What We Believe About Ourselves MattersWhen we, at The Freedom Model, say addiction is not a disease, there is always backlash, but it is almost always from those who make a very comfortable living off it being a disease. They ironically accuse us of trying to make a buck off our “opinion” at the expense of those suffering from the “disease”. Anyone who has gone against the grain and worked tirelessly to change a well-entrenched damaging scientific paradigm, will tell you there are much easier ways to make money! There is little money to be made in making waves; in questioning everything; in thinking for oneself. To the contrary, there is an abundance of money in following the pack, and keeping the status quo. And there is an overabundance of money in convincing people they are powerless over their own thoughts, desires and behaviors as evidenced by the fact that addiction treatment is a $40 Billion industry. Because when people believe they are powerless and can’t find their way out of an alcohol or drug problem, they and their families will pay whatever they feel it takes to have someone fix them. The problem is, the only person that can change a substance user is the substance user; and that change actually takes place within their own mind. You see, once people are convinced they can’t change themselves then the real struggle begins. I’ve been there. I can remember waking up and pouring myself a Jack and Coke in the morning, believing that I needed it. I can remember swearing that I would only have two drinks so I could drive home, and then waking up the next morning after a black out, wondering if I would find my car outside and what kind of shape it would be in. I was raised with the addiction disease and powerlessness mythology drilled into my head, and I truly believed if I ever started drinking I would have problems. And, I did. After studying behavioral health and addiction in college, while actively struggling with substance use and mental health issues, I began questioning all that I was learning about addiction. I could see even then that the research didn’t seem to match the addiction disease mantra. It didn’t seem to support it at all, but instead seemed to show that people did have control and could stop. After college, my life spiraled out of control, so I went to AA because it was all I knew to do. But I became one of “those people”; I questioned everything I was being told. I just couldn’t buy it. I watched my grandmother die of cancer; I knew what a real disease looked like. I was told to take the cotton out of my ears and stick it in my mouth. I was discouraged from thinking for myself. I can remember one night when I asked what I thought was a damn good question, “If I’m happy not drinking and I don’t want to drink, what exactly is going to make me drink?” One woman became angry and accused me of being on a pink cloud. She said, “You better watch out. The last woman I heard talk like that is dead.” And everyone nodded their head in solemn agreement. But I remained steadfast in my questioning, and began researching addiction disease model for myself, and what I found changed my life forever. The research shows that believing you are powerless leads to higher rates of dangerous binge drinking as well as mental health problems. I saw that firsthand in the 7 years I stayed in the rooms of AA. And yes, I did see people die, which seemed to reinforce what I was being told in AA; or did it? I wondered, what if the reason people are dying is not because they actually have a disease and are truly powerless over substances, what if it’s because they believe they are powerless? What if what they are being told is totally wrong and is hurting them? When you look at the research with a skeptic’s eye, it reveals the truth. Teaching people they are powerless over substances and are suffering from a disease from which they can never recover is a recipe for a lifetime of misery and struggle. And what makes it that much worse is – it is entirely false. By providing people the truth—that all people are incredibly powerful because they have complete control over their thoughts, desires, and behaviors—then showing them exactly how they can change their thoughts, desires and behaviors, they become free to think, feel, behave and live however they choose. The truth is each one of us is responsible for our own happiness and success and always has been. Research has found that those who are successful embrace this reality and those who are not reject it. Either way both groups are still making a choice. Getting over an addiction can be easy, and it can be a very positive experience. But it starts with getting the right information. If you are struggling or you know someone who is, I encourage you to check out The Freedom Model for Addictions or you can call me directly at 888-424-2626. We developed the very first non 12 step program in 1989, and it’s been an uphill battle against the leviathan that is addiction treatment ever since. In the process, we have helped thousands of people find complete freedom from both addiction and perpetual recovery. If you have been to treatment and failed, please, please don’t give up. There is a solution, and it makes perfect sense. | 
