Addiction
.
Accurately identifying persons with addiction is critically important for effectively targeting treatment and harm reduction interventions. Misdiagnosis of addictive disorders can lead to a cascade of negative outcomes, including stigma, discontinuation of needed medications, undue scrutiny of both patients and physicians, and even criminal consequences. A recent study raises significant concerns about the accuracy of diagnosis code data, likely rooted in confusingly-worded International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 and ICD-10 codes and a general misunderstanding of the difference between addiction and physiologic dependence. It is hardly surprising that physicians frequently mislabel patients when the ICD terms used to code for addiction are themselves misleading. ICD codes have not been updated to reflect current understanding of addiction, unlike those in the DSM-5. To explore this issue further, this commentary briefly discusses new information regarding coding data inaccuracies, how coding inaccuracies can lead to misdiagnosis, and the dangers of conflating “addiction” with “dependence.” The commentary concludes with a call for the ICD to update their codes to reflect current understanding of addiction.
Alcoholism is a choice, not an addiction. As are all drug dependencies. They willingly make that decision, their mind isn't under control of anything abnormal, it's working properly.
I agree in that it is certainly a choice and that the person will certainly be held responsible.
That's why I listed above the 'works of the flesh.'
If we're not responsible, if it's not a choice, one can't be held responsible, but in the sight of the judge of all the earth we WILL be held responsible and suffer the horrible eternal consequences.
So many call addictions (dependence, habit, whatever you choose to call it) a 'disease' and it relinquishes their responsibility for the crime and the consequences, that's a cop-out.
I'm sure we agree on most of these things, maybe we get lost in the semantics.
I know many recovered alcoholics. When you suffer withdrawal from any substance by abstinence, to me that's an addiction. The brain needs the substance.
I don't know what else to call it, but I'm comfortable with my thinking on the topic.
...to me that's an addiction.
Doesn't matter what you think or want to be. That isn't an addiction.
The brain needs the substance.
As is normal when you force the brain to 'need' it.
I'm sure we agree on most of these things, maybe we get lost in the semantics.
I would agree except immediately following that you bring it back up. You're wrong, I've sourced this. Alcoholism isn't an addiction.
What else isn't an 'addiction' to you?
(post is archived)