Wednesday, June 14, 2017



Clear Thinking About Addictions

      The drive for life achievement can be subverted by addictions. Addictions can be viewed as actions (state) and behaviors (trait) that you do or allow to happen that make you in the short term feel good and give you an illusion of life achievements  without achievement of real objectives. In addition, addictions have one or more of the following three characteristics (as for example in the case of drug abuse and dependence):  1. they have detrimental health consequences, 2. they lead to missed opportunities in life, by taking up attention, energy, time and money that could be used instead for productive pursuits, and 3. they create social and legal problems. As such, addictions impinge upon and thwart real life achievements. While in thrall of the addictive product, the addicts are happy about their life, despite where they are in their life, and hopeful for the future as they know they can become happy again with the next addictive product dose. However, when not under the influence of the addictive product, the addicts realize what a mess their life might in fact be, and how hopeless their future might become, day by day. In vulnerable people, such a state can lead to depression and suicidal thoughts. That is why addicts become physiologically and psychologically dependent, and seek their next addictive product dose- to avoid this withdrawal discomfort/pain/aversion, and to get pleasure again. 

      It is to be noted however, that the majority of dependencies are positive, enhance your life, and are not addictions. You are dependent on things necessary to live, such as oxygen, water, food, clothing and shelter, and so no. It is only the dependencies on addictive products, which diminish your life, that are pernicious.
       1 in 3 people with an addiction may relapse after a period of sobriety. That can be prevented by bio-psycho-social treatments, in essence making people's live's better.