#12 Willpower

The role of willpower is probably the most controversial issue in discussions of addiction, its roots, and recovery. Initially some views seem contradictory. On one hand are those that see addiction as merely another disease and feel the individual is no more responsible than having  any other disease. On the other hand are those who talk about free will and choice, and that addiction is simply a choice.The discussion often polarizes into "either or" options. I would like to suggest that another option might follow a "both and" discussion as there are contradictions in both schools of thought.

Some diseases do involve choice. For example heart disease and cancer can be influenced by smoking or diet. On the other hand there is no choice involved in diseases like cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy or babies born addicted. Addiction is progressive and in its advanced stages it becomes impossible to recover by the unaided will. I meet folks who are so damaged by life and addiction that even after losing everything and almost dying a number of times from overdosing, they still continue to use.

I have also heard the discussion that addicts lack willpower or they would straighten up. The reality is that generally addicts have more than an abundance of willpower. In early addiction this can be evidenced by drinking all night and still showing up at work the next day. Addicts generally attempt to exercise control in all their relationships. However as the addiction progresses (part of the disease concept) the will becomes hijacked by what the chemicals are doing in the brain. (posts #10 and #11).

Post #3 discussed the "Spirituality of Addiction." Dallas Willard writing in the Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care adds: The spirit is the will of the heart, which, lives mainly in our bodies. One of the ironies of spiritual formation is that every "spiritual" discipline involves bodily behavior. We have to involve the body  because that is where we live and what we live from. Spiritual formation is formation of the "inner" dimensions of the human being, resulting in transformation of the whole person, including the body in its social context.

Will operates in the physical body as well as the spirit in this sense of will being part of heart, spirit, character and choice. Addiction is a condition that originates initially in the pleasure / pain location of the primitive brain. Pleasure and avoidance of pain is experienced in the body leading eventually to craving. Progressively, individual will and choice are surrendered and overpowered by the addiction.

Dallas Willard discusses the issue of will in three categories: The impulsive, reflective and embodied.

·       Impulsive: This exercise of will generally originates in the instinctive part of the primitive brain and moves towards things that are attractive or trigger curiosity. It generates exploration but requires little forethought (which originates in the neo-cortex). For example we safe guard electric sockets knowing that small children impulsively stick a fork or their fingers in them. In adults it is simply choosing what is desired without using reason (eg. impulse buying).

·       Reflective: Experiencing either negative or positive experience from an impulsive act, we reflect on the consequences or rewards of an impulsive act and evaluate if the activity is in our best interests before acting on it.

·       Embodied: Desires have enslaved the will and

     bypass reflection or moments of clarity as now

     their body is running their life in terms of desire

     and the pursuit of pleasure.     

For some, impulsively experimenting with addictive substances leads to addiction characterized by the absence of reflection or moments of clarity about their use of addictive substances or behaviors.

I think another error in our thinking can be generalizing the role of will in addiction and not understanding that the role of will is distinctive in different stages of addiction. These stages will be discussed in the next blog.