Personality vs. Mental Illness

[Lupernikes_shadowbark]

Lupe, we aren't talking about physical addictions.

But if you want to, it should be fairly obvious that:
1) an addiction physically changes the brain, putting us in the latter category, and
2) addictions can be broken through force of will, putting us back in the former.

ah but some of us seem more open to suggestion and addiction than others; some seek dangerous and addictive situations out.  Addictions can be broken but rarely alone, there are often outside factors which provide the boost of will required; a 'treatment' of sorts; the wishes or fears of a loved one, worries about health or a scare and so on.  Many addicts replace their previous addiction with another one; for me it's cycling and excercise (often OTT'd)..kill the addiction yes but the cause....well....that's deeper rooted.  Think of Terry Pratchett's description of Vampires who 'took the pledge'; I met him at a signing and asked him about them; he'd been giving up smoking at the time he first wrote about that and therein he got the idea.......you can beat addiction as long as you replace one addiction with another, ideally less harmful one, but you'll always have an addictive personality.....is that some form of inbalance?

[Eve]

Lupe, we aren't talking about physical addictions.

But if you want to, it should be fairly obvious that:
1) an addiction physically changes the brain, putting us in the latter category, and
2) addictions can be broken through force of will, putting us back in the former.

ah but some of us seem more open to suggestion and addiction than others; some seek dangerous and addictive situations out.  Addictions can be broken but rarely alone, there are often outside factors which provide the boost of will required; a 'treatment' of sorts; the wishes or fears of a loved one, worries about health or a scare and so on.  Many addicts replace their previous addiction with another one; for me it's cycling and excercise (often OTT'd)..kill the addiction yes but the cause....well....that's deeper rooted.  Think of Terry Pratchett's description of Vampires who 'took the pledge'; I met him at a signing and asked him about them; he'd been giving up smoking at the time he first wrote about that and therein he got the idea.......you can beat addiction as long as you replace one addiction with another, ideally less harmful one, but you'll always have an addictive personality.....is that some form of inbalance?

Actually, that reminds me. I listened to a bit on NPR (or similar) last summer about research going into finding "addiction genes." Vaguely interesting, if not [remotely] conclusive.
Reference, etc.

[Tempest Virago]

Yes, the "But is it really a disorder?" question is raised and debated constantly. For me, and for many people I know (but certainly not all), it comes down to this: do the afflictions--whatever they may be--impede your ability to function? If they do, then it's a problem. It's a personal decision, which leaves room for a lot of argument and skepticism. *shrug* I don't believe that every person who likes things to be clean and organized has OCD; but when a person can't do something as simple as walking through a door because they feel a particular compulsion that cannot be ignored, then yeah, I'd say that's a disorder.

This is what I consider the difference to be.. Somebody who is moody and temperamental, but it doesn't impede their ability to function, may or may not have low level Bipolar Disorder, but it isn't really all that important. When it does impede their ability to function, however, having a label for it can help in finding ways to deal with it, and that's when the label becomes relevant.

And regarding addictions, I agree that while an addiction is probably not a personality trait, being susceptible to addictions might well be.

[Lupernikes_shadowbark]

I think an article I submitted on this site might clear up my position on this better than I can with being at work and all...

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976856954

[LMNO]

Lupe, we aren't talking about physical addictions.

But if you want to, it should be fairly obvious that:
1) an addiction physically changes the brain, putting us in the latter category, and
2) addictions can be broken through force of will, putting us back in the former.

ah but some of us seem more open to suggestion and addiction than others; some seek dangerous and addictive situations out.  Addictions can be broken but rarely alone, there are often outside factors which provide the boost of will required; a 'treatment' of sorts; the wishes or fears of a loved one, worries about health or a scare and so on.  Many addicts replace their previous addiction with another one; for me it's cycling and excercise (often OTT'd)..kill the addiction yes but the cause....well....that's deeper rooted.  Think of Terry Pratchett's description of Vampires who 'took the pledge'; I met him at a signing and asked him about them; he'd been giving up smoking at the time he first wrote about that and therein he got the idea.......you can beat addiction as long as you replace one addiction with another, ideally less harmful one, but you'll always have an addictive personality.....is that some form of inbalance?

You're implying that an "addictive personality" is genetic?


Sorry, I've got a bit too much Crowley in my system to go there... Keep in mind that I never, ever said that breaking a habit, let alone an addiction, was anything less than very, very, very hard work.

If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

Lupe, we aren't talking about physical addictions.

But if you want to, it should be fairly obvious that:
1) an addiction physically changes the brain, putting us in the latter category, and
2) addictions can be broken through force of will, putting us back in the former.

ah but some of us seem more open to suggestion and addiction than others; some seek dangerous and addictive situations out.  Addictions can be broken but rarely alone, there are often outside factors which provide the boost of will required; a 'treatment' of sorts; the wishes or fears of a loved one, worries about health or a scare and so on.  Many addicts replace their previous addiction with another one; for me it's cycling and excercise (often OTT'd)..kill the addiction yes but the cause....well....that's deeper rooted.  Think of Terry Pratchett's description of Vampires who 'took the pledge'; I met him at a signing and asked him about them; he'd been giving up smoking at the time he first wrote about that and therein he got the idea.......you can beat addiction as long as you replace one addiction with another, ideally less harmful one, but you'll always have an addictive personality.....is that some form of inbalance?

You're implying that an "addictive personality" is genetic?


Sorry, I've got a bit too much Crowley in my system to go there... Keep in mind that I never, ever said that breaking a habit, let alone an addiction, was anything less than very, very, very hard work.

If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

Agreed... just like Prickley Stickly and Slow and Steady... some times you need help to change...

(or like the Ethiopian and his friend the Leopard who had to help each other change in order to find the game).

[Lupernikes_shadowbark]

maybe not genetic but perhaps learned...children of addicts often become addicts themselves...but let's not get onto the whole nature vs nurture thing here, just programming of one form or another...

even if it is genetic, there is nothing stopping someone with enough will from reprogramming themselves....I don't believe in using genetics as either a reason or an excuse, just a consideration in this case

[Rococo Modem Basilisk]

Forgive me for not reading the rest of the pages in the thread before I give my two cents.

I say it's a spectrum, and it's a highly volitile and self-perpetuating and self-muddling spectrum at that. Mental illness contributes to personality, and vice versa, and environment and sex drive and preferred soft drink are all in there somewhere too.

Perhaps I'm being too much of a canon discordian in questioning the use of Damning Damned Things needlessly to Thud. I happen to have Asperger's Syndrome, and my girlfriend has so many things that nobody has been able to count them yet. Both of us can improve by adapting to what we have and making it work better for us, but we are verbs, not nouns; we are a process in motion, and our minds are never ever still, so it will continue to influence us probably even after our deaths, in the memories of our fans :P.