Totally, my only defense is against the first sip and I know how the movie ends if I choose to take it.
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Choices, choices, that why we take steps, and put in the work.
Does it really matter what the answer to this question is? I’ve heard argument from the medical community to support either answer. Like many things in life, I just don’t F’n know. Who am I to “know”. Maybe there’s no one right answer??? What I do know is this…I can’t control my drinking. That is my truth. I’ve tried many time and many different ways. In the end I end up in a horrible bottom with lots of destruction. It doesn’t really matter if I have a disease or not. What matters is I find a way to not drink. AA doesn’t teach me how to control my drinking, it teaches me how to live a happy and free life without drinking. I like the disease/allergy idea. It makes sense to me. It’s helped me stay sober. It’s helped me help others as well. I choose to think this way, just as I choose to believe in a power greater than myself. I don’t want to debate that either. Again, w.t.f. do I know. I know it helps me to believe in a hp. I know it has helped others. I’m done overthinking these things that only give me anxiety. One thing we all have a choice about is what we choose to believe. You choose what you want to believe, and allow others to choose the same. I didn’t choose addiction, but I do choose sobriety
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Yes addiction is a choice . We all have choices. It’s what we do with that choice that matters . Addiction follows.
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Yes it is a choice! I chose to have my first drink, I chose to continue to drink until it became an addiction. I chose to continue to drink even though it was destroying my relationship with my kids and my family and everyone that cared about me. I chose to go to rehab 3 times, detox 4 times, then chose to drink again. Chose to attend hundreds of aa meetings but continued to choose alcohol! Then one day I decided I wasn’t powerless over alcohol. That I was powerful and I CHOSE to quit drinking. I’ll be sober one year next month! It was the best choice I ever made! I hope you choose the same! 
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amen brother!
Good for you. Congratulations. I didn’t have the chance to just stop because of how badly I was addicted within a matter of 3 years before that I didn’t even drink a half glass of wine. Sorry no correct answer for this question as far as I am concerned.
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Well my addiction was so bad that I had to be medically detoxed 3 times at which point I could have chose to stop drinking, and I did, for 6mos, 4mos, and 3 months ea time respectively, and then I chose to drink again. Yes it is a choice . The easier choice is to drink, the hard choice is to not!
Yes you have the choice to not pick up again but to be honest without my recovery team that I got when I got out of the hospital I don’t know what would have happened but I am so grateful for 28 months now. I am just glad this wasn’t for years because no doubt I would be dead. Addiction is so hard but even harder to seek recovery and keep it. I refuse do die from have a rotten drink or should I say bottles. God bless you in your journey.
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Congrats to you, 28 mos is huge!!…. I drank for 42 years. Pretty much a functioning alcoholic for most of them , then barely functioning. I’m the happiest now than I have been since I can remember! My kids are starting to trust me again and that is the most wonderful feeling in the world. I’m blessed for sure! I wish my addiction would have went from zero to full blown in 3 years because time is the most valuable commodity on the planet and stole so much time from my family and loved ones that can never be replaced! Best to you and yours &
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If you’re a alcoholic/addict the only choice that matters is sobriety.
Love this answer. And I'd have to agree with you.
How about yes and no. I don’t think anyone intentionally chooses to be addicted to something. However by choosing to do certain things, addiction is a reasonable thing to acquire from habitual use at a subconscious level, thus causing us to continuously choose said things as we train/ condition ourselves in our habits without realizing our body’s slightly growing dependency. Not until we make a conscious effort to acknowledge this and want to reverse it can addiction be overcome.
Addiction is such a devastating disease that ruins so many lives and takes so many more. It is not a choice—how we deal with it is completely up to us though.
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You can no way put it anymore clearer than that!!
Now that I have some sober days under my belt, and I’ve done some proper reflection over my life and the misery I was in, it’s a choice. Before when I was just hopeless and coping the best way I knew how, I don’t agree it fully was. But I did continue to stay miserable, until I decided to do something about it, so there’s that.
I think our choices can only be guided by our highest self at the time. If your ‘self’ has been drowned out and pushed aside for a long time, it’s probably not going to make the healthy choice.
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Personally, no. Addiction has affected how I think for all my life. I picked up drugs to medicate those thoughts and FEELINGS. Today, I still have those feelings and "upside-down" thoughts, but I work the NA program. Just abstinence wouldn't be enough for me. Fortunately, the 12 Steps are the cure! Yes, I choose not to drink or drug today, but there's A LOT going "behind the scenes"
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My “self” was the problem and at the core of my disease. IDK…this to me seems to be, pardon the pun, a “loaded” question. Whatever you do to not pick up that first drink or drug, continue doing that…..
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This question is so controversial in a way, because there technically isn’t a wrong answer…in my opinion- reading the Big Book will definitely help you to better understand the differences. It has helped me tremendously.
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It can go both ways. I know addicts that use drugs and drink because they are too afraid to face their real issues so it’s a way to cover them up - temporarily and it becomes a vicious circle since the effect isn’t permanent. On the flip side, there are people whose brains have always been wired to be addicts and those are the ones that can’t help themselves it is just part of their blueprint of who they are. In those cars, it could be hereditary. I am not a doctor nor am I an expert but those are the two sides of the spectrum that I have first hand knowledge from because of people in my circle of friends who are addicts. Wordy sorry about that!!
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