Is addiction a disease or a choice?
The short answer is yes.
Health expert Lorelie Rozzano writes, “Many believe addiction is not a disease because it’s caused by the person’s choice to use. That’s true. The first time is a choice.”
In simple terms, we “catch” this disease in various ways, often from trauma, abuse, or isolation. No one asks for addiction, though our actions may have fed the genesis of the disease.
But don’t blame your acting out behaviors on a disease. That is a cop-out. While you may have a point, every time you act out, that is a path you don’t have to take.
Recovery Step: No one is forcing you to act out sexually. Falling into your addiction may not have been your decision to make. But whether you stay there or not is on you. When Paul preached in Rome, we read that “some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe” (Romans 28:24). It’s called “free will.” And every addict has been given that free will. Acting out sexually is a path you don’t have to take.
