85836 - The return of the addiction police

[TheBlackSheep]

http://theboard.byu.edu/questions/85836/

But then again, I'm a Coke addict so I'm probably biased.

Okay, I know this is perhaps nitpicky, and I know I'm a broken record on this. But ain't nobody a Coke addict. Well, okay, people are coke addicts, but nobody is addicted to Coca Cola.

Two problems with this: it's inaccurate and it's... is ableist the term I would use here? Sure, ableist.

Inaccurate: Even if someone was a compulsive enough user of Coke to have withdrawal symptoms if they quit (headaches, etc.), physical dependence and addiction are two different things. Addiction means that no matter what the horrendously awful negative consequences are, you cannot stop using a substance/engaging in a behavior. Using the term addiction incorrectly perpetuates this problem.

Ableist: Using the term addiction this way makes light of a debilitating, lifelong condition (though it can be managed). To me it sounds similar to using terms like "schizo" or the R-word lightly.

I know it's a common phrase, especially in Utah Mormon culture, but this is why it bothers me.

[Portia]

I usually consider the APA to be a good source on these things. This is an old article (2008), but the researchers DO use the term "caffeine addiction."

Has the scientific consensus shifted since then? Is this simply sloppy language? Genuinely curious.

http://www.apa.org/monitor/2008/04/caffeine.aspx

[TheBlackSheep]

The term "caffeine addiction" showed up exactly once in that article that was all about caffeine being a mood-altering substance, which it is. It showed up at the very end in a quote from a doctor, not as part of the research. I'd say it is probably a colloquialism that that doctor uses, or he's using it as a synonym for physical dependence. Either way, I disagree with his usage.

[mic0]

TBS, you'll really hate this reddit post then: tip for when your dog is addicted to tennis balls.

[Rainbow_connection]

So, what is the difference between a habit you can't quit even after trying and addiction? I feel sure there's a difference because I would never say I'm addicted to chewing my nails, even though I have tried unsuccessfully to break the habit. On the other hand, I have a couple of friends that I would describe (maybe incorrectly?) as addicted to Coke. One has been to the emergency room more than once because they can't/won't stop drinking soda even though they have an ulcer that's aggravated by the carbonation, and the other has had multiple kidney stones that the urologist directly attributes to soda, and they still have 2-3 cans a day. They've both gone through very serious pain and many dollars in medical bills and it hasn't changed their habits at all.

[Shrinky Dink]

I feel that many "addictions" are actually just compulsions. I think chewing nails is definitely one of them. {I even feel that some porn "addicts" fall in this category)

Also, to your friend who has an ulcer, fountain drinks tend to have a weaker fizz than bottled/canned. Personally, I like my soda as flat as possible. I know I'm weird like that, but the bubbles just don't do anything for me and I'd rather have sweet smooth coolness rolling over my tongue.