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I hate this response. It's such a classic copout and one that attempts to completely nullify any argument for personal responsibility. We just don't "understa

I hate this response. It's such a classic copout and one that attempts to completely nullify any argument for personal responsibility. We just don't "understand" how drug addiction works. Right. How have some people come to believe that simply being prescribed these medications and taking them as prescribed STRIPS the patient of mental faculty to notice a problem, and renders them utterly dependent and hopeless? That's just not the case, at all. There's plenty of information available to patients about the risk of dependency and many choose to avoid it because, well, it feels good. I know some addicts. Those that are clean today are clean because (in addition to many other proactive steps) they recognized that it WAS within their power to stop. They admit and recognized that they ABUSED the medication willingly, and despite sobriety being very difficult, is still a choice they can make.

luckydata 9y ago
Sounds like textbook "not understanding how addiction works" to me.
drb91 9y ago
Well, nobody is arguing addiction completely strips mental agency. However, it’s also absurd assigning all the factors at play here to “self control”. That’s something you tell yourself when you don’t want to think about the problem and what would help people; that something you tell yourself to dismiss peoples suffering. If you actually have a thought that might help, it will almost certainly have to have some sort of nuanced understanding of how humans interact with drugs. You clearly lack this.
maym86 9y ago
It's not just a response or opinion. It's how addiction works. Read about it. How do you feel about climate change?
- subjectsigma 9y ago
  Please don't post such obvious bait on HN.
  - maym86 9y ago
    It was facetious to make a point. If the you are happy to ignore evidence/science because you "hate that response" your argument isn't wort much.
J5892 9y ago
It's not like you can just flip a switch once you realize you have a problem. It's great that your friends were able to break free from their addiction, but there are an infinite amount of factors that can (and do) prevent others from doing so. In many cases, one second of weakness is enough to fall back into addiction after years of sobriety. Logically, sure, you recognize a problem, and you work hard to get rid of it. And many people are able to do that. But this wouldn't be a worldwide epidemic if a hard choice were the only thing standing in the way.
beat 9y ago
Which is exactly what she did. She recognized there is a problem, got help, kicked the habit, and is now committing herself to changing the process that leads to people like her becoming addicted. You aren't thinking this through at all, even by your own standards.

luckydata 9y ago

Sounds like textbook "not understanding how addiction works" to me.

drb91 9y ago

Well, nobody is arguing addiction completely strips mental agency. However, it’s also absurd assigning all the factors at play here to “self control”. That’s something you tell yourself when you don’t want to think about the problem and what would help people; that something you tell yourself to dismiss peoples suffering. If you actually have a thought that might help, it will almost certainly have to have some sort of nuanced understanding of how humans interact with drugs. You clearly lack this.

maym86 9y ago

It's not just a response or opinion. It's how addiction works. Read about it. How do you feel about climate change?

subjectsigma 9y ago
Please don't post such obvious bait on HN.
- maym86 9y ago
  It was facetious to make a point. If the you are happy to ignore evidence/science because you "hate that response" your argument isn't wort much.

J5892 9y ago

It's not like you can just flip a switch once you realize you have a problem. It's great that your friends were able to break free from their addiction, but there are an infinite amount of factors that can (and do) prevent others from doing so. In many cases, one second of weakness is enough to fall back into addiction after years of sobriety. Logically, sure, you recognize a problem, and you work hard to get rid of it. And many people are able to do that. But this wouldn't be a worldwide epidemic if a hard choice were the only thing standing in the way.

beat 9y ago

Which is exactly what she did. She recognized there is a problem, got help, kicked the habit, and is now committing herself to changing the process that leads to people like her becoming addicted. You aren't thinking this through at all, even by your own standards.