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There is a great TV series called Traffik (later adapted into a film) which makes the case that drug addiction primarily stemmed from social and not chemical ca

There is a great TV series called Traffik (later adapted into a film) which makes the case that drug addiction primarily stemmed from social and not chemical causes... I wonder if that view is infact true. If it is, then I would think that meth users would just switch to another drug if meth were made ineffective. Does anyone knowledgeable know where the evidence seems to point in terms of the root addiction being chemical vs. social (vs ...) based?

water8 4y ago
I’ve always found that the opposite of addiction is connection. People turn to drugs to fill a void.
eurasiantiger 4y ago
It is a more nuanced issue. Some people get addicted and dependent because they have learned to escape their general life situation by consuming drugs which help them cope with negative emotions. You will find a lot of these people in lower and middle class jobs. Some people get addicted because they have too much free time, too much cash at hand and are generally a person who constantly requires a lot of stimulation and activity. You will find a lot of these people in executive positions. MANY people get dependent because they were in an accident, got prescribed oxycodone or hydrocodone, religiously took their medicine according to the prescribed schedule of two pills every four hours for two weeks, and were then denied a refill and possibly labeled a drug-seeker, leaving them very vulnerable to drug pushers. You will find a lot of these people dead on the street.
- daniel-cussen 4y ago
  Those doctors violated the 13th amendment. In general the reason doctors determine dosing maxima to be pitifully amount of drugs is because then...the beautiful thing happens...you're addicted to doctors.
pydry 4y ago
Probably. Most people who take drugs are just looking for a painkiller - whether that's "social pain", physical pain or both.
thenerdhead 4y ago
Wasn't this a famous study on rats called Rat Park? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park
steve76 4y ago
m0llusk 4y ago
The book High Price came to similar conclusions.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
NeuNeurosis 4y ago
Here is a good article about chemical vs. social causes of addiction. https://aeon.co/essays/theres-no-neural-fix-for-reversing-the-addiction-pandemic https://aeon.co/essays/theres-no-neural-fix-for-reversing-th...

water8 4y ago

I’ve always found that the opposite of addiction is connection. People turn to drugs to fill a void.

eurasiantiger 4y ago

It is a more nuanced issue. Some people get addicted and dependent because they have learned to escape their general life situation by consuming drugs which help them cope with negative emotions. You will find a lot of these people in lower and middle class jobs. Some people get addicted because they have too much free time, too much cash at hand and are generally a person who constantly requires a lot of stimulation and activity. You will find a lot of these people in executive positions. MANY people get dependent because they were in an accident, got prescribed oxycodone or hydrocodone, religiously took their medicine according to the prescribed schedule of two pills every four hours for two weeks, and were then denied a refill and possibly labeled a drug-seeker, leaving them very vulnerable to drug pushers. You will find a lot of these people dead on the street.

daniel-cussen 4y ago
Those doctors violated the 13th amendment. In general the reason doctors determine dosing maxima to be pitifully amount of drugs is because then...the beautiful thing happens...you're addicted to doctors.

pydry 4y ago

Probably. Most people who take drugs are just looking for a painkiller - whether that's "social pain", physical pain or both.

thenerdhead 4y ago

Wasn't this a famous study on rats called Rat Park? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park

steve76 4y ago

m0llusk 4y ago

The book High Price came to similar conclusions.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

NeuNeurosis 4y ago

Here is a good article about chemical vs. social causes of addiction. https://aeon.co/essays/theres-no-neural-fix-for-reversing-the-addiction-pandemic https://aeon.co/essays/theres-no-neural-fix-for-reversing-th...