Myths About Addictions

There are several myths about addictions and from my research like most myths the majority of them hold no truth. The first myth I came across was that “addicts can’t be productive members of society”. Now the common misconception is that most addicts are homeless, unemployed, and involved in criminal activity. Although this is true in some instances many addicts are still able to maintain their career, family, and other social responsibilities. These type of people are categorized as functional addicts; people who refuse to get professional help for their addiction yet are very functional in life. The second myth states “addiction only affects those who are weak, uneducated, or have low morals”. This couldn’t be further from the truth as addiction …show more content…
I disagree with this statement being that addiction is a complex disease and quitting requires more than good intention and strong will. Now quitting on your own can be done but it is extremely risky due to withdrawals which can be dangerous for the individual trying to quit. During withdrawals you can experience severe vomiting, seizures, fever, hallucinations, disorientation, and extreme agitation. So considering withdrawal is different for every one the safest route is to attend a treatment facility where you can get professional help to prevent any fatalities. Be that as it may another addictive drug which most don’t think you can be addicted to is marijuana. Yet marijuana use can lead to the development of problem use, known as a marijuana use disorder, which in severe cases takes the form of addiction. Recent data suggest that 30 percent of marijuana users may have some degree of marijuana use disorder. (Hasin DS, 2016) As a final point I want to close by saying that addictions are not simply bad habits. Bad habits don’t have the same action on the mind or body as an addictive drug or alcohol. But bad habits share traits of addictive behaviors and bad habits can become