The Disease Model (Continued)

The Disease Model of addiction/alcoholism has many advantages. I am going to focus on two of these advantages in this blog: 1) the Disease Model’s association with A.A. and 2) its recognition by the courts. 

The Disease Model is espoused by A.A. which in turn has helped millions of people achieve lasting sobriety and significantly longer life spans. A.A. and the Disease Model, logically enough, promote abstinence.

By contrast, the “moral weakness” viewpoint or model inevitably leads to the erroneous conclusion that once the morally deficient alcoholic/addict becomes a fine, upstanding, morally wholesome citizen (which should be achievable if she/he just works at it hard enough), then of course he/she should be able to drink normally! This moralistic viewpoint has resulted in centuries of disastrous outcomes, failures and deaths.

I should note of course that the Disease Model of A.A. (and N.A.) is an INCURABLE Disease model (which is why abstinence is essential). The Disease is incurable but is eminently treatable and can be arrested so that a normal healthy life is then possible.

This is not unusual as far as disease go: AIDS is a well-known example of a disease that is also incurable but with ONGOING treatment is compatible with a normal lifespan.

Another advantage of the Disease Model is that it has been accepted by the courts in many countries including Canada and the United States. This does not mean that alcoholics/addicts are given a free pass by the courts. Alcoholics/addicts must be held accountable for their conduct. The courts do not excuse the alcoholic/addict from the consequences of alcohol and drug addiction. This would only enable him or her to continue the destructive behaviour. Although alcoholics/addicts have no control over their vulnerability to alcohol/drugs, this does not mean that they lose control over all aspects of their behaviour. The courts offer the alcoholic/addict a choice: face full punishment or accept a rehab plan. The alcoholic/addict can take personal responsibility by joining a Recovery program such as the Twelve Steps +/- Rehab. Many alcoholics/addicts have found Recovery through this juridical pathway.

There is no contradiction in the fact that in order to recover from drugs/alcohol, a person who is powerless over these must nevertheless consciously decide to abstain, in much the same way a diabetic decides to abstain from sugar.

My swimming pool analogy (two blogs back) is an attempt to explain this apparent paradox metaphorically: as long as one makes the decision not to jump in the pool, power/control/free will are all maintained; once one jumps in the pool, powerlessness/loss of control/loss of free will all set in. This state of affairs is applicable CONTINUOUSLY AND FOR A LIFETIME!

This is why the judicial system is only partially forgiving in dealing with perpetrators of substance-induced crimes, who (as the courts generally recognize) are not responsible for their disease but are responsible for their Recovery.