TOW #26 - Michael Botticelli's "Addiction is a disease. We should treat it like one."

            A disease is defined as a disorder of structure or function in a human. If this general statement is the case, then why is it that society views disease as a physical illness; a diagnosis only cured by numerous visits to the hospital? According to Michael Botticelli, an American public official and director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, disease is not only a physical illness, but also the mental hardship that comes with substance addiction. In a TED Talk entitled, Addiction is a disease. We should treat it like one, Botticelli employs polysyndeton and the comparison of addition to disease in order to preach the title of his lecture. Botticelli, after informing the audience of his sexuality, describes an AIDS awareness program he was involved in. He says, "Years ago I was a volunteer for the 'Names' project [...] to show that people who died of AIDS had names and faces and families and people who loved them" (Botticelli). The listing of “and” reflects the fact that people struggling with substance addiction can and do have all of the love and support that others do. In other words, an addict is still a human, and deserves the same respect as any other patient of a disease. In addition, Botticelli plays on the idea that patients and addicts are not different, yet they are treated different. Here, he says, "If you have cancer you get treatment. If you have diabetes you get treatment. If you have heart attack you get emergency services. [...] But somehow people with addiction have to wait for treatment" (Botticelli). It is not just; it is not fair that people suffering from addiction have to wait in the back of the line for the treatment that they deserve. Addiction is a disease because it causes disorder in one’s life, and it takes over a person physically and mentally, just as any other disease would. Botticelli makes it clear that is time to change the stigma surrounding addiction, and treat those who need to be treated.

Visual: http://www.rivermendhealth.com/resources/white-house-drug-czar-michael-botticelli-presents-rivermend-healths-dr-mark-gold-with-path-foundation-ny-lifetime-achievement-award/

 

Caption: "Disease Control"