Alcoholism and addiction are progressive
diseases, and unless the user stops completely, the disease will always worsen
in severity over time. The intensity of this progression varies considerably,
and while some people may drink or drug for many years before things get
noticeably worse, they ultimately always do.
Unfortunately, some people, especially
those people with dual diagnosis challenges, may find that their addiction or
alcoholism can progress quickly, and the devastation of the disease can mount month
by month or week by week.
So why does this matter?
The implications of a progressive disease
are threefold, and influence diagnosis, treatment, and recovery
Alcoholism Diagnosis
There is no single medical test that can
distinguish with absolute certainty the differentiation between drug or alcohol
abuse and drug or alcohol addiction. There are diagnostic tools, and a skilled
clinician can make a fairly accurate diagnosis, but since you can’t see it on
an x-ray and it doesn’t show up in a blood test, many addicts and alcoholics
may continue to deny the existence of their disease.
And since denial is such a hallmark of the
condition, and this denial often delays needed treatment for too long; this
lack of a clear and definitive testing procedure for the disease is unfortunate.
Addiction and alcoholism are
progressive.Use behaviours and symptoms
will over time always intensify, and the problem always grows worse. People
without addiction do not tend to show this progressive worsening in consumption
patterns - people with addictions do. Although the progression of the disease
is unfortunate, it does clearly indicate a “disease”, it does at least allow
for an accurate and firm diagnosis of the problem, and hopefully compels a
denying addict or alcoholic to accept this diagnosis, and get help.
If the drinking or drug use has increased
over time, this indicates an addiction.
If the consequences of the drinking or drug
use have escalated over time, this indicates an addiction.
Alcoholism Treatment
If it’s bad now, it’s going to get worse.
Alcoholism and addiction don’t go away on their own; some people can get better
without professional help (although most addicts do need treatment) but no gets
better without a commitment to change.
If you or a loved one wonders about the
need for treatment, look at the past to see the future. If you can see that
things are getting worse, then you are dealing with an addiction and you can
bet the farm that if changes aren’t made, things will continue to get worse.
Treatment works, but sooner is better than
later, always. If there is a problem now, it’s going to be worse next year, and
treatment will be more challenging next year. You can’t wish it away, but you
can take action to reclaim health and happiness.
No one ever needs to hit the bottom. It’s suffering
for nothing, and a tragic waste of time.
Alcoholism Recovery
Addiction and alcoholism are progressive
disease, and there is no cure. You can attain remission, but once an alcoholic
or an addict, you’re one for life. Recovery is for life, and treatment should
never end.
An alcoholic or addict, who restarts use -
even after years of sobriety - will soon find themselves just as they were. An
addiction that may have taken years to develop will resume itself happily in a
matter of days, and you will be back on the progressive road to ruin.
Staying aware of the progressive nature of
the disease helps to defray some overconfidence or false perceptions of
complete recovery. Know that you can stay sober for life, and know that
treatment works but also remember that there is something inside that remains,
and if you awake that addiction that lays dormant, it rises up hungry.
Treatment works, and anyone can get better,
but they have to work at it, they have to accept that they have a progressive
disease for life, and they have to make some pretty major changes.