some people argue that addiction is a disease a complex brain disease that is so powerful that it strips those affected of there free will. others will say that its all matter of choice and that the only reason why people are drug addicts its because of the poor coping skills with the challenges of day to day life. others say that its all genetics that if addiction runs in your family then your more likely to become one your self. these are all matters of opinion and i would like to know yours!!!!

Yes, I think addiction is a disease. Every "bad" addiction literally changes the way your brain works. Scans have proved that drugs completely shut off a certain decision making section of your brain, and they have also shown that porn addiction changes your brain almost exactly the same way cocaine addiction does. The exact definition of a disease (we had a big unit in Health just barely about diseases and addictions) is any abnormal change to the body.

On the other hand, it depends on the addiction. Addiction to video games or computers is indeed bad, however I don't think it is a disease. It doesn't change much about you physically or mentally, but it does keep you coming back to it.

Maybe. Id be more inclined to call it a psychological failing. When you call it a disease people use it to justify their failings.
"iv tried to give up alcohol but I cant, its a disease. You cant just quit".
In this day and age, disease is becoming synonymous with, "I dont have the willpower or inclination to change, pity me".
Alcoholics anonymous are apparently bad for that. Knew a guy that stopped going (and ditched the habbit through his own willpower) because they were télling him hevwas powerless to quit, its a disease, yada yada. They were poisining him as much as the booze.

Thinks can be addictive, but you can, and many have, brokén those chäins through strength of will. No one is saying its easy, but the first stage of recovery is taking responsibility for you're ownactions. Making excuses is enabling youreself. For recovery, you need to breakaway from enablers.

I decided to look up the definition of "disease" before replying to this thread.
So I went on dictionary.com and scanned the definitions. Here is the EXACT copy of the third definition. (This definition is property of dictionary.com): "any harmful, depraved, or morbid condition, as of the mind or society."
So in correspondence with this, addiction is technically a disease, as it can be classified as a harmful or depraved condition of the mind.

Ok let me start with something like this : Short Definition of Addiction:
Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors.
Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death.

Addiction is not a weakness. The fact that addiction crosses all socio-economic boundaries confirms that addiction is a disease. People who don't know about addiction will tell you that you just need to be stronger to control your use. But if that was true then only unsuccessful people or unmotivated people would have an addiction, and yet 10% of high-functioning executives have an addiction.
If you think of addiction as a weakness, you'll paint yourself into a corner that you can't get out of. You'll focus on being stronger and trying to control your use, instead of treating addiction like a disease and focusing on stopping your use. According to the U.S. and Canadian government addiction is classified as a Brain Disease. 

The thing that makes addiction different from desire is the fact that addiction is generally uncontrollable without external assistance. If someone says that addiction is a matter of choice or weakness, than they do not know what addiction means.

Addiction is, at first, choice. You CHOOSE to smoke a blunt, you CHOOSE to pop the pill. But once you're addicted it's harder to get out, but it's NOT a disease. You can get over it, sometimes on your own, sometimes you need help with withdrawls, but it is not a sickness, it is not a disease, it's a habit.

a-sassy-black-lady : Being completely honest with you, this is the first time ever someone asks me that kind of question. Interesting... Well, it's... sort of. I agree with Super Mega Man 568, addiction can be a choice, and it can lead up to troubles. In my opinion, when addiction affects you, your brain will only focus on the thing you're addicting to it, and nothing else. So, yeah, it's not really a disease, but it can lead up to diseases. See what I mean?