Addiction to Chemical Substances

Addiction and Shame... Medicine and 12-Step programs have adopted the "disease model" of addiction. Cultural and biological influences on addiction are well documented. Addicts often want to know "why" they drink or use drugs, but such "understanding" is usually viewed as an impediment to treatment. Better to say "I am an alcoholic" and "I drink because I am a drunk" than to spend time trying to understand "what made me a drunk". In practice, the disease model works. Yet, the 12-steps would be effective in treating shame and I believe much addiction has shame at its core. Over the years, I have seen many addicts stop "using" only to adopt behaviors that seem to mask their shame. I didn't see an Addiction-Shame thread, so decided to start one. Thoughts...?

• Scripts for Addiction by Don Nathanson, 12/1/97
  • is there also a 'celebration' script? by Martha Frisoli Gibson, 12/1/97
    • Celebrations and Libations by Don Nathanson, 12/2/97
  • (No title) by (No author), 1/11/98
    • Why addiction is different by Don Nathanson, 1/11/98