by Rev. Fr. Dr. Binoy Alexander
Vicar, St. Ephrem Knanaya Syrian Orthodox Church, Detroit, MI
St. Basil's Syriac Orthodox Church, Cleveland, Ohio
Faculty, South University
Member of Malankara World Advisory Board

The term "addiction" refers to an excessive dependence on anything such as alcohol, drug, sex etc. An addict is "a person who engages in a high rate of drug use and who has a sufficient history of reinforced drug taking to outweigh the more socially acceptable rewards of life." (1) The addicted person is one who is completely dependent on something physically, mentally, and psychologically. Addiction can be defined as a state in which the addicted person is mentally, physically and psychologically dependent on a substance despite its dangerous consequences. It is a state in which the addicted person can do nothing without the dependency of the substance. That means the addicted person does nothing; instead the consumed substance does whatever he/she wishes to do. As the old Japanese proverb, "first man takes drink then the drink takes drink, and then the drink takes the man", is true in the case of addicts. At first they take the drug for company's sake and then it encourages them to take more and more and at last it completely swallows them. The addicted persons completely surrender to the substance to which they are addicted. There are some people who have too much passion for something like old items, coin collection, stamp collection, handicrafts etc. They find pleasure in spending more time with these things.

There are four basic elements of any addictive behavior.

(1) Tolerance

(2) Craving

(3) Loss of control

(4) Physical dependence

All these elements play an important role in each addictive behavior. As studies show, addicts and non-addicts have different patterns of brain electrical activity. This difference indicates that alcohol or drugs do not affect the brains of the addicts in the same way as they affect non-addicts. Because of the way their brains respond, addicts may develop an unusual desire for the addictive substance. Dennis Thombs (2) classifies addiction into three sets of beliefs as follows:

(1) Addiction as Immoral Conduct

Addiction refuses the ethical or moral code of conduct which may lead the addicted to be isolated from the family and society. Addiction is considered an immoral conduct because it is a freely chosen behavior and the addicts create suffering for others like friends and family members and also for themselves.

(2) Addiction as Disease

Excessive consumption of alcohol or drugs is the result of an underlying disease process. This idea holds that the addicts are the victims of an illness. Here this behavior is not freely chosen by the addict, rather it is considered to be beyond the control of the addict. Addiction as a disease means that "the disease is not caused by heavy drinking or drug use, tress, or psychiatric disorders; rather, it is thought to be the cause of these very conditions." (3) Once we take alcohol or drug for just company's sake, it creates an intensive craving which may lead us to compulsive use of the substance. Then it becomes beyond the personal control of the addict. Because addiction is considered as disease, addicts need care, help and treatment.

(3) Addiction as Maladaptive Behavior

This concept holds that addiction is a behavioral disorder. It is shaped by the same laws that shape all human behaviors. It is neither sinful, nor disease but a behavioral problem under the control of environment, family, and society. Each of these aspects has its own merits and demerits. So addiction can be understood as the combination of all these aspects. The addicts face biological, psychological, social and spiritual problems caused by the substance. Some of them can be treated medically and the rest can be handled with mutual care and counseling.

Alcoholism

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and the American Society of Addiction Medicine defines alcoholism as "a primary, chronic disease with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations". It continues,

"the disease is often progressive and fatal. It is characterized by continuous or periodic impaired control over drinking, preoccupation with the drug alcohol, use of alcohol despite adverse consequences and distortions in thinking, most notably denial." (4)

Alcoholism is a learned habit which harmfully affects the physical, psychological, social and spiritual health of the alcoholic. Since it is a learned habit it can be treated successfully with the cooperation of the alcoholics and their family members. In 1956 , the American Medical Association recognized alcoholism as a disease, which means an excessive craving for alcoholic beverages despite its dangerous consequences on the whole life of the addicted person. The alcoholics have no control over their drinking. Even if they stop drinking for a while, they go back to obsessive drinking due to the strong urge of the body for alcohol or withdrawal symptoms. As a disease it can be treated successfully. Through pastoral care and counseling the alcoholic should be convinced of his/her condition and then the treatment will be easy.

Alcohol can affect the body in many ways. The chronic consumption of alcohol leads to many problems, even to death. It also affects the spiritual and social life of the addict. In a family, if one is an addict, it may ruin their marital relationship. The partners may remain married but they lead relatively separate lives. The addict may work and spend much time with drinking or drug-using friends rather than at home. The non-dependent spouse is automatically forced to carry the full responsibility of the family. Children may feel rejected and unloved and they may develop emotional problems and sometimes they may develop bad habits like alcohol or drug use in order to overcome their problems. (5) The family of the addict loses its interest in family prayer. The family that prays together stays together. The families of the addicts neither pray together nor stay together. Disturbance and quarrels in the family are regular phenomena. This will not create the appropriate atmosphere for prayer and spiritual activities. It is quite usual that when a person gets interested in alcoholic or drug addiction, he/she neglects their spiritual life. They will not be interested neither in spiritual activities nor in sending their children and other family members to church.

God created humans in God's own image and likeness. So we are the representatives of God on earth. Addiction destroys God's image and likeness in us. If we want to live a good life we would have to stop taking drugs. Spirituality is the only source which can help the addicted to return to the original state. St. Paul says, "your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit" (1Cor.6:19). It is our responsibility to keep our body clean, so that the spirit of God will indwell in us and guide in all our problems. But the addicted persons make their bodies a place of pleasure and sin. In a theological sense, addiction can be understood as idolatry. Idolatry is worshipping idols or images instead of God. Here the addicted person is engaging in excessive attachment to the substance. Spirituality is the best way to cast out the false idol and return to the missed status. Each religious community can play an important role in recovering the addicts through mutual caring, accepting and respecting each one's dignity.

References:

1. Dennis Thombs, Introduction to Addictive Behaviors, 3rd edition, (New York: The Guilford Press, 2006), 141.

2. Thombs, Introduction to Addictive Behaviors, 4-6

3. Thombs, Introduction to Addictive Behaviors, 21

4. Katherine Ketcham and William Asbury, Beyond the Influence: Understanding and Defeating Alcoholism (Bantam Books, 2000), 45

by Sean Callahan

By Cathy Taughinbaugh

Think less about getting your loved one to admit to an addiction and more about what it takes to build a better life.
- Carrie Wilkens, Ph.D.

Are you concerned about your child because of their drug or alcohol use?

Would a deeper understanding of addiction be helpful for you?

The scientific understanding of addiction is relatively new. So much about drug and alcohol use is based on a person's beliefs, and not scientific research. So, it's not surprising that myths about addiction are commonplace.

Family members are left wondering why someone who is suffering negative consequences, because of their substance abuse, is unwilling to change. Substance use is devastating for parents to watch and try to understand.

There are no two ways around it, addiction causes pain, frustration, anger, and fear for family members. However, the more information about addiction you have, the less stuck and helpless you will feel.

Understanding the truth about addiction will help you be more equipped to support your child in a healthy way. You will also feel less stressed and anxious. It critical to learn as much as you can about addiction if you are concerned about a loved one.

Addiction, defined by Webster's Dictionary is a "compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal."

This definition does not encompass other addictions or compulsive behavior such as gambling, food, or sex addiction. However, it gives a base line for considering addiction when it comes to drug or alcohol use.

No one is immune to addiction. No matter how smart or athletic your teen or young adult is, they are at risk if they start using substances. Drug use or alcohol misuse is a serious cry for help. Shaming or embarrassing your child only adds to the problem.

Substance use often begins in the teen years through partying with friends, accompanied by peer pressure to fit in. It can also start with a prescription given by a doctor for pain from an injury. The person finds the medication more and more appealing until they find that they can't live without it. Prescription medication abuse can lead to heroin use, because it is so much cheaper to buy when you are using drugs daily.

We live in a culture that promotes prescription drug and alcohol use. Yet, society looks down on people when they have addiction problems. Too often, people with substance use issues are thought of as lazy, weak-willed, or someone whose morals are flawed.

In addition, rather than encourage change, labeling a person an "addict" tends to bring on more shame and have a negative connotation. People associate the word "addict" with being a liar, irresponsible, dangerous, and in denial about their substance use problem.

Likewise, there has been a common and traditional belief that there is only one answer to addiction. The answer is total abstinence. Studies are showing however, that especially for young people, the idea of one solution is a deterrent to their being willing to get help for their drug use.

We now know that one size for addiction does not fit all. There are many ways to find recovery or manage your life in a better way. Positive change does not need to look the same for every person.

Some of the risk factors for addiction are early use, genetics, mental health issues, environment, and early childhood trauma. However, why a person feels it makes sense for them to use drugs or alcohol can be complicated and diverse.