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This is the problem. This is the core problem. This is the reason, even with intervention, rehab, psychiatry, access to modern "tools", substance addiction is s

This is the problem. This is the core problem. This is the reason, even with intervention, rehab, psychiatry, access to modern "tools", substance addiction is so hard to fight. This is why the "War on Drugs" has been a failure. All these comments address symptoms. Can someone give their reason as to down voting this comment? There have been numerous articles posted here as of late relating to loneliness, suicide rates, etc. What do you need to see the bigger picture? I don't understand why this is so difficult. I feel like there must be some ideology in the way here or maybe politics or cognitive dissonance. I mean you could have just ignored the comment if you were in ambivalent disagreement. Having worked in social services for 14 years it has become clear to me that social support, ie healthy family structures, friends and coworkers, as well as having a meaningful reason to get out of bed in the morning are the most important factors when it comes to overcoming addiction. I'm not aware of much research regarding this aspect of treatment. All I can say to that is that I have a very paranoid and pessimistic view as to why.

ajmurmann 7y ago
There is research that confirms this. Johann Hari talks quite a bit about it in his interview with Sam Harris:https://samharris.org/podcasts/142-addiction-depression-meaningful-life/ https://samharris.org/podcasts/142-addiction-depression-mean... Most famous is probably the Rat Park study: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park Blaming the drugs is an easy out and probably is more pleasing to people coming from a puritan world view.
scarface74 7y ago
Can someone give their reason as to down voting this comment? I didn’t downvote the parent, but the idea that only unhappy people use drugs isn’t true. Maybe if you limit it to hard drugs or maybe if you limit to “abusing drugs”? I have no strong opinions. Alcohol and marijuana are both drugs, plenty of happy people drink and smoke weed. On the other hand, plenty of opioid addicts started taking the drug legally because of a real pain and then got addicted.
- ajmurmann 7y ago
  Those aren't the users who end up homeless though. I know plenty of people who use Marijuana and alcohol, but it doesn't become a problem. I even have someone in my family who got addicted to opioids because it was overprescriped for treating pain. However, even that didn't turn into a major problem.

ajmurmann 7y ago

There is research that confirms this. Johann Hari talks quite a bit about it in his interview with Sam Harris:https://samharris.org/podcasts/142-addiction-depression-meaningful-life/ https://samharris.org/podcasts/142-addiction-depression-mean... Most famous is probably the Rat Park study: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park Blaming the drugs is an easy out and probably is more pleasing to people coming from a puritan world view.

scarface74 7y ago

Can someone give their reason as to down voting this comment? I didn’t downvote the parent, but the idea that only unhappy people use drugs isn’t true. Maybe if you limit it to hard drugs or maybe if you limit to “abusing drugs”? I have no strong opinions. Alcohol and marijuana are both drugs, plenty of happy people drink and smoke weed. On the other hand, plenty of opioid addicts started taking the drug legally because of a real pain and then got addicted.

ajmurmann 7y ago
Those aren't the users who end up homeless though. I know plenty of people who use Marijuana and alcohol, but it doesn't become a problem. I even have someone in my family who got addicted to opioids because it was overprescriped for treating pain. However, even that didn't turn into a major problem.