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> Would you like to be addiction-free? If so, then a good place to start is to paint a picture of what your life could be like with no addictions. That life wo

> Would you like to be addiction-free? If so, then a good place to start is to paint a picture of what your life could be like with no addictions. That life would be very empty and boring. > What if you never had another orgasm for the rest of your life? I might as well be dead :) > Of course we could live happy and fulfilling lives without these short-term pleasures. When we think otherwise, we’re confusing pleasure with happiness. It’s the nature of addiction to treat pleasure and happiness as one. I'm addicted to a few things, but I don't consider them a source of happiness. You also can't really have happiness without short term pleasures, whatever they might be. > You can’t have a relationship with the addiction. There is no moderation for an addict. The standard you aim to reach is being permanently alcohol-free. Oh yes you can. The important question is that whether this relationship is disruptive, neutral or positive (like being addicted to training). Drinking isn't inherently bad, but the author thinks so. My impression is that there are equal number of studies on pro/contra moderate alcohol consumption.

zambal 6y ago
> The important question is that whether this relationship is disruptive, neutral or positive (like being addicted to training). Drinking isn't inherently bad, but the author thinks so. My impression is that there are equal number of studies on pro/contra moderate alcohol consumption. Not sure if it's part of the 'official' definition of addiction and forgot what the source of it was, but I always liked the explanation that if there's no negative (emotional) feedback loop, it's not really an addiction, but just a habit.
marcofiset 6y ago
> That life would be very empty and boring. Being addiction-free doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the occasional cup of coffee or alcoholic drink. As long as you're not addicted, some amount of short-term pleasure is perfectly fine.
- tiborsaas 6y ago
  That's how I see it, but the article suggests to go all the way, eg. full abstinence on alcohol. As zambal said in the sibling comment, the definition of addiction matters a lot here.
DanBC 6y ago
Using alcohol as an example, any modern definition will differentiate between harmful drinking, high risk drinking, and alcohol dependence. Definitions of dependence will include statements like: > Someone who is alcohol-dependent may persist in drinking, despite harmful consequences. They will also give alcohol a higher priority than other activities and obligations. It's this element of continuing to do something even though it's causing harm that is one of the markers of addiction.
amelius 6y ago
> That life would be very empty and boring. Wrong! Once you are addiction-free, you are much more sensitive to stimuli, making life much more interesting. But the problem with addictions is that the addict can't possibly imagine that this is true. If you are addicted, find a forum on the internet and read stories of people who have recovered. They will tell you without exception that their lives are much more interesting now.
- anewdirection 6y ago
  Isn't that lifestyle its own addiction? Maybe we shoud distinguish and not conflate some things. 1. Addiction (self-reinforing habit with negative outcomes) 2. Addictive activity (self-reinforcing habit) 3. Engauging in an activity known to become addictive selectively. (Aka; adults drinking) We use all 3 interchangably, when the dangers, and outcomes, are very different.
  - amelius 6y ago
    Yes, good point, I was assuming definition (1).
- engineeringwoke 6y ago
  Are you married to a psychic as well? I would love some guidance from the Great One.
kgwxd 6y ago
> Drinking isn't inherently bad, but the author thinks so. I think the author just, somewhat, arbitrarily chose alcohol as the example for the all-or-nothing mindset for overcoming an addiction, and in that mindset "drinking is bad" is the thought in the addicts head using that approach, not the authors decree. Alcohol could be substituted for "internet" in the regulation example, in which you'd get moderate alcohol consumption. Though the tools available to pull that off with alcohol addiction might not be enough for some.

zambal 6y ago

> The important question is that whether this relationship is disruptive, neutral or positive (like being addicted to training). Drinking isn't inherently bad, but the author thinks so. My impression is that there are equal number of studies on pro/contra moderate alcohol consumption. Not sure if it's part of the 'official' definition of addiction and forgot what the source of it was, but I always liked the explanation that if there's no negative (emotional) feedback loop, it's not really an addiction, but just a habit.

marcofiset 6y ago

> That life would be very empty and boring. Being addiction-free doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the occasional cup of coffee or alcoholic drink. As long as you're not addicted, some amount of short-term pleasure is perfectly fine.

tiborsaas 6y ago
That's how I see it, but the article suggests to go all the way, eg. full abstinence on alcohol. As zambal said in the sibling comment, the definition of addiction matters a lot here.

DanBC 6y ago

Using alcohol as an example, any modern definition will differentiate between harmful drinking, high risk drinking, and alcohol dependence. Definitions of dependence will include statements like: > Someone who is alcohol-dependent may persist in drinking, despite harmful consequences. They will also give alcohol a higher priority than other activities and obligations. It's this element of continuing to do something even though it's causing harm that is one of the markers of addiction.

amelius 6y ago

> That life would be very empty and boring. Wrong! Once you are addiction-free, you are much more sensitive to stimuli, making life much more interesting. But the problem with addictions is that the addict can't possibly imagine that this is true. If you are addicted, find a forum on the internet and read stories of people who have recovered. They will tell you without exception that their lives are much more interesting now.

anewdirection 6y ago
Isn't that lifestyle its own addiction? Maybe we shoud distinguish and not conflate some things. 1. Addiction (self-reinforing habit with negative outcomes) 2. Addictive activity (self-reinforcing habit) 3. Engauging in an activity known to become addictive selectively. (Aka; adults drinking) We use all 3 interchangably, when the dangers, and outcomes, are very different.
- amelius 6y ago
  Yes, good point, I was assuming definition (1).
engineeringwoke 6y ago
Are you married to a psychic as well? I would love some guidance from the Great One.

kgwxd 6y ago

> Drinking isn't inherently bad, but the author thinks so. I think the author just, somewhat, arbitrarily chose alcohol as the example for the all-or-nothing mindset for overcoming an addiction, and in that mindset "drinking is bad" is the thought in the addicts head using that approach, not the authors decree. Alcohol could be substituted for "internet" in the regulation example, in which you'd get moderate alcohol consumption. Though the tools available to pull that off with alcohol addiction might not be enough for some.