Hari's write-up on the Huffington Post could not have come at a more interesting time for me. I encounter addicts in every aspect of my life, some still in their addiction, some more or less recovered. Her perspective of how society treats addicts, in my opinion, is so spot on. Just speaking from my own personal experience in knowing people with different types of addictions, it can be hard for the person to even realize the root of why they're repeating the behavior. Yes, agreed, there are chemical aspects to an addiction, whether it be actual drugs or an associative release of brain chemicals, but there's always a reason why an addict started that behavior in the first place. I think it's so, so, so important to recognize that a large part of the rehabilitation process has to do with mental health and a sense of belonging. Many, if not all of the addicts I've known continue to partake in their vice of choice for reasons like anxiety, fear of running out, not wanting to exist in a sober world, social lubrication, etc. It becomes a coping mechanism. And without it, these addicts struggle and, without the proper support system, are very likely to fail and relapse.
The interesting part becomes when the addiction is to things like social media. It's a weird paradox, because you're searching for the validation of the likes, for an internet support system when sometimes these people don't have real-life support systems. It becomes just as obsessive as a drug addict wanting to make sure they have enough drugs for later, or an alcoholic being first in line at the liquor store when it opens. With both types of addictions, though, these addicts need and crave a support system, whether they're aware of it or not.
No comments:
Post a Comment