How do you feel about people with addictions?

True about the underlying mechanisms. It has to do with dopamine signaling in the "addiction circuit" of the brain.

The situation you described was similar to my first hypothetical - the person made a choice to drive drunk. So, they deserve the pain and suffering of the accident. Hopefully, they didn't kill or hurt anyone else.

im an azzhole wrote:

True about the underlying mechanisms. It has to do with dopamine signaling in the "addiction circuit" of the brain.

The situation you described was similar to my first hypothetical - the person made a choice to drive drunk. So, they deserve the pain and suffering of the accident. Hopefully, they didn't kill or hurt anyone else.

I think my point was that they were exposed to their addiction because of the poor choice of driving drunk. Do you feel sorry for that person (relative to now being a pill addict, not the drunk driving)? Their addiction was a direct result of their surgery (the example you used for someone you would feel sorry for), but that surgery resulted from a bad choice (drunk driving), something that seems like it would fall into your category of not feeling sorry for?

The way I see it, addiction does not have to be to some bad, potentially life damaging vice.

I'm addicted to traveling. Every penny I earn that does not go to living expenses goes in a fund for my next trip. I spend every minute thinking about traveling, figuring out how/when I can get my next fix, ie, take off somewhere.

Mozart was addicted to music, I guarantee mommy and daddy mozart weren't punishing young wolfgang for not practicing the piano. He lived for music. The same with Picasso and painting, or Jimmy Page and guitar, and some of the greatest minds in the world.

My point is, everyone has some sort of an addiction. Some people's addictions lead them to greatness, but others have just gotten hooked on terrible substances or practices. I've done my fair share of drugs over the years, and while I enjoy certain ones at certain times, I'm in no means addicted. I feel as though people are just naturally addicted to different things, whether it's drugs, guitar, gambling, or whatever else.

If you want to look at it that way, plenty of problems are "self inflicted" and can deserve little sympathy.

I just want to say that you are VERY VERY lucky that this disease has not touched you personally, by nature of yourself getting addicted or a loved one. I'm saying this because otherwise, you would see that the disease takes over the person (similar to any other mental illness). The person becomes essentially a prisoner trapped in their own body. Sure, yes, there does have to be some experimentation involved to start the drugs in the body, but this can be as simple as having wisdom teeth removed & receiving pain killers.

Pain killer overdoses kill more than one american every hour. It's an under publicized epidemic, and the statements that you are making don't help solve anything. Why don't you do some research on this rather than launch a discussion about it on a running message board?

Addiction really is something that is way beyond will power/personal responsibility. I enjoy beer and wine. I read books about wine making, read reviews, seek out craft beers, Belgian ales, etc. I got to the point where my tolerance was up so high that I could drink a bottle of wine a day and get up the next morning and run 9 mi without feeling a thing. I realized that my booze bill was too much. Easily $100+ a week. And, I was seeking out harder stuff to be sure that I was getting enough of a buzz. I stopped drinking one day. The next day, I missed it. The day after, I really missed it. A week later, it did not bother me at all.

But I know people who got to where I was and went straight over the ledge, fully aware that they were in trouble. They simply had no power to stop it. These are people who went to better schools than I did, have better jobs than I do, and better looking wife than I have. but there is just something about their neurotransmitters that are different from mine. They are controlled by theirs, while I can control mine.

carmen san diego wrote:

The way I see it, addiction does not have to be to some bad, potentially life damaging vice.

I'm addicted to traveling.

Dude, you are talking about a Day Time TV definition of "addiction". Save that $hit for Oprah.

We're talking real addiction- drugs & alcohol; not some twat talking about how she's "addicted to shopping!"

There's a difference between a compulsion and addiction, most people are too stupid to tell the difference.

"How do you feel about people with addictions?"

Good

carmen san diego wrote: The way I see it, addiction does not have to be to some bad, potentially life damaging vice....I'm addicted to traveling. ...Mozart was addicted to music...same with Picasso and painting, or Jimmy Page and guitar, and some of the greatest minds in the world.

The examples you provided describe passions, not addictions. Learn the difference.

I have never tried heroin or other strong drugs, because I know I might become addicted. Each person decides to risk drugs or to not risk drugs. I have no sympathy for those who do and subsequently ruin themselves.

I feel about them carefully and deliberately while wearing puncture-resistant gloves.

I don't.

That's too bad, I had one hell of a serious case of rug addiction...Honestly I just kept on buying all these used rugs for some reason until in completely bankrupted me. I'll never get those years back. I wish there were more support groups for people like me.

I am about 50 and have been an alcoholic since 18. Even drinking a lot every day I ran div 1 track and cross country. I was sub-14 guy and have run most of my life. If you saw me you would never guess I am hard-core alke. I lift weights almost every day and run a ton. And I drink. And drink ... And drink. I have a job earning $150k and am the prototypical functioning drunk. I have tried a few times to quit but AA not for me. I have compassion for drug addicts but I don't for alcoholics. I should be able to quit.

As a former addict, I have sympathy for addicts. Yes, I realize that I'm biased because of what or who I was but I can't see how someone doesn't have any sympathy for someone who wishes they could change their life.

I can almost guarantee there are no addicts that are proud they are addicted or wouldn't change their life in a second if they were granted the opportunity.

It may be a choice at it's deepest levels (I believe this). An addict always has the ability to make a choice to not smoke, drink, inhale, inject, or snort that next whatever. That's why people can quit cold turkey. There is no cure for the "disease" but people can make choices. That being said as an addict the choice becomes extremely hard to make. The habitual choices that pile on for days and weeks and months and years and the connections and lifestyle addicts create make the choice hard and in the addicts mind near impossible. And this is why people confuse it for a disease.

Regardless if it is a choice or disease the addict wishes they could be cured or make the choice to stop, and a lot do. It may take time or a rock bottom but there are plenty of former addicts that have stopped using or drinking. Should these people have been shunned and have no sympathy felt for them because of their struggles through addiction... I think not.

As stated in the forum by someone it could be argued that addiction being seen as a choice and not a disease means addicts are weak, but I disagree. A lot of addicts are some of the strongest people I know. There are ex-addicts who are now extremely successful because of their strong personality. Tom Fitzsimons was a former alcoholic and then decided to run 3,100 miles across America. It may have took him 100 days so by no means extremely fast in our community but no "weak person" would do that. There are many more examples.

Tom Fitzsimons article:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2013/apr/29/tom-fitzsimons-run4sobriety-alcoholism

The choice to become an addict is a choice that is fully under each of our control. Once you've made that choice, though, if you lose and find yourself addicted, choice is beyond your ability. No such thing as a clean junkie. He's just between relapses. Helpless, pathetic and useless.

I understand your point for sure. I was just trying to make a bit of a joke based on the original typo. In times of desperation and addiction, it's true that it's no joking matter. But if we take ourselves too seriously, isn't that glorifying the addiction itself? Here's the real question. Do you think support groups for addicts glorify addiction? i.e. do support groups merely teach people that it's okay to continue what they did and feel no shame? How many people do you think benefit in getting better vs. staying the same? Just some food for thought.

ataglance wrote:

So it's easy to dismiss on a message board, but wait until it's a close friend or family member or worse, your child.

It's not just a break down in character. Chemical dependency is a crippling condition. Just hope you and your circle of friends and family can avoid it.

You shouldn't make assumptions about the person you're quoting not knowing anything about my background. I grew up living with my meth addict adult brother whose lifestyle my parents enabled preposterously and endured abuses at his and their hands that people with normal families would consider unthinkable. You think I have one iota of sympathy for him just because he's a blood relative? I wouldn't give a penny under my car seat to save this worthless life.

How about porn addictions? I've never had trouble with this one, but it is a real thing and people waste their time and money gettin hooked on the craziest, most messed up stuff ever. This addiction is sneaky, it ruins marriages and families, and most people think a little porn is ok. Porn is as addictive as drugs.

How do I feel? I feel really bad for these people who made a few bad choices and are now stuck with the awful consequences. I can disagree with their choice and still be sympathetic.

no science zone wrote:

Theres no such thing as mental illness. It's just another lie from Big Pharma and "mental health" experts.

You are obviously in denial. You should seek help.