Analysis Of Addiction: A Common World Wide Disease By Tom Hill

A Common World Wide Disease

Addiction is an issue an innumerable abundance of people face. It is a problem some individuals cannot avoid. A certain amount of people believe that addiction is a personal choice, whereas on the other hand, some believe that addiction is a disease. In a blog titled “Is Addiction a Choice?” from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, an individual named Tom Hill is conveying as to why addiction is a disease and not a personal choice. In order to capture the attention of readers, Hill begins his statement with a scientific fact. In his blog, Tom Hill wrote, “Science has confirmed that addiction is a chronic brain disease that can happen to anyone” (Hill 1). Hill uses science to persuade individuals to agree

To connect with his audience, he wrote, “As a person in long-term recovery, I know plenty about how genetics and environment affect addiction. My nuclear and extended family is a vast network of heavy drinkers and drug users and many family members have suffered medical, legal and instrumental consequences as a result of their substance use and addiction” (Hill 1). Tom Hill is able to connect with the readers who have undergone similar experiences as him and provide relatable situations for readers to empathize with his averment. When using empathy in his writing, some people feel as if they can trust this writer who has gone through equivalent experiences as them rather than an author who has not faced the troubles the reader has. In order to connect with his readers more effectively, Hill also writes, “If we are committed to promoting recovery and really want to help people heal and get better, we need to make a radical shift in the way we regard substance use and addiction. Understanding that addiction is not anyone’s fault is a good step in this direction” (2). Tom Hill creates a positive conclusion in his blog to help the readers empathize with his side of the argument more. Expressing ways that people can help with addiction can grant the readers into feeling like they need to make a change whenever one hears something negative about addiction. There is no reason to have a negative attitude towards addiction when it is a disease that cannot be