drugs. Alcoholism weakens the brain capacity and overall ability to act freely throughout the day. I remember my mother would condemn her alcoholic behavior when she was sober but soon find herself in the drinking den. The behavior would repeatedly occur even though she knew her behavior while under alcohol was quite bad. My mother’s ex-boyfriend would go out drinking with his friends and end up in jail for causing disturbances while under alcohol. Since moving in to stay with us, I have lost track of how many times he is has been arrested for intoxicated-related offenses. Addiction is often tantamount to the specific system, creating disbelief in free will (Van Benthem et al., 2020). Addicts are never in full control over their behavior. This argument stretches back to the antique notions that associate addiction with demonic possessions and divine command. Some people tend to argue that addiction leads to a system of supernatural volitions. Addiction in modern society is associated with reduced responsibilities and the inability to account for their actions (Silvers et al., 2019). Addicts have often cited external provocation as a major factor that compels them towards continuously engaging in addiction. While addiction has been associated with ideas of the demonic procession, I believe that lack of free will amongst the addicts is the leading cause of the belief that addiction is a form of association with demonic possessions. My argument is based on the DSM tool kit analysis and definition of the term addiction. According to the DSM kit, addition is associated with the substance being taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than intended.
The DSM is a vital diagnostic tool developed and published by the American Psychiatric Association. The acceptability and applicability of the kit show how much faith is bestowed on the kit. DMS identifies addiction as a substance use disorder which means that the condition can be grouped as a psychiatric condition (Silvers et al., 2019). Usually, psychiatric conditions such as stress and chronic depression affect a person’s normal thinking process; hence, addiction undermines the normal thinking processes. DSM-5 (the latest version of the diagnostic kit) does not identify addiction as a vague condition but emphasizes the various symptoms that characterize a person’s addiction (Silvers et al., 2019). The kit identifies addiction as an involuntary action and process that compels people to engage in hazardous habits and use. The tool, therefore, categorically identifies addiction as a mental condition which means that the impact of the condition on the physiological and psychological process is similar to that of other mental conditions (Jalali et al., 2019). This argument thus shows that addiction can influence mental processes, and addicts have no willpower over the addiction processes. Addiction is characterized by the desire to overcome substance use, but addicts cannot overcome the behavior. Addicts experience intense cravings and a strong urge to use the addictive substance, and finally, an addict desires more of the addictive substance. If these desires are not met, an addict will likely experience mood swings and other withdrawal symptoms, which indicates an inability to manage their willpower and addiction.
I firmly support the argument that addiction can cause the violation of free will and intentions. Addicts show similar signs to people affected by mental disorders that undermine the capacity and ability to make sound decisions. My rationale for comparing addiction to mental disorders such as depression is founded on the fact that addiction affects a person’s decision-making processes as noted by Van Wormer and Davis (2016). Addiction leads the addict to make an unconscious decision, as illustrated by my example. I have never understood the idea of engaging in alcoholism only to engage in abusive behavior that compromises our public image. However, unconscious decision-making can be explained through several scientific theories on the human body and conscious decision-making processes (Jalali et al., 2019). While some people try to embrace these theories, on the contrary, scientific theories explain that decisions originate from the brain. The brain coordinates the flow of information and decisions between human life’s cognitive and motor aspects (Van Wormer & Davis, 2016). However, drugs and substances affect the part of the brain responsible for making decisions. An addict portrays behavior similar to a mentally compromised person, which includes making unnecessary and irrelevant comments that the people cannot remember moments later (Gavriel-Fried et al., 2020). Addicts cannot control their actions, especially when under alcohol. There is also the argument that addiction comes with a strong urge to consume a specific substance (Van Wormer & Davis, 2016). Addicts rely on drugs to indulge in other pleasures to the point that some of these behaviors are destructive and harmful. However, the fact that an addict lacks control over the destructive behavior shows that addiction undermines conscious decision-making and free will.
Research by Narcotics Anonymous demonstrates that addicts lack the free will and capacity to make decisions while consciously being responsible for their decisions (Woehler et al., 2018). While the twelve steps of Narcotics Anonymous are not medically proven, the argument presented by the first of the twelve steps clearly illustrates the supremacy of addiction over free will. The first step is founded on the argument that humans are powerless over addiction and that an addict’s life becomes unmanageable (Woehler et al., 2018). While some scholars have argued that being powerless is hard to grasp, there is sufficient literature to demonstrate that addicts are powerless over what happens within and outside their bodies (Gavriel-Fried et al., 2020). Many addicts may not admit to being powerless over alcohol and drugs, but it is evident that addiction is a sign of being powerless. By being powerless, the first step illustrates addiction as a state where no amount of self-control will change how the drugs affect the brain (Van Wormer & Davis, 2016). The argument forms a foundation and basis of my argument that addicts are unconscious in their approach to drug management. Some studies have suggested that alcoholism is like living with a disease that changes the normal functioning of the human brain (Woehler et al., 2018). A person suffering from a disease does not have any control over the effects of the disease on their bodies. Usually, addiction acts like a chemical that leads to a lack of willpower to control the internal and external environments. While an addict may not inherently lack values and good character, addiction makes the person weak and cannot dictate their needs and wants.
According to Step 1 of the 12 steps for Narcotics Anonymous, admitting to being powerless over addiction means that a person has no control over what happens with their behavior, urges, and needs, even though a person may desire to overcome addiction (Galanter et al., 2019). It is common that many addicts believe that they have control over their addiction and that alcohol consumption happens out of free will. However, people find it difficult to avoid alcoholism when they enroll in therapy sessions. “It’s only a few drinks. I could stop if I wanted to,” it is such a statement that drives the belief that an alcoholic has control over their drug dependency levels. However, the journey to recovery is never easy, with many people finding it challenging. People have to accept that addiction makes them powerless and lack control over their lives. An analysis of the historical experience with my mother illustrates the paradox of being powerless. However, being powerless in addiction and recovery does not mean that a person is hopeless but rather addicts cannot control their decisions, actions, and relationships (Galanter et al., 2019). In this case, therefore, the argument that a person is powerless refers to the fact addiction means that a person is likely to live a life where they depend on certain drugs for their normal day-to-day lives. It is common for addicts to experience signs of chronic headache, severe sweating, and lack of motivation to work until a time when the person has consumed the drug (Galanter et al., 2019). The fact that the drug seems to stabilize their decision-making shows that the people are powerless over the drugs.
Step 1 of the 12 steps for Narcotics Anonymous states that “We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.” This statement got me thinking over the overall implications of addiction on the family and society as a whole. While addiction may not directly affect the entire family because it is confined to the active abuser only, it is irrational to presume that a family can escape the implications of having one member go deep into an addiction to the point of admitting to being powerless over the addictive substance (Woehler et al., 2018). While admission is the first step in the overall recovery process, the implications of addiction are usually too deep into the family, and recovery may be a lifelong process. Step one of the recovery processes provides presenting insights into the healing process. Woehler et al. (2018) asserts that step one of the recovery processes is the hardest to achieve as people rarely want to admit to addiction. However, reaching the step is critical as it comes with realizing that a person needs to recover and find therapy for the addict. The affected member and entire family opt to find a recovery plan and therapy for the patient (Woehler et al., 2018). Some addicts are expected to experience shocks regarding the state of their addiction. For example, a patient may experience a medical crisis since drugs have the potential to cause underlying infections. Nonetheless, while it may be difficult to admit to being powerless in the alcoholism process, the first step in the twelve-step recovery process is the greatest step an addict can take towards the recovery process.
Addiction has a devastating effect on people in the first, second, and third-degree. I am aware of this fact. I have stated that drug users have not harmed me throughout this paper. An alcoholic user was the only individual I came into contact with. Alcohol, as we all know, has various implications. “Alcohol is involved in 34 percent of drowning cases, 42 percent of fire injuries, 23 percent of suicides, 16 percent of child abuse cases, and 47 percent of homicides (American Addiction Centers, 2022). I did not allow one bad experience with an alcoholic user affect my view of people who are addicted to substances. To help others in my personal and professional lives, I aim to use this initiative in the future.
In conclusion, based on my historical knowledge and information from the course, addiction has huge implications on the life of an addict. Addiction affects brain function and lowers a person’s independency levels which leave a person overwhelmed by uncontrollable desires; hence, addicts have insufficient control over their lives. Due to addiction, a person’s intention, volition, and free will are mentally compromised, therefore insufficient to control the quantity and frequency of substance use. Addicts lack the free will and capacity to make decisions while consciously being responsible for their decisions. Also, addicts rely on drugs to indulge in other pleasures to the point that some of these behaviors are destructive and harmful. My rationale for comparing addiction to mental disorders such as depression is founded on the fact that addiction affects a person’s decision-making processes. Addicted people cannot control their feelings, emotions, and feelings towards drugs and other essential aspects in human life. Addicts have a strong urge to continuously engage in drug abuse, a feeling that addicts cannot control. The inability to control a person’s behavior explains why alcoholic users show adverse withdrawal symptoms when they try to avoid using drug substances.
References
American Addiction Centers. (2022). Drug & Substance Abuse Addiction Statistics: Retrieved 6 May 2022, from https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/addiction-statistics.
Galanter, M., White, W. L., & Hunter, B. D. (2019). Cross-cultural applicability of the 12-Step model: A comparison of Narcotics Anonymous in the USA and Iran. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 13(6), 493.
Gavriel-Fried, B., Moretta, T., & Potenza, M. N. (2020). Associations between recovery capital, spirituality, and DSM–5 symptom improvement in gambling disorder. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 34(1), 209.
Jalali, R., Moradi, A., Dehghan, F., Merzai, S., & Alikhani, M. (2019). Exploring factors related to treatment retention in Narcotics Anonymous members: a qualitative study. Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 14(1), 1-9.
Silvers, J. A., Squeglia, L. M., Rømer Thomsen, K., Hudson, K. A., & Feldstein Ewing, S. W. (2019). Hunting for what works: Adolescents in addiction treatment. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 43(4), 578-592.
Van Benthem, P., Spijkerman, R., Blanken, P., Kleinjan, M., Vermeiren, R. R., & Hendriks, V. M. (2020). A dual perspective on first-session therapeutic alliance: a strong predictor of youth mental health and addiction treatment outcome. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 29(11), 1593-1601.
Van Wormer, K., & Davis, D. R. (2016). Addiction treatment. Cengage Learning.
Woehler, E. S., Giordano, A. L., & Hagedorn, W. B. (2018). Moments of relational depth in sex addiction treatment. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 25(2-3), 153-169.
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