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The problem with addicts is that they are born addicts. That is to say that addiction (to drugs, to food, gambling, video games, sex etc) is a disorder of the b

The problem with addicts is that they are born addicts. That is to say that addiction (to drugs, to food, gambling, video games, sex etc) is a disorder of the brain. It is something some people are born with and some people are not. Addicts "make poor choices" because their brains are wired that way. What the government needs to do is provide options for addicts to re-learn how to cope with life without resorting to their addiction.

ythl 10y ago
> Addicts "make poor choices" because their brains are wired that way. I reject this statement. Even if people are more prone to addiction, that doesn't excuse their choices. Otherwise you could excuse serial killers by saying "Oh well, his brain was wired that way. He got derived sexual satisfaction from torture and killing. He couldn't control his actions; he's not responsible for his choices." Once you blame genetics, then suddenly nobody has accountability for anything. "Oh, he did X? He didn't have a choice, his brain was wired that way."
- dota_fanatic 10y ago
  Why can't both be true. For some people, they're prone but overcome their instincts through nurturing and support from their environment to be different. For others, they're VERY prone, and lack nurturing and support from their environment to be different. It's incredible to me how quickly we support, nurture, even worship people who are born into extremely good circumstances with all the advantages of the modern age, who are able to exercise common sense and ethical behavior (did they deserve it?), while others are blamed and despised when they were born into extremely poor circumstances, disadvantage after disadvantage (did they deserve it?) Context differs wildly and yet everyone is held to the same standards and expectations, when we're all just barely evolved higher intelligence, with severely flawed wetware. It's fucking ridiculous.
- ChoHag 10y ago
  You can say that, and won't even be wrong, but saying that an actor is not control of its actions is not the same as saying that they must not be restricted in their ability to act upon others. A serial killer is not locked up because he or she is a serial killer but to protect the rest of us who are not. A drug user is locked up because he or she is a drug user, not because the rest of us need protection from a near-comatose stoner.
chimeracoder 10y ago
> The problem with addicts is that they are born addicts. It is something some people are born with and some people are not. This is not in line with contemporary, mainstream medical thoughts on the topic. There are some people who are genetically and/or biologically prone to addictive behaviors, but that's not to say that those behaviors will necessarily manifest (or, if they do manifest, that they will manifest as drug addictions). And even that's a far cry from this broad claim about addiction and addicts in general.
ChemicalWarfare 10y ago
if that's the case wouldn't removing access to the potential source of addiction be an effective counter-measure? also, not an expert by any stretch of imagination, from what I understand though some drugs, like meth for example can get just about anyone addicted to them after one-two uses.
- onetwotree 10y ago
  The fact that many people are prescribed highly addictive drugs (adderall, opiates, and even in some cases, methamphetamine (under the name Desoxyn) without becoming addicts gives the lie to the second statement. In fact, merely using drugs doesn't lead to addiction - it requires the use combined with underlying environmental and genetic factors. As for preventing use, good luck!
  - ChemicalWarfare 10y ago
    So you're saying someone is "wired" to proactively seek out illegal substance to get addicted to it then? As for "legal drugs" vs. street - you're not seriously comparing the Desoxyn dosage some kid with add would get prescribed to him with a dosage a user would smoke are you?
    - aminorex 10y ago
      Many users of illegal drugs are self-medicating. They would generally prefer legal drugs, were they available and effective. The draconian legal regime prevents them from conducting responsible self-care. Law-breaking is preferable to death, or even severe disability, if you have dependents who require your support.
      - ChemicalWarfare 10y ago
        I can totally sympathize with someone who is self-medicating, although to me that is a completely different situation as I'm sure they are not self-medicating with heroin and crack.
philh 10y ago
> The problem with addicts is that they are born addicts. That is to say that addiction ... is something some people are born with and some people are not You seem to be counting as "addicts" some people who have never experienced the thing they are supposedly addicted to. There might be a meaningful classification here. But if so, the word "addict" doesn't point at it.

ythl 10y ago

> Addicts "make poor choices" because their brains are wired that way. I reject this statement. Even if people are more prone to addiction, that doesn't excuse their choices. Otherwise you could excuse serial killers by saying "Oh well, his brain was wired that way. He got derived sexual satisfaction from torture and killing. He couldn't control his actions; he's not responsible for his choices." Once you blame genetics, then suddenly nobody has accountability for anything. "Oh, he did X? He didn't have a choice, his brain was wired that way."

dota_fanatic 10y ago
Why can't both be true. For some people, they're prone but overcome their instincts through nurturing and support from their environment to be different. For others, they're VERY prone, and lack nurturing and support from their environment to be different. It's incredible to me how quickly we support, nurture, even worship people who are born into extremely good circumstances with all the advantages of the modern age, who are able to exercise common sense and ethical behavior (did they deserve it?), while others are blamed and despised when they were born into extremely poor circumstances, disadvantage after disadvantage (did they deserve it?) Context differs wildly and yet everyone is held to the same standards and expectations, when we're all just barely evolved higher intelligence, with severely flawed wetware. It's fucking ridiculous.
ChoHag 10y ago
You can say that, and won't even be wrong, but saying that an actor is not control of its actions is not the same as saying that they must not be restricted in their ability to act upon others. A serial killer is not locked up because he or she is a serial killer but to protect the rest of us who are not. A drug user is locked up because he or she is a drug user, not because the rest of us need protection from a near-comatose stoner.

chimeracoder 10y ago

> The problem with addicts is that they are born addicts. It is something some people are born with and some people are not. This is not in line with contemporary, mainstream medical thoughts on the topic. There are some people who are genetically and/or biologically prone to addictive behaviors, but that's not to say that those behaviors will necessarily manifest (or, if they do manifest, that they will manifest as drug addictions). And even that's a far cry from this broad claim about addiction and addicts in general.

ChemicalWarfare 10y ago

if that's the case wouldn't removing access to the potential source of addiction be an effective counter-measure? also, not an expert by any stretch of imagination, from what I understand though some drugs, like meth for example can get just about anyone addicted to them after one-two uses.

onetwotree 10y ago
The fact that many people are prescribed highly addictive drugs (adderall, opiates, and even in some cases, methamphetamine (under the name Desoxyn) without becoming addicts gives the lie to the second statement. In fact, merely using drugs doesn't lead to addiction - it requires the use combined with underlying environmental and genetic factors. As for preventing use, good luck!
- ChemicalWarfare 10y ago
  So you're saying someone is "wired" to proactively seek out illegal substance to get addicted to it then? As for "legal drugs" vs. street - you're not seriously comparing the Desoxyn dosage some kid with add would get prescribed to him with a dosage a user would smoke are you?
  - aminorex 10y ago
    Many users of illegal drugs are self-medicating. They would generally prefer legal drugs, were they available and effective. The draconian legal regime prevents them from conducting responsible self-care. Law-breaking is preferable to death, or even severe disability, if you have dependents who require your support.
    - ChemicalWarfare 10y ago
      I can totally sympathize with someone who is self-medicating, although to me that is a completely different situation as I'm sure they are not self-medicating with heroin and crack.

philh 10y ago

> The problem with addicts is that they are born addicts. That is to say that addiction ... is something some people are born with and some people are not You seem to be counting as "addicts" some people who have never experienced the thing they are supposedly addicted to. There might be a meaningful classification here. But if so, the word "addict" doesn't point at it.