Common misconceptions about addiction

Mar 2, 2024 | 3 min read

Addiction is a complex and often misunderstood disease that affects not only individuals but their families as well. Peggy-Sue, who have their own history of addiction and now help others on their path to recovery, reveal the truth behind three common misconceptions they frequently encounter in their work.

It is time to debunk these myths and foster a better understanding of those struggling with addiction.

A common misconception is that people with an addiction are simply weak. People often say: just stop, or simply try to cut down.

Peggy-Sue explains that this misses the essence of addiction. It is as though you are being held hostage. The Dutch word for addiction, ‘verslaving’, even contains the word ‘slaaf’, meaning slave: you are a slave to your addiction.

Addiction is not a sign of weakness, but a complex disease. It is not merely a matter of willpower; it is a deeper problem that remains even when the substances are taken away.

If you have alcoholism and you take the alcohol away, you still have the ism.

Another misconception is that someone can become a former addict. Peggy-Sue explains that addiction is a lifelong disease, even if someone has abstained from the original substance for a long time.

The idea that you can use in moderation after recovery is often a trap. It is true that avoiding relapse may become easier after a long period of abstinence, but things often go wrong as soon as people think they can use a little again. Addiction does not work that way: one is too many, and a thousand is never enough.

Being abstinent does not mean that the addiction has completely disappeared. The mind and brain remain sensitive to triggers. This not only increases the risk of relapse, but also makes relapse particularly dangerous, partly because of lost tolerance and the increased risk of overdose.

The belief that addiction is someone’s own fault is a harmful misconception. Addiction develops through a combination of factors, including genetic predisposition, environment and life circumstances.

Anyone may have a first glass of alcohol; not everyone can then leave it alone once a response has been triggered in the brain. Most people do not consciously choose to live a life of addiction.

People first discover a solution through numbing themselves or feeling better with a substance. In response to positive and negative situations, and sometimes because of an unhealthy way of dealing with emotions, they begin using again almost instinctively in order to feel different.

Exposing these misconceptions is an important step towards a better understanding of addiction. Empathy, education and an open mind are needed to grasp the complexity of this disease.

If we continue to think in terms of weakness, blame or addiction as something that is definitively in the past, we perpetuate the very stigma that makes recovery more difficult.

Let us work together to break the stigma and support people struggling with addiction on their path to recovery. This benefits them, those around them and wider society.

Are you seeking help for yourself or a loved one? Contact us for an initial assessment and an appropriate next step towards recovery.