Addiction is commonly thought of as a disease. But is this actually true? In the book “Outgrowing Addiction” by Zach Rhoads and Dr. Stanton Peele, the case is made that addiction is not a disease and that the most common therapies for treating addiction, like Alcoholics Anonymous, may not be the best way to help the most people. For more information, view my interview with “Outgrowing Addiction” author Zach Rhoads.
Video Transcript:
Addictions can be devastating. They can tear families apart, distract people from accomplishing their goals and in the most extreme cases, lead to death. But what is addiction and how can those with addictions be best helped?
The common perspective of addiction is that it is a neurological disease. From mainstream media to a sizable percentage of the medical community, addiction comes down to neurobiology.
But is this actually the case?
Some people, including journalist and author Johann Hari and neuroscientist and drug researcher Dr. Carl Hart, make the case that our commonly accepted view of addiction as a disease is all wrong.
Another such individual sounding this alarm is Zach Rhoads, the author of Outgrowing Addiction. In his book, written with acclaimed psychologist and addiction specialist, Dr. Stanton Peele, the case is made that our model of addiction is all wrong and that our therapies for treating those who are addicted, like Alcoholics Anonymous, may not be the best way to help the most people.
So, if addiction isn’t a disease, then what is it? And if there’s a better way to help more people, then how? In “Outgrowing Addiction” a much different picture of addiction is presented than the mainstream view alongside potential solutions to the problem.
Instead of a disease with some being genetically predisposed to its grip, Zach and Dr. Peele argue that addictions are likely to happen when people have lost meaningful connection with life.
This missing connection might be a sense of purpose, financial stability or a lack of loving relationships and community.
If people feel like their life sucks or has no meaning, they may be at risk for addiction.
In this model of addiction, no lifelong rehabilitation programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are needed.
Instead, Zach and Dr. Peele claim that addictions can be overcome by helping those struggling with addiction find meaning in their lives.
Dr. Peele’s program, the Life Process Program, is designed so that people who enter eventually leave and no longer need to rely on others to maintain a healthy relationship with substances or other addictive behaviors. This is in stark opposition to the work of Alcoholics Anonymous, which, while it does work for a small percentage of people, asks its adherents to commit to sober living and AA meetings for life.
Additionally, the Life Process Program does not require individuals to live sober or to avoid their addiction at all costs, unless the individual makes their own choice that complete “sobriety” is the best decision. Instead, the Life Process Program helps its participants refocus on those things that are most important to them and helps them develop a framework for best serving those important things. This allows the person to maintain control of their decision making, empowering the individual.
Zach’s own experience with outgrowing a heroin addiction, a variety of case studies, addiction research and years of professional experience are all presented to support the point that addiction is not a disease in the book “Outgrowing Addiction”.
One such case study presented in the book, is the famous case of Drew Barrymore.
Drew Barrymore began using alcohol, cocaine and smoking marijuana at age 12. By age 14, she had entered rehab for the first time. An excerpt from “Outgrowing Addiction”:
‘Addiction experts had a field day with Barrymore – a name associated with alcoholism and addiction. They explained how Drew had inherited her disease from her famous paternal alcoholic grandfather, John, and from a father who was addicted to heroin… The solution: a lifetime of abstinence.’
Yet, in 2013 at age 38, Barrymore announced that she was in fact knowledgable and passionate about wine, and indeed, that she had become a vintner. She unveiled her own line of pinot Grigio at the Nantucket Wine Festival. Another excerpt from Outgrowing Addiction:
‘We should first note that neither Barrymore, nor anyone who knows her, considers Drew’s relapsing to addiction as the remotest of possibilities. Barrymore embraces her entire life, accepting the adversity she faced as a child. Rather than seeing this as a lifelong disease, she announces that it made her the person she is.’
Through finding meaning in other areas of her life, like providing for her children, Drew Barrymore was able to overcome her negative relationship with substances like alcohol, to the point where she can produce her own wine and no one close to her has to worry about a potential relapse. If addiction is a lifelong disease, how could this be possible?
It’s time we start rethinking addiction and giving people more options when it comes to how they will improve their lives. We need to accept that there is no one-size-fits all approach and broaden the scope of possibilities for those seeking to overcome their addictions. For more information, check out the book ‘Outgrowing Addiction’ or view my interview with author Zach Rhoads on theEWpodcast.