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  • TDS Moderators: AlphaMethylPhenyl | paranoid android

does addiction stem from dissatisfaction?

badfish45

badfish45

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It seems silly. I worked on TDS for a while and learned a lot from you all. Today I made a statement claiming drug users very often indulge because they feel they cannot be happy with what is around them so they seem comfort in what they know makes them happy. I put society at fault for setting human expectations of happiness to things that don't really make you happy, such as money and when people realize these visions of happiness and success aren't realistic they turn to things they "know" makes them happy like drugs. This made somebody claiming to be an addict VERY angry at me.

Its not important how this all resulted. I'm just curious if I am wrong to make a statement like that. Obviously addiction has many reasons but I feel that is a significant one.
 
For me that statement is certainly true and hits home for me. My drug abuse stems from boredom along with the difficulty to accept myself and just be happy with what already is.
 
Obviously I understand that this will be discussed, I'm thinking part of the reason he was mad was due to the fact that he perceived me making general statements about his life...which is understandable. However he approached me very aggressive for discussing addiction in a general statement without regarding him. As he asked me "are you even an addict bro?".... Anyway. Just wanted to clear up my understanding of this.
 
It is interesting. I've never been an addict but I feel this often reflected in my past daily marijuana use. I often use because of boredom. I'd use to escape reality because if there was an alternative reality why the fuck would I not visit my special place when my reality sucks (could be boredom, sadness). I don't consider myself an addict because I emotionally support myself in a multitude of ways but the term "addiction" is very loose and I feel like we all have it in us in one way or another. Drugs are just one of the worst kind out there.
 
badfish45 said:
It seems silly. I worked on TDS for a while and learned a lot from you all. Today I made a statement claiming drug users very often indulge because they feel they cannot be happy with what is around them so they seem comfort in what they know makes them happy. I put society at fault for setting human expectations of happiness to things that don't really make you happy, such as money and when people realize these visions of happiness and success aren't realistic they turn to things they "know" makes them happy like drugs. This made somebody claiming to be an addict VERY angry at me.

Its not important how this all resulted. I'm just curious if I am wrong to make a statement like that. Obviously addiction has many reasons but I feel that is a significant one.
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Some people are very much so in denial about how unhappy they are with their lives

For the average person, if you were happy with your life, you'll use drugs only to supplement good times, not to replace them

It doesn't mean you "have to be" dissatisfied with your life to have an addiction, but it's a lot less likely to happen.

Also, if you're happy with your life, you're probably satisfied with being addicted, and won't complain of the withdrawals or hangovers or side effects. You probably wouldn't consider it a problem.

If people get angry at you for something you say, it's obvious you struck a nerve. What you said wasn't factually incorrect, but it isn't a scientific fact (because there is no objective way to measure unhappiness, etc.), so it was silly of them to become angry at you. They should have just simply disagreed, or spoke that for themselves, that they are happy with life but still suffer from addiction (but again, why would you suffer from addiction, if you are satisfied with life?)
 
Perhaps the person that took offense wants to see things exclusively from a medical model that says he was predisposed physically to addiction. I've met people who will take it no further than that and I always think they are doing themselves a disservice though I understand wanting to see it so simplistically.

I think you should invite his participation in the discussion.;)

I think trying to pin down cause and effect in the area of addiction is very tricky. It is very similar IMO to trying to explain depression. In both cases there are possibly both physiological and psychological reasons, personality predispositions and life circumstance vulnerabilities. There could be any of those factors or all of those factors or some of those factors. So much useless argument goes on when what we need is more research that does not have a pharmaceutical behind it and more willingness to explore rather than blame.

Good to hear from you, Baddie!<3
 
I'd have to agree that many people will respond in anger when you have touched a nerve. Some people aren't ready to be 100% honest about their addictions, either - for many, "owning" that takes one helluva long time! I know it did for me! I very much saw every step I took walking down the road of taking my pain meds for after surgical pain reduction to pleasure and euphoria, to an escape mechanism, to a "fuck the world and the cards it dealt me" supplement <--- and yes, that's when I knew I was a full blown addict - it took under a year to get there I'd say. After that I'd chase the euphoria, but very seldom reach it. Mostly I took them at that point to feel normal. However, I knew full well I was becoming an addict - and I really didn't give a damn, because somehow in my head, that was better than the life I had before. In ways I think I almost romanticized drug addiction. My life was lonely, boring, In retrospect I had what I needed - but not what I wanted! I wasn't living like the people the "world" seemed to find 'amazing' but worst of all I couldn't see any of the positive things or qualities inside myself, and I didn't have anyone around to point them out! (and yes, a truly healthy person doesn't need anyone to point such things out - but that's just another red flag in my book as to the how and why some of us seek outer gratification such as drug use) I KNOW I turned to drugs as something different, something exciting, something that made me a bit more 'edgy' than the rest - and when I did, it felt damn good! REALLY damn amazing in the beginning!! Didn't solve the problems I had, or fill in the things I thought I was missing, but all of a sudden I could live with them, not dwell on them and let troubles just roll off my back. Yes indeed - in the beginning it truly made my life seem all good!
 
I can only speak for myself. I don't blame any one thing on my addiction. Lots of things have happened in my life and drugs jus happened to right there. I think the "gateway" drug for me was lsd. When I found out that drugs don't kill you, they enhance your life... it was over from there. That was in high school. I'm 32 now. Of course I think differently about drugs. I see where I went wrong. Any time I was trying a new drug, something really fucked up was happening in my life. It wasn't ever jus, oh i'm dissatisfied with life or i'm a little unhappy. I've been diagnosed bi-polar, no I don't take the meds you're supposed to. I tend to self-medicate and I've been doing so for a very long time. I think a lot of drug abuse leading to addiction comes from undiagnosed and diagnosed mental disorders. Self-medication.

Everybody experiments with drugs. Only an addict wants that feeling every single day of their life and makes it their purpose. I think another cause of my addiction is the guilt and shame i carry with me cuz of the things i've done as an addict. I try to forget the guilt by using.
 
Interesting points made by everyone. Makes me want to further explain my own patterns of drug use and why it seems so hard to control. I am OCD have been my whole life. I feel like that might have a lot to do with my want to constantly take drugs and drink alcohol. It is never enough like my brain latches on to something and won't let go of it always wanting more. Obsessive thoughts plague my mind about using. I am OCD about other things to I like everything to be a certain way and stay organized which really helps me be a better cook at work. But I can't function without benzos and the amount of MXE, cannabis, and alcohol I use on the side after work certainly does nothing to help. This may not make sense but I guess my point is once I get into a cycle or routine it is very hard to snap myself out of it. Psychologically just as much as physically with the benzos that at least I have a much needed prescription for. Been feeling pretty down and out lately, I know I need to slow down.
 
Whatever, everybody is addicted to something and everything is a drug so choose your poison. H, Blow, Yoga, Vegetables, Sex, LSD, Beanie Babies, Big Macs, blah, blah, blah. None of it is 'good' for you as a drug, (yes even vegetables) so erry boty need ta calm the fuck down and get through it without killing themselves or anyones else and doing as least amount of damage as possible.

Hopefully I will become addicted to say vegetables and yoga as opposed to narcotics and sex but I'm sure I won't live long enough to worry about it, maybe next time I will do better, when I come back as a seagull.
 
Cosmic Giraffe said:
Interesting points made by everyone. Makes me want to further explain my own patterns of drug use and why it seems so hard to control. I am OCD have been my whole life. I feel like that might have a lot to do with my want to constantly take drugs and drink alcohol. It is never enough like my brain latches on to something and won't let go of it always wanting more. Obsessive thoughts plague my mind about using. I am OCD about other things to I like everything to be a certain way and stay organized which really helps me be a better cook at work. But I can't function without benzos and the amount of MXE, cannabis, and alcohol I use on the side after work certainly does nothing to help. This may not make sense but I guess my point is once I get into a cycle or routine it is very hard to snap myself out of it. Psychologically just as much as physically with the benzos that at least I have a much needed prescription for. Been feeling pretty down and out lately, I know I need to slow down.
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My late son used to talk about how much OCD played a role in his addictive behaviors and I can really see how that would be.
 
badfish45 said:
I've never been an addict but I feel this often reflected in my past daily marijuana use.
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first off, im not trying to be that guy but i went ten years thinkin weed was not addicting... and im just getting over an addiction to H and while the WD experience by each are night and day, weed is addicting... just because not having some doesnt make you feel like your dieing like H does, doesnt mean its not addiciting... id place it in the same league as caffine... your not gona die, or feel like it, but there are some WD symptoms from not having it...


badfish45 said:
I put society at fault for setting human expectations of happiness to things that don't really make you happy, such as money and when people realize these visions of happiness and success aren't realistic they turn to things they "know" makes them happy like drugs.
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very well put...
 
I agree whole heartedly with this statement. My current usage revolves entirely around escaping this sense that I'm not all I could be. My poison is adderall and amphetamine but funny enough, I made a conscious decision to abuse one day several years ago with the hope that it would enable the path to achieving my musical aspirations. I thought "okay I know this kind of abuse will lead to someplace dark, but it'll be worth it". I hated so greatly the thought of living my life doing anything else, this was my pursuit of happiness. Can't deny, it me close, hell of a lot closer than I would have ever gotten otherwise. But I had gotten into too bad of a way to capitalize on the opportunity. It is the greatest shame of my life.

Then again, before I ever discovered uppers, I had been self medicating for years. It's hard to say whether anyone is ever "truly" happy with everything in life, no? Drugs can both mask unhappiness as well as reveal it...
 
Now that im truly addicted mostly for life and miserable i realize how happy i actually was at the age of 16 before it all began.

Im im sorry if that adds nothing to your question.
 
pill_billy said:
first off, im not trying to be that guy but i went ten years thinkin weed was not addicting... and im just getting over an addiction to H and while the WD experience by each are night and day, weed is addicting... just because not having some doesnt make you feel like your dieing like H does, doesnt mean its not addiciting... id place it in the same league as caffine... your not gona die, or feel like it, but there are some WD symptoms from not having it...




very well put...
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I consider it more of a habit for me. I can emotionally handle myself without turning to drugs. I can stay sober without it being a real struggle. I can turn down drugs when I don't feel like using. It has its own place in my life and I will admit I use it as somewhat of a crutch, but if that crutch were to be removed I am confident I would not collapse. As a Jew, we use drugs and alcohol to celebrate life. Not to escape it.
 
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