Why Drug and Alcohol Addiction Intervention Fail; an Interview with Bob Forrest

[FreeCanna]

After 15 years of alcohol, crack and shooting up heroine i`am 7 years clean on this moment,

and still sometimes it rings in my head,.. difference is, now i can handle those demons and i will not go back to Hell !!

[BlackLabelSlushie]

Is addiction a disease? I try to not be fanatical on either side. As a layman who has read every side and argument in this debate, my best conclusion right now is: it's not yet proven that it is a disease. Nobody at this point seems to have truly figured addiction out, as proven by the very haphazard and limited success of standard treatments (rehab and AA type). Loads of people stop addictions without using any of the AA/Disease/recovery models. Others find success with AA etc.

[Flipper79able]

@BlackLabelSlushie Dude, scientists barley have the brain figured out. We haven't unlocked all the secrets of the brain. For instance we can't give brain surgeries to correct most mental illnesses...but we know through behavioral therapy that certain people suffer from schizophrenia and bipolar....just like addiction. Should we question those brain illnesses just cause it can't be proven without a doubt? The AMA has recognized addiction as a disease sense the 50's. Maybe we should trust doctors?

[BlackLabelSlushie]

@Flipper79able "Maybe we should trust doctors?"

I have 2 doctors in my family, one of whom was an addict (alcohol). You might check the physicisans site physicians(dot...)

"...physicians’ views of alcoholism were reviewed at an August 1997 conference held by the International Doctors of Alcoholics Anonymous (IDAA). A survey of physicians reported at that conference found that 80 percent of responding doctors perceived alcoholism as simply bad behavior."

[BlackLabelSlushie]

@Flipper79able Again, my answer is 1. I don't know and 2. "disease" model is not proven. 3. it's super interesting but the more I think of it, it's not realy the most critical thing for me to worry about in practice. Call it a habit, disease, call it Bob. I call it a huge problem that has been fucking up my life for 3 years and if it goes on could completely ruin the quality of the rest of my life. I think that captures it without making it my identity.

[chris101ward]

Why is it that musicians on top of the world who could have anything they could want become drug addicts. You could have a lot worse fuckin problems than press and media so what the fuck?

[nolayat]

Alcoholics or addicts have no choice in whether they want to drink or use they are powerless its not because lack of will power or character or sin its because they are sick bodily and mentally but they can recover despite what you may hear they can recover and lead normal productive lives they can have freedom just some work has to be done on their part.

[rsohlich1]

@nolayat I believe its a disease, but theres still some choice in it.

[Drola4]

Cancer isn't always caused by doing drugs. Drug addiction is.

[hirokx]

I had a gaming addiction as silly as it may sound. Made a video of it on my channel. hahaha Recognizing addiction is the first in recovery, right?

[brimchanel]

Recovery is possible!I and countless others are living proof.

[MrAntonyT25]

Here's why addiction isn't a disease. Did my granddad or my friends mom ask to get cancer? Nope. Did that drug addict chose to pick up that heroin? Yes!

[rsohlich1]

@MrAntonyT25 but did the guy/girl who picked up the H want to be addicted and think it would ever happen? Hell no. Did he know he would have a pre-disposition to addiction problems?

[awsomawsom]

thanks for explanation

[iamlizzz]

You make a good point about the correlation between cancer and addiction. It seems to me that although addiction is as deadly as cancer, the general public just doesn't care. There is sympathy for the cancer victim and disgust for the addict because the disease is viewed as self-inflicted or not a disease at all. I wish this would change, as it is a battle I have been waging for decades with little success.

[Flipper79able]

@iamlizzz You took the words right outa Bob's mouth....ha ha ha.

[ADenny12]

Addiction doesn't equate to a disease for many b/c oftentimes if people can blame the person for their condition, it makes them feel safer. However, we are blaming more & more people for their cancers these days & I see that continuing, thanx to our big push for preventative medicine (which sometimes is just dumbing down, IMHO) & our current healthcare system. Society will continue to point fingers at a sufferer so that a belief in a 'just world' & false sense of security can be maintained. Sad

[turnstylezdrumming]

@ADenny12 spot on

[theabigailjean]

Bob Forrest is so beyond amazing.

[lasweronikas]

...and three days after this was uploaded Amy Winehouse diead.

[04callwilk1]

He kinda sounds like John Frusciante

[Rexworthy]

@04callwilk1 Probably because they've been through alot of similar things..

[added23]

@Rexworthy and theyre good friends. john used to lend bob his clothes when he was on tour

[Rexworthy]

@added23 lol ya the pink pop tour right? It's amazing he's still tight with all those people after so many years

[added23]

@Rexworthy yea.