Answer by David Stanton

The simple answer to this question is ‘no’, however thankfully it is not that simple and the prognosis can be much more favourable and positive. Before we explore how people live with addiction it is important to understand some basic dynamics underpinning addiction.

Addiction is a primary disease which if left untreated is incurable and rampantly progressive. It affects the individual on four main levels, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Very generally, ‘addiction’ is when someone ‘self medicates’ – usually to cope with physical and/or emotional pain.  After a period of continual or chronic use the person then becomes unable to manage and control their use where upon it turns into an obsessive compulsion.