Listen to this articleADDICTION/RECOVERY
ADDICTION AND RECOVERY
There are all kinds of addictions on Earth. It seems as if becoming addicted to something at some point or another in life is a natural part of the human experience. For instance, some humans become addicted to love, eating food, gambling, shopping, copulating, clothing, watching pornography, eating chocolate candy, playing video games, drinking carbonated soft drinks, eating snacks, and so forth. Some lesser discussed addictions include things such as addiction to money, fame, power, prejudice, gangs, guns, and war. The problem is that not all addictions are created equal. Some addictions are more harmful than others, and some addictions are easier to overcome than others.
I think that most humans will agree that perhaps the worst kinds of addictions are substance-related addictions. Substance-related addictions sometimes destroy lives, livelihoods, and families. Substance-related addictions also impose tremendous financial burdens on society at large from the standpoint of law enforcement, legal intervention, medical treatment, social welfare treatment, and incarceration-related activities. Substance addiction is viewed here as an addiction to alcoholic beverages (such as whiskey), tobacco products (such as cigarettes), prescription drugs (such as OxyContin), and illicit drugs (such as heroin). When alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, prescription drugs, and illicit drugs are taken together, the substance abusers worldwide spend billions of dollars a year purchasing these products for use. There is no shortage of customers.
Much like all addictions are not created equal, all substances, also, are not created equal. Some substances are more addictive and harmful than others. Obviously, someone addicted to, say, cigarettes poses a lesser threat to overall societal stability than someone addicted to, say, crystal methamphetamine (meth). Some addictions come at a higher price than others when it comes to your physical, mental, social, and financial well-being.
At the outset, I wish to state clearly that not everybody who uses substances makes the progression from use to abuse and finally to addiction. Some humans are able to control their use of the substance(s). Some humans are capable of using substances regularly with little to no addictive tendencies. Moreover, I wish to emphasize that choosing to drink alcoholic beverages, smoke cigarettes, abuse prescription and illicit drugs, live a counterproductive and unhealthy lifestyle, and so forth, is your prerogative in a free, open, tolerant, and permissive society such as the USA. It is up to you to choose wisely. For those humans who have the misfortune of becoming addicted to one or more of these substances, the good news is this: There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
SUBSTANCE USE, ABUSE, AND ADDICTION
In the case of retail theft, there are several reasons why some humans go into stores and steal products. Some humans steal products from stores because they want or need a certain product even if they do not have the money to purchase it. Some humans steal products from stores opportunistically, that is, they do it more for the thrill of not getting caught. Some steal products from stores to satisfy a psychological need, and these kinds of thieves are referred to as kleptomaniacs. Some steal products from stores—and sometimes rob and murder others—to obtain money to support an addiction, say, an addiction to a drug. Others steal products from stores as a career or as a way to earn a living.
Humans abuse substances for many of the same reasons stated above for those who steal products from stores. Again, these substances include things such as cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, prescription drugs, and illicit drugs.
The source of addiction has a chicken-or-egg type of trait to it. That is to ask, is the source of addiction a psychological predisposition by some to become addicted to certain things (the egg or demand perspective), or is it the peddlers of addictive products producing, marketing and plying these addictive products to vulnerable populations (the chicken or supply perspective)? Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
It should not be overlooked the fact that some humans are unwittingly victims of illicit substances. Unwitting victims are secretly given an illicit substance to injest for nefarious or sinister purposes. In such cases, the user did not consent to take the illicit substance. The goal of the victimizer is to take advantage of the victim after the victim becomes incapacitated by the illicit substance. Unfortunately, mainly motivated by a quest for profits and power, some humans are willing to do some really unsavory things—like slipping another a Mickey—as an easy way to attain those profits and power.
Science can be used to achieve good things in the world, and it can be used to achieve bad things. Using the science of chemistry to produce more and different kinds of potent, mind-altering, debilitating, and life-destroying designer drugs has to be one of the worse and most wicked uses of science that humans have ever contrived (right up there with science being used to create chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons for the express purpose of killing lots of humans).
The sinking ship video below is a metaphor for the stages of addiction. It all begins innocently enough. In the beginning, the ship is sailing along the ocean blue, and life is good. For whatever reason—that is, boredom, thrill seeking, peer pressure and acceptance, a superficial method to escape the sometimes harsh realities and challenges of daily living, a superficial method to feel good, etc.—you decide to try the substance. You enjoy it. You try it again and again, and you enjoy how the substance makes you feel. Eventually, much like a ship hitting a rock and taking on too much water, before long, you find yourself in trouble. You find yourself addicted to the substance. You can feel your life gradually spinning out of control. Your life begins to revolve around little more than obtaining more of the substance to use.
The actual sinking of the ship represents the final stage of addiction. The actual sinking of the ship reflects the addiction having completely taken control of your life. The actual sinking of the ship represents your life hitting rock bottom and seemingly in ruin.
Embed Widget | via Rehabs.com
THE ROAD TO RECOVERY
Again, for those who have the misfortune of becoming addicted to one or more of these substances, the good news is this: As long as you are alive, the opportunity exists for you to recover. The opportunity exists for you to overcome the addiction. The opportunity exists for you to reclaim, rebuild, and restore your life to an addiction-free life. Unlike the sinking ship illustration, there is no need for you to forever remain sunk into the deepest depths of human depravity. The choice is yours whether or not to seek help.
The following songs are meant as encouragement for those who are venturing down the road to recovery from addiction.
RECOVERY RESOURCES FROM SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ADDICTION
Several informational and recovery resources are listed below:
MICHAEL JACKSON: THE TRIBUTE
I think that it is fitting to conclude this discussion of addiction with a tribute to Michael Jackson. Apparently, Michael Jackson's abuse of prescription drugs was accidental and unintentional. Most observers think that Michael Jackson's use of prescription drugs can be traced to the 1984 accident that occurred while he was filming the Pepsi commercial. Most think that the medications that Michael was taking to recover from the accident also marked the beginning of his journey into prescription drug dependency. Michael grew dependent on using prescription drugs. His dependency on prescription drugs ultimately led to his untimely death.
The larger point of this tribute is this: Besides his position as the "King of Pop," I think that one of the reasons why Michael Jackson's 25-JUNE-2009 death touched so many peoples' hearts throughout the world was because not only did Michael personify the ongoing trek towards a non-racial USA society but also the ongoing trek towards a non-racial world, that is, a world in which one's race or ethnicity does not matter. In life, Michael Jackson promoted peace on Earth and goodwill between humans.
To be sure, with all of the recent news reports about some of the USA's most prominent and some of its most famous residents checking into rehabilitation facilities, getting into trouble with the law, and even dying as a direct or indirect result of substance abuse, a big red flag has gone up. The entire world is beginning to take notice of the fact that the USA has a very serious substance abuse problem on its collective hands.
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