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  #71  
Old 12-22-2005, 10:36 AM
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Default Re: Addiction is a disease?

Psychology is 90% bull sh!t and 10% common sense. Psychoogists, as a group, do more harm than good in society (although they don't do much of either, really). But those who freely prescribe SSRI (anti-depressants) based on some cock-e-mamy theory that a "chemical imabalance" is the cause of the depression are truly irresponsible and are lackeys for big pharma... who are the real villains... (Sorry to hijack the thread). Addictions are funny things. Not a one size fits all question. Different people get addicted in different ways. AA, NA, and GA are not complete rubbish for everyone. They are quite correct and effective - for some. Clearly not for others...
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  #72  
Old 12-23-2005, 03:02 PM
thehotspur thehotspur is offline
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Default Re: Addiction is a disease?

Psychologists don't and indeed legally cannot prescribe medication. Although my replying to a post that includes the term "cockamamy" (or a funny attempt of it) means that I think my head need examining [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]
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  #73  
Old 12-24-2005, 12:01 AM
12AX7 12AX7 is offline
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Default Re: Addiction is a disease?

Well this is an interesting topic. What brought it on?

Anyways, Yes I agree. Many things labelled disorder may, or may not be. Further, to say they are all caused by "brain chemical imbalances" leads to some interesting questions. Ones that should really be answered before handing out mind altering chemicals and stigmatizing people with the "disorder" label.

For example, if you say there's a brain chemical imbalance... er... ummm... how did you establish what in balance is? How did you establish then, that an imbalance was present?

Like many legal issues, the extremes are clear right? Insanity in its extreme forms are clearly visible. The big question is, where is the line between disorder and simple human variation, or what may be refered to as excentricity. Or even evolution?

And what of cultural impact. Kill your enemy and fry them up for dinner here in the USA, you are criminally insane. *Don't* do that in some tribal cultures and you're insane, right? LOL!

Anyway, I'm all for much stricter definitions and diagnosis than what presently passes. The big childhood ADD debate comes to mind.

I think the questions I posed above should be answered and further, that methods of screening out false positives should be given some thought.

For example, someone who is fastidious about dirt and crud. Obsessive, or someone who is clearly aware of physical reality.

An example of this jumped out at me the other day.

I was at a new Bashas. A food chain. There was a little display with sterile wipes. It said, "To clean the basket handles and child seat area for your protection, The Management".

However, had you gone to another grocery store with your own wipies... someone might label you an OCD sufferer, right?

So anyway, yeah, I try to bear in mind doctors are "health care provider" not trained scientists/researchers.

As an aside, I believe some sources state modern Psychiatry was dying on the vine until a point in the 70's when the APA got in bed with the drug companies.

You really want an eye popper, go study the history of the "ice pick lobotomy" and just what was going on a scant 50 years ago.

The science of the mind is still very embrionic. I do believe it might have been Einstien that said the only thing the brain will never figure out is itself. LOL!
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  #74  
Old 12-25-2005, 03:03 AM
RIDGE45 RIDGE45 is offline
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Default Re: Addiction is a disease?

Craig~

I didn't read any of the other posts so I appologize if anyone has covered any of what I say.

Anyway, I am majoring in Neuroscience (basically the science of brain, nervous system, and pscyhology) and know quite a bit about addiction.

So onto to the good stuff...

Essentially addiction results from a reward pathway in a certain part of the brain (at least most addictions...especially drug). Basically when you perform a behavior (eating, sex, GAMBLING, etc), take a substance (again food, drugs, etc), if affects the amount of chemicals (called neurotransmitters) which result in increased stimulation of what has been deemed the "reward pathway" in the brain. Since this is pleasurable for a person they behavior that causes becomes addictive. (For example lab rats will endure intense pain to recieve drugs of addiction liek cocaine because the reward is so great).

From a more non-science background addiction is formed through reinforcement or conditioning. A certain behavior results in a good feeling so it becomes addicting. Gambling is a particularly strong reinforcer because the reward (i.e winning money, etc) can not be predicted. Thus, the person feels compelled to play until they get the feeling (winning) again, and afterwards want to feel it so bad that they continue.

As far as addiction as a disease, it's looked at a disease because it results from chemical changes in the brain, and because it is something that has to be "cured". It's hard to quite anything you are "addictied" to cold turkey. The more that is understood about the chemical/biological mechansims of addiction that more it is looked at as a "disease" rather than a mental weakness because it is soemthing that in a way has to be cured. Also, some people are more succeptible to addiction (addictive personalities).

Sorry is this doesn't make sense...PM if you want more info, and/or want me to point you in the right direction of more information.
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  #75  
Old 12-25-2005, 03:32 AM
SheetWise SheetWise is offline
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Default Re: Addiction is a disease?

[ QUOTE ]
I didn't read any of the other posts ...

I am majoring in Neuroscience ... and know quite a bit about addiction.

[/ QUOTE ]
If you do, it's not reflected in your post. Reading the posts might actually help you direct your 'quite a bit' of knowledge. Who knows, there may even be a 'bit' you missed.
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  #76  
Old 12-26-2005, 04:21 PM
thehotspur thehotspur is offline
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Default Re: Addiction is a disease?

Isn't it a remarkable coincidence how often addicts with an "unbalanced neurochemistry" happened to have been abused when young, screwed over, or had a lousy life. These neuroscientists who reduce human behaviour to meaningless chemistry (which the very top experts in the field even admit is just a metaphor) bring very little to the party other than their pharmaceutical backers who want to apply existing drugs to addicts.
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  #77  
Old 12-26-2005, 11:53 PM
SheetWise SheetWise is offline
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Default Re: Addiction is a disease?

I agree. I'm sure orgasm causes "chemical changes in the brain" as well, yet I've never seen it viewed as a disease requiring a cure -- while the recognized pharmacopeia boasts several compounds designed to enhance performance of an act which invariably leads to the same outcome.
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  #78  
Old 12-27-2005, 04:35 PM
RIDGE45 RIDGE45 is offline
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Default Re: Addiction is a disease?

Your post is extremely misguided...

Any psychologist, scientist, etc. who claims depression RESULTS from a chemical imbalance is an idiot. Psychologists use SSRI's because they work...they do not believe that the face they work explain the causes of the depression.

An SSRI selective blocks the reuptake of a chemical called serotonin (SSRI = selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). This happens to help the symptoms of depression (but causes some nasty side effects....weight gain, etc.). When SSRI's were first discovered many hypothesized that depression must then be a result of a serotonin "imbalance". This has sense been proven, for the most part, false. It is just that that lower levels of serotonin are associated with depression and SSRI's help the symptoms of depression.

It would be like claiming headaches are caused by a lack of aspirin since aspirin "cures" headaches. This is not the case but one can not refute that aspirin helps headaches...same goes for SSRI's and depression.

Your post is uneducated. You attack a field, and a theory, that you obviously know nothing about. It is sad that people stubbornly stick to their OPINIONS of psychology, mental illness and treatment with little regard for what has been discovered, and what is being discovered, through research. Scientists, and psychologists alike work tirelessly to prove/disprove the theories of psychology through studies (both behavioral and scientific) in order to convince uniformed, biased skeptics like yourself that psychology is real.

I challenge you to research the field of psychology and neuroscience. Do not let the actions of a few bad pscyhologists/scientists cause you to ridicule a whole field that is helping society cope/deal with such diseases as alzhiemers, addiction, aging, strokes, etc, etc, etc.
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  #79  
Old 12-27-2005, 04:42 PM
RIDGE45 RIDGE45 is offline
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Default Re: Addiction is a disease?

Physical addiction could be indeed labeled a disease.

You show me a full blown alcoholic that has quite cold turkey. You can't do it because your body is dependant on alcohol. The withdrawl is unbearable, and the only thing that helps it?? You got it...alcohol.

Do you think you have enough "will power" or psychological control to not have alcohol when you are seeing, feeling, and hearing things that do not exist?

There comes a point in alcohol addiction where you can not psychologically overcome/control the urges to drink because your body can not function normally or feel normal without alcohol.

I am not saying AA, etc. are the best choice but you can not just decide to quite drinking one day if you have been an alcoholic for years. You need serious help and aid to succeed, and not die.

I equate it to being starved and having food in front of you...there is only so long you will be able to wait until you will eat that food.
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  #80  
Old 12-27-2005, 04:46 PM
RIDGE45 RIDGE45 is offline
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Default Re: Addiction is a disease?

There are different kind of addictions or dependancies such as Physical Depedancy or Pyschological Dependancy. Just because something isn't physically addictive doesn't mean you can't become dependant/"addicted" to it.
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