Why addiction isn’t a sign of failure

Even in 2021, there’s still a lot of stigma surrounding alcohol and drug addiction. Our scientific understanding of how addiction impacts the brain has improved, and our recovery centers’ methods of treating addiction have developed over time, too. However, there are still a lot of stereotypes associated with people with addictions that are hard to shake off, and they’re a big reason why so many Americans don’t want to admit they have a problem.

One of the main stereotypes associated with addiction is that people with addictions are immoral—they’re bad people who make bad decisions and can’t be helped. But at Mount Sinai Wellness Center, our team is here to remind you that addiction is not a moral failure in any way. Addiction doesn’t make you a bad person—it means you’re struggling with a disease. If you knew someone with cancer, you wouldn’t judge that person for getting sick. You’d try to get them help.

Addiction isn’t a sign of failure because it doesn’t develop from some kind of weakness or lack of discipline or willpower. In order to understand addiction, you must understand how drug and alcohol abuse act on the brain.

How Drug or Alcohol Abuse Changes Your Brain Chemistry

Addiction always begins with voluntary drug or alcohol use, but addictive drugs can release two to 10 times the amount of dopamine that natural rewards do, and over time, your brain receptors become overwhelmed. As a result, your brain produces less dopamine, adapting to the drug. All of this means that over time, you need more of the drug or alcohol to achieve the same high, which is how compulsion takes over.

Despite the fact that you may no longer want the drug or alcohol, and even if you know it’s unhealthy for you, your body still craves it. The ability to make the “right” decision is impossible at this point. This is the main reason why addiction isn’t a moral failure—addiction means the person no longer has the ability to refrain. Addiction can take over a person’s life, ruin their relationships, and make them feel hopeless about themselves and their future.

People with Addictions Can Recover

Not only is an addiction not a sign of failure, but it’s also something that you don’t have to sit with for the rest of your life. Our team knows that life can seem pointless right now, but we’ve also helped countless individuals who sought our support and received the treatment they needed to heal. It’s important for people who are struggling to know that they aren’t bad people—they’re good people who are being held hostage by a disease that is harming their minds and bodies.

Treatment for addiction is the first step towards liberation, and the best way you can set yourself up for success is by calling a professional rehab center like ours. Admitting you have a problem and need help isn’t a sign of failure, either—it’s a sign of strength.

How Drug or Alcohol Abuse Changes Your Brain Chemistry

Mount Sinai Wellness Center knows all the stereotypes associated with addiction well, and we’re here to debunk everything people might have told you about yourself. Addiction can not only change your relationship with drugs or alcohol; it can change the way you see yourself. That’s why rehab centers offer not only detox programs to help rid your body of toxins, but therapy, peer support groups, and other holistic activities too. Recovery is as much about your mental, emotional, and spiritual health as it is about physical wellness. We also treat dual diagnoses, as addiction is often closely intertwined with mental disorders. When you call us, you’ll learn more about yourself and your capacity for resilience than you realize.