What is addiction?

March 4, 2017 10:52 AM

A very short video about addiction gives a replacement theory for addiction. There's blame the addict or understand the addiction; the video gives a clear explaination of one option on understanding vs. blaming.
posted by mightshould (4 comments total)

Double-ish
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 11:46 AM on March 4, 2017

This is good.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 11:55 AM on March 4, 2017 [1 favorite]

I'm glad you included the caveat "one option on understanding...." I'm really heartened by how many new ideas and philosophies there are out there now about addiction and recovery. I think addiction manifests from a soup of possible triggers but the way we treat it has been anything but nuanced and not helped by hysteria stoked for the benefit of specific agendas. My father was a lifelong alcoholic which wreaked havoc on our lives and I now look back at all those AA meetings somewhat furious at their lack of success. I wish he could have just taken a pill instead of the endless self-flagellation that did nothing but stoke his depression and anxiety. My brother suffers from addictive behavior to both socially acceptable things and those less so. I have pointed him toward some specific therapies but he also has other issues which make focus and long-range planning kind of difficult – a soup of issues.

I think I agree that if you want to really make that addiction solid, you can do as the video suggests, cast out the addict and force them to fend for themselves. On the other hand, having an addict in your life can be incredibly traumatic.
posted by amanda at 12:10 PM on March 4, 2017 [2 favorites]

Previously and the ensuing MeTa.
posted by bunderful at 1:03 PM on March 4, 2017