Not sure if this fits the Philosophy section (this is more Psychology) but here is this thesis I have, not sure if proven or not. I think people CHOOSE to become addicted to physical matter (such as drugs [you decide to try them over and over], TV, computer games, sex and so on) because it sets their priorities. It eliminates the need of decision, because the thing you are addicted to is always top priority. What is your opinion about this?
This is my ribald theory of addiction: your life sucks, at least in your perception, and then you stumble upon something that grants you instant gratification and an escape from your depressing reality, not to mention that it stimulates the pleasure centres in your brain. You then become seduced by these foreign feelings of pleasure, and voila - addiction.
I think it is quite natural to want to indulge in something that brings us some form of pleasure, whether that is deemed "unhealthy" or not is really of no concern at that point. It does set your priorities, but who's to say that prioritizing yourself around pleasurable things is wrong or unhealthy in the long run? Of course, biologically and medically unhealthy is a separate case in my opinion of this discussion but I believe we should be seeking out things that make us happy in life rather than just going through societies "motions" because that is what has been deemed our direction in life.
I agree with you 100% that people become addicted to things they enjoy doing, that doesn't always make it acceptable/healthy/right. Prioritizing yourself over things you love is bad if you do not factor in if it is unhealthy (mentally as well, like stops you from socializing). I am talking about mostly mental addiction, which I believe plays a much bigger role in every addiction. For example: you get addicted to nicotine when smoking cigarettes but when trying to quit, the mental part of not holding your cigarette between your fingers is very hard to stop. You lose a significant activity that has become part of your everyday life. Thanks for all the replies!
Yeah basically this, though I don't think it's escaping from your depressing reality but more of an attempt to improve your reality. That's how I became dependant on weed, my life was fine before I started smoking it, not depressing in the least. Then I smoked weed and was like omg this feels great if I do this all the time then I will feel great all the time thus improving the reality I live in. Anyway after a while being dependant sucked, I couldn't really kick the habit for a while but eventually did, now I take 4 day t breaks every week.
Yea i started with weed(tobacco actually, not to give herb a bad name). About a year after smoking weed almost every single day, i stumbled upon my favorite drug(or class of drugs). Ever since that first time i was hooked. It made me feel whole, it made me feel good, it made me confident, euphoric, it makes me feel like when i'm on that drug, that THAT is the best me, when i'm at my absolute best is when im high on narcotics. Sure i can appear to be asleep standing up, but i'm not, im thinking and visualising the most beautiful and serene, most PEACEFUL things. Thats all i want is to be at peace, with myself and the world. Most days i just can't cope, i have NO HOPE and i don't want anybody to see me when i'm not high, because i feel they are seeing such a lesser version of me, while i know on the inside that i'm so much more than a junky, it's just hard being a junky. It is harder than any job, test, or erection you will ever experience. At the end of the day all i have is me, my thoughts, and if i don''t get my fix, the sensation of having been hit by a school bus, full of gold... Weed is not addicting, whoever says so, i STRONGLY advise you to never try actual drugs. I don't know why i'm addicted to drugs exactly except they(it) just makes me feel how i think everybody else feels, normal, how I should feel.
Addiction is not the issue per se. We are all addicted to something. It's recognising when you have a problem that it becomes an issue. What you do about it once you see this is what matters.
I don't think anybody chooses to become addicted. People make a series of choices that eventually lead to to addiction, but the choices weren't made with the intention to become addicted. I agree with the above post that says partaking in pleasurable activities, harmful or not, is perfectly okay. However, feeling a need to partake in those activities to the point that it disrupts your life is not. People should find joy in their life as a whole.
feels like what I'm going through, most likely the same category of no no your talkin about, but I started to do it because I was bored and it made chillen doin nothing just amazing. now its been 5 years and I need some in morning just to get to work addiction is a biznitch, and can happen to anyone, don't think you're "special" I am trying to go clean, only been 2 days but you have to start somewhere
This man, we're humans that are constantly thinking. We need stuff to always be thinking about, and our addictions are our favorite things to always think about.
Yea that's the point here...if i would have stuck with weed in moderation i'd be a ok. But i smoked weed all the damn time and my tolerance went up, then i tried painkillers and fell in love with them, and i also think that they are relatively safe IF used safely and sparingly. I'm all good today with nothin but weed, somedays i am, but somedays i just crave drugs so bad because i need a vacation but i'm broke...
[quote name='"StraiT100"'] Yea that's the point here...if i would have stuck with weed in moderation i'd be a ok. But i smoked weed all the damn time and my tolerance went up, then i tried painkillers and fell in love with them, and i also think that they are relatively safe IF used safely and sparingly. I'm all good today with nothin but weed, somedays i am, but somedays i just crave drugs so bad because i need a vacation but i'm broke...[/quote] Yeah I agree with u there, 4 days clean off the bad stuff, I'm just starting to feel better, but the cravings aren't getting better. I just have to stay strong and if i start to feel weak I come back here and find the motivation not to make the call. Only if staying only on weed was easy.... Oh well smoke break and hopefully get a good night rest.
[quote name='"The Nickatina"'] This man, we're humans that are constantly thinking. We need stuff to always be thinking about, and our addictions are our favorite things to always think about.[/quote] Put a human in a sensory depravation chamber as in take away all sensory stimulus and your mind will start creat vivid hallucinations and sounds just to "sense" something.