Listen
Why breaking the rules isn't such a bad thing after all.
Is Addiction A Choice?
By Virginia Prescott on Tuesday, August 25, 2009.
Add new comment
For decades, the medical and recovery communities have held that addiction is a disease. The National Institutes of Health compare drug and alcohol addiction to type-two diabetes and cancer.
In a provocative new book Addiction: A Disorder of Choice psychologist Gene Heyman argues that addiction is not a disease, but a series of bad decisions. Heyman is a research psychologist at McLean Hospital and a lecturer in psychology at Harvard Medical School. Heyman presents evidence suggesting that addiction is a voluntary behavior instead of a disease. Gene Heyman joins us on the line to lay out his argument.
The Star: Addiction: Could it be a big lie?
The Boston Globe: Is addiction a choice?
(Photo by ozjimbob via Flickr/Creative Commons)
About us
Word of Mouth is all about what's new. Online and on-air, the show looks at our fascinating and ever-changing world, and puts the latest ideas under a microscope. Word of Mouth investigates everything from science and technology, to health and the environment, to new trends in popular culture. The show airs Monday through Thursday at noon and is hosted by Virginia Prescott.
Contact us
Say what you want to say. How you want to say it. We want to hear from you.
Search us
Podcast
Word of Mouth is on the move! Sign up for our podcast and take the show wherever you go.
Support From
is supported by
committed to clean energy solutions
twitter
Halloween
Germany
Here's What's Awesome
economy
environment
Next Green Thing
cider
antiquarian
books
Internet
medicine
neuroscience
berlin wall
music
health care
You Tell Us
Language
Mathematics
urban
literature
Film
Documentary
reading
youth
Teens
Television
robots
public television
Barack Obama
I was victimized or lived with addicts most of my young life, alcohoics or druggies.
My opinion is that addiction is BOTH chemical and behavioral. A person without sufficient emotional tools is faced with a negative life event (or many). What they find is that the addictive substance helps them feel better, so they take/use it for that. The substance addiction IS real but WITH enough emotional tools can be broken.
Therefore, I really do believe it is both chemical in nature AND behavioral choices. If we do not teach people more coping skills and turn away from the "a drug can fix you" attitude our society currently has, then expecting people to "Just say no." is absurd. A person without sufficient coping skills is likely to use whatever they can to ease their pain.
My mother was an alcoholic, my primary childhood caretaker was as well. My first male partner was a junkie. I know people who have walked away from alcoholism and heroin addiction, and I've also known people who could not.