Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodchips
While I don't like cigarettes, I don't really like people simplifying the issue of smoking down quite so quickly. It's a multifaceted addiction and therefore needs to be treated as such.
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That age old question; Is it correct to call smoking an addiction if you don't have an addictive personality?
While I agree with everything that you've said so far, I'm interested to see what you think of the latest fad overtaking healthcare, which is to label everything negative in a persons lifestyle as an addiction.
Now to clarify before I continue: I believe that nicotine (or cigarettes) has an addictive component. However, I have also seen from first hand experience that very few of my patients who quit have physiological symptoms indicative of a true addiction. This is only cigarettes I'm talking about. Alcohol is another story.
My issue is with the labelling of mostly a bad habit as an addiction. It is my belief that doing so takes most of the onus and responsibility of their lifestyle choices away from the patient, and gives the patient an excuse for lapsing. The idea of "treating" it also bugs me. It implies that its something for other people to do, not changes the patient themselves has to take control of.
As you can see, I'm still torn on the issue, and my exact standpoint is still being formulated. Thoughts? What have you seen clinically regarding this particular issue?