Articles & Resources

Is Addiction a Disease?

Addiction is widely recognized today as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that affects behavior, decision-making, and self-control. While some still view addiction as a moral failing or lack of willpower, scientific research has shown that it is a complex condition influenced by genetic, psychological, and environmental factors.

The disease model of addiction highlights the impact of drug and alcohol on the brain's reward system. Substances like opioids, alcohol, and stimulants can cause intense feelings of pleasure by flooding the brain with dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to pleasure and motivation. Over time, repeated use alters brain chemistry and structure, making it difficult for people to feel normal or satisfied without the substance. These changes are not simply behavioral — they are physical and observable in brain scans, reinforcing the idea that addiction is a medical condition.

Genetics also play a significant role in addiction. Studies show that individuals with a family history of addiction are more likely to develop substance use disorders themselves. Mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD can also increase the risk, suggesting a link between emotional pain and the drive to self-medicate.

Environmental factors — such as exposure to trauma, peer pressure, poverty, or lack of a support system — can also contribute to the development of addiction. These influences often shape a person's coping mechanisms and increase vulnerability to substance use.

Treating addiction as a disease rather than a personal failure changes how society approaches the problem. Instead of punishment or stigma, this view supports medical intervention, therapy, and long-term support. Effective treatments often include a combination of counseling, support groups like Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics, in-patient and out-patient treatments, and behavioral therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy.

While addiction is a chronic disease, recovery is possible. Like other chronic illnesses such as diabetes or heart disease, it may involve periods of relapse and remission, but with proper support, many people are able to manage their condition and live fulfilling lives.

In conclusion, addiction is not just a series of poor choices — it is a medical condition that deserves empathy, evidence-based treatment, and long-term care. Understanding addiction as a disease can reduce stigma and improve recovery outcomes.

How to Help Someone in Addiction

If you are wondering how you can help someone in addiction, there are several ways you can get involved. One of the first steps is educating yourself on addiction. You can do this by watching documentaries or TED talks about addiction. Additionally, you can educate yourself by talking to people who are in recovery about what they experienced and what helped them. Taking it a step further, you can also learn about co-occurring symptoms to see if your loved one is suffering from addiction as well as a mental health condition, which can make their symptoms seem more prevalent.

Another way to help a loved one in addiction is to be supportive without enabling them. Be a safe and non-judgmental place for them to come to. Say things to them like “I’m here. I care for you, and I want to see you get help.” It becomes enabling when you say things like “I know you are late on your rent again, let me help you.” It is healthy to be supportive, but enabling can hinder an addict and possibly prevent them from ever seeking the help that they need.

You can also help someone in addiction by setting healthy boundaries. You can let them know what you will and won’t allow. After setting the boundaries with them, however, you must stick to them. If you don't uphold your end, they will feel like they can cross the boundaries time and time again. Setting boundaries helps the addict by promoting accountability, reducing manipulation and denial, and encouraging independence. Setting boundaries will help you by protecting your emotional and mental health, preventing resentments, and keeping the relationship from becoming co-dependent.

Finally, you can help someone with addiction by encouraging professional help. You can dial 211 from your phone or visit 211.org to find local recovery resources in your area. Another option is Hope is Alive’s 24/7 hopeline. They have contacts all over to help get people to treatment and on their path to recovery! If you would like help for a loved one or a support group for yourself, you can reach out to HIA’s Finding Hope team at hopeisalive.net.

How Does Addiction Affect Families and Loved Ones?

As a recovering addict, I’ve had to come to terms with the painful truth: addiction doesn’t just destroy the life of the person using — it tears apart the people who love them, too. I know this firsthand because I wasn’t just using drugs; I was lying, stealing, manipulating, and emotionally abandoning the very people who tried to help me most — my family. In the darkest parts of my addiction, I became someone I barely recognize now: cold, selfish, and heartless. I stole from my family — money, time, peace of mind — and I gave back nothing but pain, broken promises, and sleepless nights.

At the time, I justified my actions. I told myself I needed money more than they did, that I would pay them back, that they just didn’t understand what I was going through. But looking back, I see that what I was really doing was draining them financially, emotionally, and mentally. They spent thousands on treatment centers, interventions, and therapy, none of which I was ready to commit to. They spent countless nights wondering if the next call would be from the hospital or the morgue. My addiction didn’t just consume me — it held my loved ones hostage, too.

Addiction turns a home into a battlefield. Trust shatters. Communication becomes strained or nonexistent. Holidays, birthdays, and family dinners turn into dreaded occasions because nobody knows which version of me will show up — or if I’ll show up at all. My family walked on eggshells, never knowing what might set me off or if they were enabling me by helping me yet again. I pushed them away, even while depending on them to survive. And still, they tried to hold on.

But something I didn’t understand until I began my own recovery is that they needed healing, too. The damage I caused didn’t disappear just because I decided to get clean. They had scars — emotional ones — from years of watching someone they loved spiral into a stranger. Their love had turned into worry, resentment, and grief. And just like me, they had to find a path to recovery.

Families and loved ones deserve support, guidance, and healing. They need safe spaces to process the trauma they’ve endured. Addiction isn’t just an individual disease — it’s a family disease. It spreads, infects, and lingers. I’ve come to believe that just as addicts need therapy, meetings, and community, our families need their own form of recovery. Whether that’s through Al-Anon, counseling, or support groups like Finding Hope, they need to know they’re not alone and they deserve to heal just as much as we do.

Today, I’m clean. I work every day to earn back trust, to be someone my family can rely on again. But I also understand that some of the damage I caused can’t be undone — it can only be acknowledged and worked through, together. Recovery isn’t just for the addict. It’s for everyone who’s been hurt, and everyone who still holds out hope.

How Can I Help Someone with Addiction?

If you are trying to help someone with addiction, chances are you feel tired, confused, and devastated. You want to save them. You want to do anything to bring them back to the person they used to be. I understand that feeling completely, because I used to be the one everyone was trying to save.

My loved ones would do anything for me. Out of fear and desperation, they gave in to my wants. They thought if they could just keep me happy, I wouldn't want to drink. They thought that if they showed me enough care and comfort, I would find a reason to want change. But what they didn’t realize at the time was that their love, though pure, was allowing me to stay addicted. I was protected from consequences, shielded from the truth, and quickly getting more and more sick.

They were terrified. They thought that if they backed away, I would die. What they didn't know was that by holding on too tightly, they were helping me avoid the very pain I needed to feel in order to change. I had to hit a place where I finally saw that no one could rescue me. I had to want freedom for myself.

It was not until they started setting boundaries and loving me from a distance that my eyes began to open. They stopped making excuses for me. They stopped bailing me out. And they did it with tears in their eyes and love still in their hearts. That kind of love takes more strength than enabling ever could. That was when I began to understand that the only person who could change my life was me.

Helping someone with addiction requires courage and strategy. It takes a willingness to let them face their reality. It means loving them enough to allow discomfort. Sometimes it even means stepping back altogether. And that is not giving up. That is giving them the power to decide. While helping someone else, please don't forget about yourself. Loving someone in addiction is painful. It can feel like you're barely holding on while trying to keep someone else above water. You need support. You need healing. Whether it's through counseling, a support group, or a trusted friend, take care of your own heart in the process.

Above all, hold onto hope. I am proof that recovery is possible. I am proof that God can take a broken, addicted, hopeless person and breathe life back into them. It was not easy. It certainly wasn't quick. But it was all worth it.

If you are wondering how to help someone with addiction, the answer is not found in rescuing them. It is found in loving them with honesty, boundaries, and with faith that they can rise. You cannot do it for them, but you can pray. You can believe. You can hope. This is where change begins.

Finding True Joy in God

True joy is not fleeting, nor is it contingent on external circumstances. It is deep, abiding, and rooted in peace and contentment that come from something greater than us.

In Scripture, joy is often tied to the presence of God. The Psalmist writes, “In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). This joy flows from an intimate relationship with God, one that brings our souls into communion with our Creator.

The Joy of Knowing God

Knowing God is more than simply being aware of his existence. It involves understanding his character—his love, justice, mercy, and faithfulness—and experiencing his presence.

The joy of knowing God comes from recognizing who he is. God is infinitely good, wise, and loving. When we come to know him, we encounter unconditional love and a wisdom that transcends human understanding.

We realize that, in all things, God is working for our good (Romans 8:28). This assurance brings peace and comfort, even in the midst of pain and loss.

God is a Father who cares for his children with perfect love. He is sovereign and sees life from a heavenly view, unlike us with our limited perspective.

Identity and Belonging

One of the most profound aspects of knowing God is realizing that we belong to him. We are not left to navigate life’s difficulties on our own.

This relationship gives us identity and purpose. We are not defined by our strongholds or our accomplishments, but by the truth that we are loved by the Creator of the universe.

An Eternal Perspective

Now I spend as much time as I can celebrating the fact that our lives are not limited to this world but extend into eternity.

Heaven is a real place where God’s people will be with him forever—free from pain, shame, and sadness. There, I will be reunited with my daughter forever.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Tools to Find True Joy

Here are some practical tools to help cultivate joy rooted in God:

• Spend time daily in prayer – Communicate openly with God, asking for his help in overcoming negative thoughts and emotions. Prayer creates dialogue that brings clarity and peace.
• Meditate on Scripture – Set aside quiet time daily to focus on uplifting verses, renewing your mind, and focusing on what is true, noble, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).
• Surrender control – Trust God’s plan. Letting go of the need to control everything opens you up to peace and joy.
• Release fear – Fear fuels negative emotions. Remember God’s promise in Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you… I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
• Practice gratitude – Thank God regularly for his blessings, big and small. Write down things you’re thankful for and reflect on his goodness.
• Seek encouragement from others – Surround yourself with people who share a faith-filled outlook and can inspire you.
• Practice accountability – Share your struggles with trusted people who can pray for you and help keep your focus on God.
• Memorize Scripture – Fill your mind with truth, such as Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
• Speak faith-filled affirmations – Declare God’s promises over your life, reinforcing his peace, joy, love, and patience.
• Serve others – Acts of kindness shift your focus outward, mirroring God’s love and helping to diminish negative thinking.

God’s Provision

In Jonah 4, it says that God provided a gourd vine to bring Jonah shade and protection.

What will God provide for you?

Hope in the Psalms: Seeing Triumph Over Addiction in the Songs of David

David’s psalms capture the raw emotions of the human heart—pain, hope, despair, and triumph. This YouVersion Bible Reading Plan explores several psalms to uncover encouragement, strength, and the reminder that God meets us in both the valleys and the victories of addiction recovery.

Start the plan here: Hope in the Psalms: Seeing Triumph Over Addiction in the Songs of David

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Loss: Encouragement After Losing a Loved One to Addiction

Losing someone you love to addiction is one of the deepest pains imaginable. The grief and helplessness can feel overwhelming, yet even in the darkest moments, God’s presence never leaves us. This YouVersion Bible Reading Plan offers encouragement, comfort, and reminders of God’s nearness for those walking through this kind of loss.

Start the plan here: Loss: Encouragement After Losing a Loved One to Addiction

Risen: Readings for Easter

Jesus is not dead—He is risen! The resurrection is the ultimate hope of Christianity, and this YouVersion Bible Reading Plan helps us reflect on that truth. Over several days, you’ll explore passages that celebrate the risen Christ and invite the power of His resurrection into your everyday life.

Start the plan here: Risen: Readings for Easter

Huge Hope: Major Power in the Minor Prophets

They may be called the minor prophets, but their messages carry major power. In this 12-day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan, you’ll walk through portions of these twelve books and discover how God brings power in the small things and hope in the midst of despair.

Whether you’re looking for encouragement, perspective, or fresh insight into God’s Word, this plan will help you see how timeless truth shines through even the shortest books of the Bible.

Start the plan here: Huge Hope: Major Power in the Minor Prophets

Aware of Love

I was recently asked to speak to a group of people who, like me, have lost a child. As I prepared, I prayed for God’s guidance, asking Him to help me share how His great LOVE for me—and for my daughter, Lacy—has transformed my grief.

Since losing Lacy, I have become aware of LOVE in a new and deeper way. I’ve realized just how much LOVE I have for her—so much that even breathing can feel like a challenge when faced with the reality of living without her. But God has shown me that His LOVE for us is even greater.

Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”
When we walk closely with the Spirit of the Lord, we find that He becomes our strength and our peace.

Isaiah 26:3 promises, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
I’ve seen how God has made me whole and even helped me to thrive in the midst of deep sorrow.

His LOVE is complete. Just as we would not want our child to live in pain, he wants us to live for today and be armed to use our pain for his glory!

Being His means becoming fully aware of His incredible healing presence simply by being with Him.

Our God is a jealous God. In a world full of distractions, it’s vital that we fix our eyes on Him. When we find ourselves broken, we must remember that He is the Potter and we are the clay. As Isaiah 64:8 says, “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

So, I shared how God has shown up again and again in my darkest moments to remind me that the Lord of all creation is with me. I hope you feel that truth today.

Take time to be still and listen for what He wants to say to you. He speaks through His Word. If you don’t know where to begin, I suggest starting in Psalms or Proverbs. When a verse brings you comfort, write it down—read it again and again until it’s planted deep in your heart and mind.

God also speaks through people, biblical messages, music, and even through nature. If you seek Him, He will reveal His unending, beautiful LOVE for you.

And perhaps, loving the way God loves is the natural result of walking closely with Him.

Communicating with Substance Abusers: Part 1

Do you feel like you're talking to a door? Do you feel like you're on a carousel, going in circles? Do you feel like you need a suit of armor just to get through a conversation? Communication is difficult under the best circumstances, but when you're speaking with a loved one who struggles with substances, it can feel impossible. Their words may be harsh, their actions unpredictable, and their responses unreliable. So how can we communicate effectively while protecting our own emotional well-being?

Here are three ways:

1. Set Boundaries You have the right to decide what is acceptable in your interactions. If you feel disrespected or manipulated, you do not have to engage. Some boundaries might include:- Refusing to engage in conversations when they are under the influence- Walking away if they raise their voice or become aggressive- Not responding to rude or cruel text messages For example, you might say: “If I feel like they are under the influence, I will not engage in conversation.” “If I feel like the text message is rude, I will delete it and not respond.”2) Pause Before You Engage Before having a conversation, ask yourself:1. Are they sober? If not, then it is not the time to engage in conversation.

2. Am I emotionally prepared to have this conversation?    

a. If not, then take time to pray, reflect, and regain your peace before proceeding.    

b. If yes,  then use a positive “I feel” statement.3) “I Feel” Statements People respond more positively when we clearly express what we want them to DO rather than just telling them what to STOP. When we only point out what to avoid, they may not know the right action to take. Giving clear direction on the desired behavior reduces confusion and improves communication. Don’t Say: “You never listen to me when I talk. ”Do Say: “I feel unheard when you don’t respond to me. ”Don’t Say: “You always embarrass me when you drink. ”Do Say: “I enjoy our time together when you stay sober. ”

Shifting your words can shift the outcome of your conversations. Stay firm in your boundaries, express yourself with clarity, and remember—you are not alone in this journey.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 ESV

Communicating with Substance Abusers: Part 2

Communicating with a loved one who is battling substance abuse can feel like shouting underwater, like no matter what you say, your words go unheard and your emotions get dismissed. It’s exhausting. It’s frustrating. It’s painful.

Last week, we talked about the importance of boundaries, pausing before you speak, and using positive “I feel” statements. This week I want to challenge you to truly practice setting those boundaries and writing out those positive “I feel” statements.

The Power of Boundaries

Healthy communication starts with clear and firm boundaries:- If they are under the influence, do not engage.- If they are yelling or being verbally abusive, walk away.- If they send cruel or manipulative text messages or emails, don’t respond. Instead, protect your peace by saying:- “I will talk to you when you are sober.”- “I will not engage in conversations that are disrespectful. ”Remember: You are not responsible for their reaction. You are responsible for protecting your well-being. How to Speak So They Hear YouRather than starting with “you” statements that feel like attacks, use “I feel” statements to express your emotions without escalating the conflict: Don’t say: “You always ruin our evenings. ”Do say: “I enjoy our time together when you're sober. ”Don’t say: “You’re so selfish when you drink. ”Do say: “I feel hurt when your drinking takes priority over our time together. ”These small shifts can create a more productive dialogue.

Your Challenge This Week

Take a moment to write down two boundaries you will uphold when communicating with your loved one, as well as writing out as many of your positive “I feel” statements as you need. “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Ephesians 4:29 ESV