Quote Originally Posted by Universal Mind View Post
I guess the resolution to the disagreement here might be that addicts who are at step one really are hopelessly addicted and completely powerless. I very much believe that. However, many steps later, that is not the case any more for a lot of them. That should be recognized. Maybe the counsellors should say, "You were once powerless over your addiction, but now you have a hold on it. It is your responsibility to maintain that hold, and not anybody else's responsibility." How does that sound?

I have seen pain killer addicts who have been sober for more than a year talk about how they have a disease and how relapse is something that often comes with the disease. I think that mentality is self-defeating and sets them up for failure. It provides too much of an excuse. What they should be thinking at that point is, "It's all up to me now."
I do agree with this to a point. It MAY be true or it may not. The problem is that the way to find out whether it is really true or not is to risk returning to the point you were at in your death spiral before.

In my case, I don't want to find out. I enjoyed it way too much.

It is indeed our individual responsibility to make that choice and maintain a lifestyle appropriate to our goals and desires. That's the definition of liberty for anybody, addict or not. For many addicts, a return to using the substance is a guarantee to a quick return to addiction. Ask anybody who has smoked cigarettes for any significant amount of time, quit for any number of years, then picked up a cigarette. Sure, there may be some who can do it. (I actually smoke an occasional cigar, but don't inhale. I would NEVER touch a cigarette again. It was just too damned much work giving that one up, and I don't want to do it again!)

Enough for now - I'm late for work. I don't have time to read back over this for consistency, so I'll revisit it in an hour or two once the morning rush is taken care of. If I've skirted questions or misunderstood anything, I'll address it then.