Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

[Ne/Neva Eva]

I'm floored. Here's the link:

Addiction now defined as chronic brain disorder - Health - Addictions - msnbc.com

[Doggygirl]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

Interesting and timely. Tomorrow I'm attending the monthly meeting of a membership group of addiction treatment folks in the Chicago southwest suburban area. Will ask about this if I get a chance.

Are there not enough actual addicts involved in treatment, research, etc.? The fact that my brain is mis-firing in terms of the reward centers is not shocking news here. I just find it hard to believe that there continues to be a pervasive belief in the treatment field that addicts really have a choice when actively using. I suppose I'm in for all kinds of rude awakenings in the forseeable future.

Even around the AA tables we talk about "the disease of the mind" even if nobody in the room (including me) is medically technical enough to understand exactly what that is.

DG

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

This is a sea change, I think DG. A tipping point that I didn't see coming for another decade. Maybe I'm overreacting? I don't think so.

American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has revised it's definition of addiction. Among other things:

...describes addiction as a primary disease, meaning that it's not the result of other causes, such as emotional or psychiatric problems

and this quote from a past president:

"At its core, addiction isn't just a social problem or a moral problem or a criminal problem. It's a brain problem whose behaviors manifest in all these other areas," said Dr. Michael Miller, past president of ASAM who oversaw the development of the new definition. "Many behaviors driven by addiction are real problems and sometimes criminal acts. But the disease is about brains, not drugs. It's about underlying neurology, not outward actions."

I'll have to look at the old definition and compare the two, I suppose. But I'm pretty sure this is huge. It is for me personally, since a non-alcoholic family member sent me the link. That in itself was amazing.

[SlipperyPete]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

Psssshh. "Science" and "facts" can be used to prove anything that's even REMOTELY true!

I still maintain that we're evil and weak, and we drink because of moral failures.

Seriously though, this is great. Seems odd that the ASAM would take so long to realize this, especially considering the AMA has classified alcoholism as a disease for who knows how long.

[gratitude]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

" Simply put, addiction is not a choice. addictive behaviors are a manifestation of the disease, not a cause".
in other words, I don't drink because I have character defects. My character defects are amplified because I drink.
that really is a HUGE distinction. kinda brings us into the 21st century I think. thanks ne.:thanks:

[Otter]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

Neva,

I don't know why you are floored. This is what this whole Baclofen thing is about...the amygdala, limbic systems, Gaba B, etc. It is all about nerology. Addiction is a physical illness. It is not a psychiatric problem or a life style choice. Now it is a treatable illness, which is great because there are a lot of illnesses out there like cancer which don't have a cure. So, rather than being in the worst case position, someone with an addiction is now in a better position than many others with serious illnesses.

Rejoice! Be happy!


Best wishes

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

EXACTLY Otter! But it's on the MSNBC feed. What we KNOW to be true is now the standard definition. It's not that it's classified as a disease, Slippery. At least not from my perspective. It's that it's classified as something other than the disease of drinking/using/doing too much. A brain disorder!

HUGE breakthrough is that the brain disorder is now a primary, what did it say? A primary diagnosis. NOT addiction and not trauma and not depression and not any of the whole host of things we are misdiagnosed with.

Holy cow, I'm having a religious scientific moment here!

Cue the chorus of angels. I can hear 'em anyway. HUGE

[Cassander]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

If addiction is a disease and not a behavior, this will, among other things, eventually have enormous repercussions in the intersection between criminal law and addiction.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

Cassander;1164322 wrote: If addiction is a disease and not a behavior, this will, among other things, eventually have enormous repercussions in the intersection between criminal law and addiction.

The ramifications are enormous. My doctor will be unable to shunt me off to an "addiction specialist" shrink. Eventually, anyway. I've already kicked her to the curb. No time to deal with that stuff...
I will drop off a copy of the article, or maybe the scientific version of it. we'll see.

[Otter]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

Ne:That is right. But this is what Ameisen has been saying. Alcohol is a medication... it is a poor one because it is toxic and it makes the illness worse.

I found something which I find completely bizarre and I don't know what to make of it. My understanding of the disorder is that it is a shortage of Gaba B so I googled this and I came up with a full blown recognized medical illness which is treatable with Baclofen.

Here it is:

Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There really is nothing new under the sun. I have no idea what this is about by the way or whether it has any bearing on alcoholism.

I wonder whether someone with this illness presents as someone who is always appearing to have the symptoms of someone who is drunk? It seems to result in them having too much GABA which must be like being drunk.

Cass: Aha! Yes indeed. Do you know any criminal law professors who would like to take a look at this issue? In the UK we have what are called "diversion" schemes where addicts are offered treatment with subutex instead of prosecution. There is already a general acceptance here that prosecuting addicts is pointless although it is not necessarily because there is a general acceptance in scientific circles that addiction is a brain disorder but more a recognition amongst those in law enforcement that it is just cheaper to offer a less dangerous substitute for the addictive substance than it is to imprison someone.

[mario]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

Ok can we put this all in plain simple language for simple mario here :-) Thanks.

[Otter]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

mario;1164410 wrote: Ok can we put this all in plain simple language for simple mario here :-) Thanks.

Alcoholism is a shortage of a brain chemical called GHB or gammahydroxybutyric acid. That chemical is produced in the body to calm down your brain when stressed. If you cannot produce the chemical or there is something wrong with your brain that it does not calm down, then you just remain stressed.

Alcohol does the same thing as GHB. It calms down the brain...puts you to sleep if you take enough.

Baclofen is a man made version (analogue) of GHB so it calms the brain and you don't then feel like drinking.

What is being said is that alcoholism is a brain chemical imbalance which Baclofen can correct. A bit like having an iron deficiency or Vitamin B deficiency. Just take a man made supplement... in this case Baclofen.

[Bruunhilde]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

Nicely explained, thanks Otter.

[mario]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

Thanks otter.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Addiction Now Defined As Brain Disorder, Not Behavioral Issue!

That's not what it says, Otter. In fact, making this about GHB and baclofen and any of the rest of the information we both are interested in has the propensity to undermine the entire discussion.
This has NOTHING to do with baclofen.

There is no mention in the first report of baclofen. And there is no mention in the second link, a study, of alcoholism.

The pertinent information in the first link is that addictions are no longer classified as psychiatric in nature. They are now going to classify addiction as the primary disease. This means, among other things, that there is no longer any need for finding the underlying cause of addiction. It is a disease in and of itself and can be treated as such.

This is what the past president had to say:

"At its core, addiction isn't just a social problem or a moral problem or a criminal problem. It's a brain problem whose behaviors manifest in all these other areas," said Dr. Michael Miller, past president of ASAM who oversaw the development of the new definition. "Many behaviors driven by addiction are real problems and sometimes criminal acts. But the disease is about brains, not drugs. It's about underlying neurology, not outward actions."

The second link is a disorder so rare that it's found in a hundred or so families in the world. The disorder manifests itself in, among other things, mental retardation and poor muscle definition. I think we can all agree that it's not particularly relevant. Just ask lo0p. And some of the many smarty-pants we have around here! :H
(It is actually fascinating, though. And has the most succinct explanation of the way GABA works that I've ever read. So thank you for that, Otter.)