Addictions

[freeandfun1]

Are addictions handicaps?

 

[NewGuy]

Originally posted by freeandfun1
Are addictions handicaps?

Yes, but recoverable ones.

They are the only self-induced handicap in which one can correct on their own or with help.

Example:

I am hypoglycemic, and therefore addicted to sugar.

Scientifically, it has the same effect in my system as alcohol to an alcoholic. -Only several times STRONGER.

I am sugar free for the last 12+ years or so.

Handicaps or not, understanding toward a person with an addiction is required, but NOT a lack of responsibility in trying to solve the problem.

 

[freeandfun1]

I quit smoking but I got to wondering when watching a TV show. In the show a guy missed his flight because he was outside smoking. He had gone back out of security to smoke while waiting on the flight. Well, when he tried to get back inside, the security line was so long, he missed his flight.

Long story short - if smoking, which is an addiction, is a handicap, then shouldn't the airports put smoking lounges back inside the airport to accomodate the handicapped under the ADA?

Sounds like a winable lawsuit to me!

 

[Sandy73]

Originally posted by freeandfun1
I quit smoking but I got to wondering when watching a TV show. In the show a guy missed his flight because he was outside smoking. He had gone back out of security to smoke while waiting on the flight. Well, when he tried to get back inside, the security line was so long, he missed his flight.

Long story short - if smoking, which is an addiction, is a handicap, then shouldn't the airports put smoking lounges back inside the airport to accomodate the handicapped under the ADA?

Sounds like a winable lawsuit to me!

I saw that show and I think the guy was full of BULLSHIT ! He hadn't even checked in yet !! He should have checked in then gone had a cig !! Even the desk clerk said that on the show ! He was a FUCKTARD !!!!

 

[NewGuy]

Originally posted by freeandfun1
I quit smoking but I got to wondering when watching a TV show. In the show a guy missed his flight because he was outside smoking. He had gone back out of security to smoke while waiting on the flight. Well, when he tried to get back inside, the security line was so long, he missed his flight.

Long story short - if smoking, which is an addiction, is a handicap, then shouldn't the airports put smoking lounges back inside the airport to accomodate the handicapped under the ADA?

Sounds like a winable lawsuit to me!

I guess it depends on the language.

Of course, I am against the organization existing in the first place.

 

[freeandfun1]

Originally posted by Sandy73
I saw that show and I think the guy was full of BULLSHIT ! He hadn't even checked in yet !! He should have checked in then gone had a cig !! Even the desk clerk said that on the show ! He was a FUCKTARD !!!!

I could care less about that man. I am mostly just asking the question to show the absurdity of some of our laws.

 

[Sandy73]

What about the guy who was too drunk to get on the plane ?? Whats your opinion about that ? He admitted he was an alcoholic..

 

[Semper Fi]

Originally posted by Sandy73
What about the guy who was too drunk to get on the plane ?? Whats your opinion about that ? He admitted he was an alcoholic..

Then according to Newguys approach, he should have people wheel him onto a plane on a wheelchair, more or less. Sounds like being an addict wouldndt be so bad!

 

[Annie]

Addications? What? As long as I can bring my laptop with me, I'm happy. :

 

[NewGuy]

Originally posted by Semper Fi
Then according to Newguys approach, he should have people wheel him onto a plane on a wheelchair, more or less. Sounds like being an addict wouldndt be so bad!

No, according to MY approach, he wouldn't have ANY EXCUSES.

Do you want to try re-reading my posts?

I don't make excuses for my own correctable behavior, nor anyone elses.

I also don't make excuses for your inability to understand what I clearly posted.

 

[HGROKIT]

Originally posted by Sandy73
What about the guy who was too drunk to get on the plane ?? Whats your opinion about that ? He admitted he was an alcoholic..

I am a friend of Bill W. Alcoholism is not an excuse. No addiction is an excuse or a HANDICAP. Addiciton is a choice and therefor cannot be a handicap.

I have a daily reprieve against my alcoholism and it is based upon my spiritual condition. I also have a daily choice as to whether or not I drink today.

Some of you were around when I posted that i had quit smoking. It was tough, as I was ADDICTED - but not HANDICAPPED. Using the daily reprieve and choice example, I have not had a cigarette in 35 days.

So again...IMO for a condition to be a handicap, it cannot result as a consequence of choice when you are speaking of addictions.

The analogy given earlier of sugar and alcohol is not correct. The chemical effects that transpire between the two ARE not the same, but then, that is an enitrely different thread and I do not want to cause teeth gnashing.

 

[Semper Fi]

Yeah, my bad. I mean freeandfun's response. Sorry.

 

[NewGuy]

Originally posted by HGROKIT

The analogy given earlier of sugar and alcohol is not correct. The chemical effects that transpire between the two ARE not the same, but then, that is an enitrely different thread and I do not want to cause teeth gnashing.

-Just a point of clarification:

I make reference to sugar in a system of a hypoglycemic individual which by definition of the condition, (not the overly misdiagnosed blanket term), refers to a problem with the metabolism of sugar in general and screws with hormone levels and metabolism to a degree that consumptuion of a candy bar puts one asleep for a day and sick for 2.

In other words, we may be looking at the analogy differently, but we conclude the same.

Congratulations on your accomplishment!

 

[freeandfun1]

Originally posted by Semper Fi
Yeah, my bad. I mean freeandfun's response. Sorry.

Semper, re-read my post too. My point was that sometimes our laws get very absurd. I don't think drunks should be let on a plane and I don't think that airports should put smoking lounges back in the airports (actually, I don't care either way). My point was that since many consider addictions handicaps, if we are not careful, we are going to find ourselves being forced by the government to accomodate addicts.

 

[HGROKIT]

Originally posted by NewGuy
-Just a point of clarification:

I make reference to sugar in a system of a hypoglycemic individual which by definition of the condition, (not the overly misdiagnosed blanket term), refers to a problem with the metabolism of sugar in general and screws with hormone levels and metabolism to a degree that consumptuion of a candy bar puts one asleep for a day and sick for 2.

In other words, we may be looking at the analogy differently, but we conclude the same.

Congratulations on your accomplishment!

acetone is the difference.

 

[Semper Fi]

Originally posted by freeandfun1
Semper, re-read my post too. My point was that sometimes our laws get very absurd. I don't think drunks should be let on a plane and I don't think that airports should put smoking lounges back in the airports (actually, I don't care either way). My point was that since many consider addictions handicaps, if we are not careful, we are going to find ourselves being forced by the government to accomodate addicts.

Ok then. Thanks for being understanding of my mistake...

 

[Captain_Steel]

Originally posted by freeandfun1
Are addictions handicaps?

ARE they? I don't know. CAN they be? Definately. But that's not to say that it makes someone a "bad" person for having one/a few. They definately can be overcome though, that's the good news.

Hey, we are only human, you know? Nobody/ no body is perfect!! We all have handicaps and shortcomings...Quitting addictions is usually a healthy thing though...Why not be the best we can be?

For some though, it may be just part of their personality. Remember Wimpy from Popeye cartoons? That guy was seriously addicted to hamburgers. But that's just the way he was. Nobody had to give him a hard time for it, right?

 

[Said1]

Originally posted by HGROKIT
I am a friend of Bill W. Alcoholism is not an excuse. No addiction is an excuse or a HANDICAP. Addiciton is a choice and therefor cannot be a handicap.

I have a daily reprieve against my alcoholism and it is based upon my spiritual condition. I also have a daily choice as to whether or not I drink today.

I have had my own battles with drugs and alcohol, and I'm in total agreement with your statement. No matter how pre-disposed to alcoholism I may be, it was always my choice to drink, be irresponsible, miss work, family engagements and act like an overall flake. If I wasn't drinking so heavily, I probably would not have acted in such a way, however, I still drank even though I knew how I behaved under the influence - making all of it my fault. Anyway, that's my rant for the morning

 

[dilloduck]

You question will have many answers depending on which branch of society answers it (medicine,law, ethics,religious etc). "handicap" is probably harder to define than addiction but both words have the tendency to enter the "subjective" realm. In my opinion it is a handicap that can be contained with effort just as other mental and physical handicaps can be mitigated with effort. How handicaps are viewed by society (your second concern) is tougher and depends on subjective perceptions of the term "handicap".
We get conditioned to believe that one degree handicap is more deserving of assistance than others. New " handicaps" emerge form time to time and are judged by many different standards. While alcoholism is now defined as a disease, you will find very few people willing to acknowlege it as a "handicap" however the personal effort needed to contain it can require much more personal effort than other readily accepted handicaps.
I think society defines a handicap by the amount of assistance the person needs to maintain a certain quality of lifestyle and how much of a "normal" lifestyle will be unattainable due to the condition.
A mental handicap is much more difficult for the general public to assess and therefore gets less attention and sympathy while they may require much more effort on the part of the individual to control.
I am not promoting declaring addictions to be handicaps ( that will unfortunately be decided be judges and lawyers ) but am merely pointing out the difficulty in judging a condition as a handicap. Often simply declaring a condition to be worthy of public assistance has a tendency to make the condition MORE of a handicap.

 

[freeandfun1]

I am predisposed to having an addictive personality. As most of you have stated, addictions still require a choice and I have noticed that when I really want to, I can say no and I have in many areas of my life. I struggled with alcohol for seveal years. Now I don't drink. I also have stopped smoking cigs (but I can't resist burning a bud now and then). So even though I do have an addictive personality, you guys are right - I make the final choice and if one keeps that in the front of their minds, saying "no" is much easier.

Anyway, my follow on question was should addictions be covered under the ADA?