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Alcoholics and drug addicts take action when faced with trouble. The only problem is in the solution they choose. They choose to escape from trouble by drinking alcohol or using drugs. The reason is that the disease of alcoholism and drug addiction is marked by the lack of a defense mechanism in the brain.

A basic example would be if you are walking down a hall at work, and a co-worker accidentally bumps into you. In most cases a simple “excuse me” and “no problem” would end the innocent occurrence. But alcoholics and addicts can only rarely just let it go without some time to dwell on why it happened. They believe that something must have caused it.

That innocent bump in the hall can become an obsession in the mind of an alcoholic or drug addict, and turn into a belief that he is going to be fired. This process of turning a mountain into a mole hill plagues them every day, and they believe it is normal. This makes life appear to be an uphill battle, with everyone against them.

Alcohol and drugs temporarily ease the tension and bury the feelings of frustration. But it all comes back as the effects wear off, and the need to defend against the mounting pain grows. Drinking alcohol and using drugs as a defense becomes a habit through learned behavior, and is cherished as the only answer.

It is an important aspect of the disease to understand, while it may seem silly to some that believe alcoholics and drug addicts are weak. And from a certain perspective it is a weakness. The point is not to excuse the behavior of individuals with the disease. It is simply to help those suffering from the disease to understand, and bring awareness to their loved ones.

The lack of a defense mechanism is one of many disease components. Pace University has posted an article that includes it as part of a detailed look at alcoholism and drug addiction. A portion of the article that relates to adolescent alcohol and drug abuse is below, followed by the link to the full version.

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Students give many different reasons why they may drink. Some students say they drink because of peer pressure and to be part of a crowd. Some use alcohol to avoid difficult situations that may arise at school and work and with family and friends. Others use alcohol to avoid uncomfortable feelings, like anxiety or sadness. Anyone who drinks runs the risk of developing an alcohol problem. A serious problem can develop quickly, especially among college students.

— Source: http://www.pace.edu/page.cfm?doc_id=5117 –

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