Greg: All right, what’s going on everyone, Greg and Matt here from Project Unbroken. As you know, we’re former heroin addicts, have a lot of experience with drugs, alcohol, and addiction. We’re now both happy and clean, and today’s topic is addiction is a disease, so you’re never going to get out of it. It’s something that goes around a lot, and whether it’s a disease or not, I don’t think it’s important. But Matt, what do you think about this topic?
Matt: Well, it’s definitely controversial. I mean, I’m sure a lot of people watching this have seen the videos out there where there’s some guy shredding people who are calling addiction a disease, which I don’t think is right. There’s plenty of top level medical associations that classify addiction as a disease.
When I was going through my recovery process, when Greg was going through his recovery process, we didn’t utilize … you know, I had my stint in rehab, it didn’t last very long. But we didn’t utilize any really traditional ways of recovery. And I think that was probably to our benefit. I think a lot of times when addicts understand, or they hear, that what they have is a disease, it adds a whole nother layer of shit to what they’re trying to get out of. Because now, it’s a disease, and you’re looking at it, you’re like, “Well, it’s not really my fault, I might … genetics played a part in it, there’s some brain chemistry stuff in there that plays a part of it, and it’s a disease, I can’t really get out of it.” And I think it’s … while it may be classified as a disease, I don’t think it’s the healthiest way for somebody looking for recovery to structure in their minds that way.
So, when I wanted to get off of heroin, I didn’t know anything about it being classified as a disease, I was just like, “I’m fucking fixing this. I found myself with a problem, I’m going to fix it.” And I think if people were like, “Hey, you have a disease now and this is serious, you’re going to be dealing with this for the rest of your life,” it may have been way more difficult for me to try to structure the way that I was mentally focusing on recovery. I think it would’ve changed the picture 100%. And I think that it makes it a lot more difficult, and it takes away accountability to that person trying to find recovery.
Greg: Yeah, so like the disease thing, like Matt was kind of saying, I think almost gives people an excuse. You know, I don’t really care if you look at it as a disease or not a disease, but if you look at it in that way, as it is that, well then you have to know it’s curable, okay? Because if it’s a disease, me and Matt both have had it, and we got out of it on our own. It’s curable. Just like something like diabetes, right? A lot of people have diabetes because they eat way too much sugar. Well, guess what happens?
Matt: Type two.
Greg: Type two diabetes, sorry. Guess what happens when they stop eating sugar, and start working out, and start eating right? Diabetes goes away, diabetes two goes away, so even if you look at it that way, it’s curable. You can overcome it, don’t use that as an excuse to use again, or, “Well, it’s just … I have this disease, so it’s just … that’s my life.” No, it’s not. This disease, if you want to call it that, is curable and you can overcome it.
Matt: Yeah, and I think a lot of people who haven’t dealt with addiction personally in their lives get offended because a lot of people out there are looking at childhood cancer, and they’re like, “Drug addiction is a disease? Why don’t you tell that to this kid who’s dealing with cancer right now?” We can cure, if you want to consider it a disease, we can cure it, that’s possible for us. So, you just have to … if you hear that, or you’re looking at it like you have a disease, you need to find a way to cure it, and it’s 100% possible.
Greg: Definitely. So hopefully you all enjoyed this video, make sure you comment, let us know what you think, subscribe, and we’ll see you all in the next one.
