What do you know about addiction?

[OrdinaryGentleman]

First myTake in over 6 mos, YAY!

What do you think when you see an addict..?

What many people face in this day in age and over the course of their life time is an addiction. It is without a doubt an unhealthy form of coping with the loss we all know of. In many cases an individual is forced to look further than the normal functioning sphere for an alternative to their madness, they have become so accustomed to. I can speak from my experience when my brother was getting into multiple ways to cope with his unhappiness it was without a doubt the moment I saw life leave his eyes, that was when he was in 9th grade.

This video is very well done. It is created by a group of people named Kurzgesagt on Youtube. They make quality videos such as this enhancing your overall knowledge of a subject in a fun and timely manner, please check them out.

People self-medicate for so many different reasons, the main type I have come into contact with is the loss of a relationship or loved one. I see this as the hardest simply due to the inability to move on. If you were a child, ever, you understand that sometimes things do not work out, you understand that life is sometimes very cruel. So you look for alternatives, some of which can even be relationships, with a girlfriend, your father, your sister, your cousin; if that relationship falls through what do you imagine will happen. People begin to notice patterns and not wanting to go through that exact pain again they move to something much more powerful.

We as a society have long since ostracized the addict as the very fringes of what it means to be human and yet....we put them there. Our very legal system is set up in a way as to not just push those at rock bottom even further but without the need for change how can they become better? Being locked in a cell with people who have committed worse crimes is simply not the solution. Nor is the tie them up, and watch them go cold turkey #1950's method.

What I believe needs to occur is that we as a society become more giving but also more intelligent with who we decide to allow be with us. Too many people think only for themselves and yet, not for others feelings nor beliefs. It is a contradicting method, however, loving ourselves will allow we as humans to show others the journey and way to the same conclusion.

I can't believe I just said that because ask me 5 years ago and I would have told you to "gut up" and to "ignore those feelings". But how exactly does that solve anything? This could be equated to many problems people face, showing a little care and compassion to those who are deep down and simply lowering a hand to help them up could present amazing results not just in the aspect of addiction but nearly every situation. Sometimes a hand to hold is all that is needed.

<Grassy Ass for reading>

~OG

[redeyemindtricks]

I have a VERY addictive personality. Luckily, I was raised by exactly the right kind of father, in exactly the right kind of tough-love household, with shit-tons of constructive things to do.
So... there but for the grace of God go I, as they say.

People like me have to approach EVERYTHING with a great deal of forbearance.
We have to see red flags like chessmasters -- 5 or 6 moves in advance, so to speak.
Other people might be able to RESIST temptation; we have to ANTICIPATE temptation, and simply remove ourselves from the scene altogether and/or craft some sort of bulletproof excuse ahead of time -- until we've acquired the absolute force of habit needed so that "temptation" just isn't, anymore.
Until then, if we absolutely CAN'T remove ourselves from the scene, we should enlist a trusted -- and TOUGH -- friend who will stay by our side and enforce abstinence on us.

We need to have the same self-awareness when it comes to "addiction triggers" that are not necessarily drugs. Including toxic relationships, especially.
People like me have a tendency to get into really bad relationships, if they are physically or sexually alluring enough to become addictions.

__

Even though I am an incredibly productive and successful adult, honestly, most of the things I do with my life could be looked at, from the outside, as "addictions".
I can't just "go to the gym" -- nope, I compete in figure competitions, complete with obsessively meticulous dieting/exercise/supplementation cycles.
I can't just "get some work done" -- nope, I'm either crazy-multitasking for 25 to 35 straight hours at a time (yes, you read that correctly) or I'm doing absolutely nothing productive at all and just chillin' with mah fam.

I've never been drunk or even tipsy in my life, because I know I'd just completely fly off the handle, in every conceivable sense of "the handle".

And let's not even go into the hold that sexuality has had over my life... yeah, no, let's just not go there, other than to say it's a damn good thing I found the man of my filthy wet dreams and actually married him. Otherwise I'd still be chasing that shit, and almost certainly destroying my life trying to find it.

That's a lot of words, but, you get me.
Addictive personalities will NEVER EVER find "balance" in the way normal people define that word.
The solution is not to try that in the first place. Instead, we need to become addicted to things that actually WON'T destroy us.

[raio81597]

Great take! I love cookie monster. I have found in my studies of human behavior that addictions get started due to a trauma, the addictive substance whatever it is is designed to keep the prior trauma feelings alive. Such as doing crystal meth as an antidote to a heartbreak as the person was feeling a sense of dopamine in the relationship then had gotten broken up with and they wanted to feel that again. There are other things that make us feel other ways too that can become addictive.

[vishna]

You did such a good job with this.
I loved the video you included. It led to a binge on the youtube channel that created this video.
I think changing the way we look at addicts will only be done via a cultural shift. Many people have negative experiences with addicts, thus, less sympathy.
Not every person is the same though.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

You remember me sending it to you :P YAY! :D
Exactly but empathy is a very common human trait, so if one out of 10 doesn't respond well enough the other 9 are on a road to get bettererererer.
Check this one out, i found this video really good too :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZbcwi7SfZE

[vishna]

lol, I saw this one too. I really did go on a binge. I liked the one about what is death/life

[OrdinaryGentleman]

Hmm im familiar though have not watched it within 3 weeks so i can't remember details

[vishna]

ir's good. The space videos and life/death videos are my favorites. There is this point when I realize how small I am in the universe and how fragile we are. And how small the possibilities are that we could be here, yet here wen are

[OrdinaryGentleman]

Lol you are up so late, RIP vishis head :3
I've just started the game the witcher and now im off to fight the griffen tomorrow, breast of luck to meh :D

[OrdinaryGentleman]

I mean there are 200 billion stars just like our sun in our solar system alone. I really enjoy the red dwarf one, and all about that. The one i least like is "what is something" but even then its a good video, it delves into philosophy more, which i suppose is fine just a little different for my tastes thats all:)

[vishna]

How did you like fighting the griffin? I loved the backstory on the griffin. I felt like the what is something video has a LOT to listen to and learn of in a short few minutes. Yea, I like the red dwarf video too. It's hopeful in a sad way too.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

Lol oh that quest is so dang short :P

[vishna]

:> he ho hoo

[Mustachekitteh]

Amazing take and agree 100%. If I hadn't met my boyfriend when I did, I probably would be in worse shape than I am now mentally. He's the only person to ever truly help me try and have a better mentality.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

Thank you madam. Yes some people come into our life as lessons and in your case blessings :)

[POTAYTOPOTAHTO]

Hmm I don't honestly think about addiction much. I always think smoking is an unfortunate one to have. As for hard drugs and such, I feel like it would be healthier to find a productive hobby perhaps. Too bad many are past the point of having that option.

[kittykatbrat]

Me = A super addictive personality type.

My past addictions were all various forms of self destructive escapism that I really enjoyed and DO still think about often.

I won't go back because I can't go back and remain here breathing and alive.

[Spiorad_Aisce]

Seriously I have read probably in the thousands of takes and this is one of the best - That video is amazing.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

Thank you kind sir.

[SunsetRose]

Great take! And the Cookie Monster pics are too good.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

Happy you liked them, though i hope that isn't all you got out of this ;P

[SunsetRose]

The content was great- the pictures just added some nice humor to a very serious subject.

[John_Doesnt]

When I see an addict I see someone weak and irresponsible.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

That's really all you got out of this mytake huh. I see you as pathetic in this case simply for the fact you would rather judge than help.

[John_Doesnt]

I help by letting them help themselves. It doesn't make sense for me to hold the hand of a full grown adult.

[OrdinaryGentleman]

What a flagrant ideology. I sincerely hope that something bad happens to you so you can learn the common practice of empathy. That's when you will be a real man.

[ConsultantIsBack]

Great take!