As I work with addicted people, the common thread to deciding that they finally want freedom from addiction is when they go into serious withdrawal. It’s sudden and it’s worse than cancer. In order to have a breakthrough, one must always have a breakdown. How unfortunate that there are those who have to get to that horrific place in order to let go and let God set them free. It’s the way it is and no amount of warnings, words, or help of any kind will change that. Interventions help only if the patient is willing; I’ve seen them save lives and be successful when done properly. The only part of this puzzle that doesn’t fit is that I have to watch people die because they felt just 10 pills a day wouldn’t hurt them. After all, they tell me, 10 pills don’t even get them high anymore, so they reason that it’s not hurting them. Next thing I know is they have died, leaving a mother, a father, a husband, a wife, a child. My heart breaks over and over and over again when that terrible day comes when their substance tells their body, “ok, it’s enough…it’s over”. Then, it’s too late. They die. Addiction takes hostages and is the most vile and unforgiving force on earth. Adults die. Kids die. Loved ones are abandoned and never stop asking, “why”. I’ve known some who have suddenly died after only 1 single pill they had taken for the very first time. Drugs are unpredictable and their effect varies with each person. No one escapes. No one.

Lord, I lift all who are addicted up to You.

by Dr Jeffrey A. Schaler, PhD

What does the word “addiction” mean? “Addiction” means to devote oneself toward something, toward someone, toward some activity, or toward some experience. It means “to say yes to”, “to consent to”. The word “addiction” shares the same Latin root, dicere, as the words abdication, dictator, and dictation. Addiction is a choice. It refers to something a person does, not to something a person has. It refers to behavior, mode of conduct, or deportment. Addiction is, by definition, voluntary, arising from one’s own free will. Addiction is a socially constructed concept – like “the economy.” There is no such thing as the economy. There is no such thing as addiction. The word “addiction” describes nothing. It is often used to prescribe something – a behavior, a way of life. This means that while many people use the word “addiction” as if they are describing some behavior, they are really prescribing how a person should or shouldn’t live. In this sense, they are being moralistic. Addiction is not a disease. It is not something someone has. It is not a lesion, or a seizure. Addiction is not involuntary. This distinction is important because since addiction is not a disease, it can be neither diagnosed or treated. Despite the fact that behavior and disease are different, many people who believe addiction is “treatable” equate the two. Smoking is a behavior. Cancer is a disease. Drinking is a behavior. Cirrhosis of the liver is a disease. Smoking is not cancer. Drinking is not cirrhosis. Scientists abide by certain rules to identify and treat diseases. If we are to take seriously the assertion that Internet addiction is a treatable disease, it is necessary to inquire as to whether the rules for diagnosis and disease classification are applied and abided by in responsible and meaningful ways. Diseases are physical. They are diagnosed by symptoms (complaints) and signs (lesions), or by signs alone (asymptomatic diseases). They are rarely diagnosed on the basis of symptoms alone (there are a few exceptions, such as migraine headache). “Addiction” is not listed in standard textbooks of pathology because it does not meet the nosological criteria for disease classification. This is because addiction is “diagnosed” solely on the basis of symptoms. There are no signs of addiction. All pathologists agree: Addiction is not a disease.

Below are my own thoughts and words based on my treatment of addiction working for those who “choose” it.

When clients come to me, I make certain that we are starting off on the same page.  The “page” includes 2 very special elements that we both need to understand and accept.  The primary element is the Jesus will be invited in to each and every session we have.  If my clients do not know God, they must be willing to have Him a part of all that we do or healing will not happen or even be understood.  The second element that must be accepted and understood is that addiction is NOT a disease as was once thought.  Addiction is always a choice.  I will not permit my clients to hide behind the curtain of “disease” because this produces the allowance of relapses being without any accountability due to some outrageous ‘disease process’ going on which is uncontrollable and unpreventable.  The disease take on addiction only fuels addiction without producing any hope of ever overcoming addiction…ever!  Don’t allow yourself to be seductively brainwashed to believing this lie because, if you do, you will never ever get well.

Bottom line?  If you want to hide behind some uncontrollable disease, don’t plan on getting well.  If you don’t want God in your life, expect nothing more than occasional relief, continued  despair, and ongoing addiction for the rest of your life.  I make no appologies for my staements here.  If I don’t present reality, I’m not doing my job of helping you.  I would rather work with fewer clients with whom I share the hope of total healing, then suck the money and blood out of people who I know will never be able to overcome addiction due to a closed mind and heart.

In closing today, I do want to say that there is a large percentage of addicted individuals who have chosen  substance abuse due to an underlying mental condition or severe emotional trauma.  For those people, psychiatric intervention is needed and recommended in order to get past those types of obstacles.  I’m obviously not here to win a popularity contest.  I’m here to tell those of you who will listen and understand that addiction is a choice and not a disease.  Habits are created and can be teminated when the mindset is right.

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1 Cor 10:13)

http://TeshuvahRoadLifeCoaching.com

http://TeshuvahRoad.com

http://AnAddictNoMore.org

If you don’t believe in God, I cannot help you; neither can God.  If you claim to be a believer in Messiah Jesus, I know that He will set you FREE and I can help put you on the road to true freedom from addiction FOREVER!  All you need is faith.

God is there if you want Him.  Faith is there if you embrace it.

This is a Warning to all of you physicians out there who are “legal drug lords”. You know who you are. You seductively addict your patients so that they must keep coming back to you in order to fill your deep hungry pockets to the point of overflowing. I’m here to tell you that your “cushy” income will not be for long. A network is forming to hold you accountable. There will be guidlines that prevent this egregious behavior on your parts. Here’s the deal that’s being kicked around…

1) All prescriptions for addictive drugs will automatically produce a state wide alert to pharmacies in your state and bordering states, alerting the DEA of your behaviors in prescribing these drugs.

2) Pharmacists will be held accountable by mandatory reporting, to the DEA, of those doctors that prescribe addictive medications for more than 2 weeks.

3) Guidline will be set as to what specific conditions are permitted to be treated with addictive drugs for periods longer than 2 weeks.

4) There will be Mandatory accountability to all of you who prescribe these drugs for your patients, with the requirements being, to produce and provide detailed information on the conditions of your patients (along with medical evidence) whom you deem it necessary to be treated in this potentially lethal manner. The result of non-compliance will be suspension of your license for 1 year for your first offence, along with manditory closing of your practice for 1 year as well. If there is a second offense, you will lose your state license and will NOT be able to practice within your state ever again.

5) You will have to hold mandatory classes, that will need to be recorded and monitored by state DEA agents, where you will teach patients about the dangers of these drugs by informing them on their serious side effects, including, but not limited to: addiction, heart attack, stroke, renal failure, liver failure, withdrawal, psychosis, depression, coma, and sudden death. Patients will be sent folow up questionairre’s as to what they have learned form these classes. Classes will be mandatory for EVERYONE receiving these drugs…even if for only 1 week.

6) You will have to take continuing educational classes on a yearly basis to learn about addiction and how to comply with regulations.

7) Any and all patient deaths that occur during the time that you are prescribing these drugs, will be monitored and reviewed as to whether or not the drugs prescribed participated in or resulted in death.

DOCTORS: YOU HAD BETTER START DOING NO HARM!!!!!!! We’re NOT going to take it any longer.

You WILL be held accountable!

TO PATIENTS: Say “NO” to addictive drugs!!! Bet informed! It’s your life! Report any suspicious behavior of your physician, to your State Board for Professional Misconduct of doctors. If you need information as to how to do this, I will supply you with the proper place, website and phone number in order for you to report this (within the US). Just write to me directly or submit a comment below with the state you are living in.

http://TeshuvahRoad.com

http://AnAddictNoMore.org