 To understand addiction, it is
important to understand how it is like other chronic
diseases. In the illustration below we see that there
are a number of factors that contribute to this disease.
There are historical, biological, and environmental
factors. Of course as the illustration shows,
drugs must be present, but they are only one of the
factors.
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Many chronic
illnesses, like Type II diabetes, certain
cancers and cardiovascular disease have a
genetic component. The genetic link
suggests that if one family member has the
disease their family members are more likely to
have the disease than are individuals without
family members who have the disease.
Genetic components of diseases are almost never
the whole picture. That is to say that
because a family member has a hereditable
disease is no guarantee that another family
member will also have the disease. If this
was the case then all family members would have
the disease. It stands to reason that
there are other factors involved.
Environmental conditions play a significant role
in diseases like addiction. The next
illustration demonstrates some of the
environmental factors that are at play in
addiction and/or cardiovascular disease.
It's interesting to notice how that stress is
common in promoting both diseases.
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| There are always things
that an individual can do to protect against
disease. The next illustration offers some
advice about how to protect against the disease
of addiction, and compares it to things to do to
prevent cardiovascular disease. Again it
is interesting to note that stress reduction is
an important protective factor for both, as is
knowing one's family history. |
Once and individual has a
disease they need to get it treated. In
spite of medicines best efforts at treatment,
sometimes the condition reoccurs. Below
you'll see that different diseases have
different relapse rates. Drug addiction
treatment, when compared with many other disease
where relapse occurs, is quite effective. |
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Relapse Rates
Are Similar for Addiction and Other
Chronic Illnesses
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Source:
McLellan et al., 20001
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Illustrations for this page are from NIDA and
are believed to public domain. |
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