4 ms·

This is entirely consistent with how weirdly cultish the "rehab/treatment" industry is in US: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13848273 https://news.ycombin

by zkms 10y ago

This is entirely consistent with how weirdly cultish the "rehab/treatment" industry is in US: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13848273 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13848273

mtdewcmu 10y ago
I see the rehab industry as selling snake oil. I'm sure that it has been a good business to be in with the trend to send fewer addicts to jail and redirect them to rehab instead. Going to rehab is a good idea if you need to rehabilitate your image, e.g. to get a job. I have no experience of American rehab. The whole idea seems weird to me. I think one of the practical effects of it is that serves to teach drug users about the "addiction disease" and how to act their part in the drama. I suspect that it helps bring about the symptoms of the "disease", because without being educated about the symptoms, how would you know what you're supposed to do?
mtdewcmu 10y ago
One more thing. I think rehab causes people to die, because a heroin user is made to stop, then they are in rehab for a while, and then they get out and accidentally inject too much and overdose. When you are denied something you want for a period of time, the tendency is to make you want it more. It makes the drug into an obsession and the whole thing just reinforces the importance and perceived desirability of the drug. I think that even users of a drug have beliefs about the drug and its effects that are myths promoted by the anti-drug side. Drugs are supposed to feel like more pleasure than 100 orgasms, right? I actually think that no drug directly causes pleasure. It's like alcohol. Alcohol by itself does not plaster a smile on your face. The enjoyment of drinking comes from combining it with an enjoyable activity. Likewise for drugs. Their effect on mood is neutral and the enjoyment comes from combining it with an enjoyable activity.
mtdewcmu 10y ago
It almost seems like the message of NA was maliciously designed to induce hopelessness and defeatism, the exact opposite of what would help a person who needs optimism and confidence to make a change that might seem scary.

by zkms 10y ago

This is entirely consistent with how weirdly cultish the "rehab/treatment" industry is in US: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13848273 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13848273

mtdewcmu 10y ago

I see the rehab industry as selling snake oil. I'm sure that it has been a good business to be in with the trend to send fewer addicts to jail and redirect them to rehab instead. Going to rehab is a good idea if you need to rehabilitate your image, e.g. to get a job. I have no experience of American rehab. The whole idea seems weird to me. I think one of the practical effects of it is that serves to teach drug users about the "addiction disease" and how to act their part in the drama. I suspect that it helps bring about the symptoms of the "disease", because without being educated about the symptoms, how would you know what you're supposed to do?

mtdewcmu 10y ago

One more thing. I think rehab causes people to die, because a heroin user is made to stop, then they are in rehab for a while, and then they get out and accidentally inject too much and overdose. When you are denied something you want for a period of time, the tendency is to make you want it more. It makes the drug into an obsession and the whole thing just reinforces the importance and perceived desirability of the drug. I think that even users of a drug have beliefs about the drug and its effects that are myths promoted by the anti-drug side. Drugs are supposed to feel like more pleasure than 100 orgasms, right? I actually think that no drug directly causes pleasure. It's like alcohol. Alcohol by itself does not plaster a smile on your face. The enjoyment of drinking comes from combining it with an enjoyable activity. Likewise for drugs. Their effect on mood is neutral and the enjoyment comes from combining it with an enjoyable activity.

mtdewcmu 10y ago

It almost seems like the message of NA was maliciously designed to induce hopelessness and defeatism, the exact opposite of what would help a person who needs optimism and confidence to make a change that might seem scary.