"Addiction is about social exclusion not moral failing"

Hi there, do you have a copy of the article so that it can read it and share thoughts?

It's an interesting idea @Appleblossom. I think that addiction is often maintained out of social exclusion but I'm not sure how much of a factor it is in its origin. I've met a lot of peope with long-term addictions through work and few have many genuine connections left. They often feel forced to lie to those still around which inevitably damages the relationships over time. And then when they are finally all alone there is little reason to fight the addiction. Many feel that if no-one else cares if they use, or are harmed by that use, what does it matter?

What are your thoughts?

Addiction is a huge topic and can be approached from different viewpoints.

We would not want to connect with something "unhealthy" if our worlds and relationships were meeting our needs.

Moral failing implies judgment or rejection but maybe those judging are part of the problem. It might be needed to "get dirty" and "be with" the person rather than hold ourselves aloof.

That addictions can be far more than substances, is becoming recognised.

Power differentials in relationships often push less dominant to seek out sense of fulfillment in ways that back fire.

Things, activities etc may fill a need and give a feeling of connectedness can lulls the person into a false sense of security until it emerges that the "object/person/behaviour" etc is unhealthy or has unwanted consequences or side effects.

So I go back to the hierarchy of needs and work from there.

Its all about the individual and context.The origin .. is that all humans have needs and desires.

A drink, usually a glass of red, for me is a way of me being social and keeping things light and breezy ansd hospitable. For another it is a major temptation and may cause regression and anti-social situations.

Workaholics can also be damaging to relationships and push people to materialism and harsh uncompassionate joyless unsatisfying lifestyles. Eg absent father allowing kids to get into drugs etc .etc..

Just a few thoughts... nothing conclusive

Individual circumstances are huge and I am interested in others experiences and thoughts.

I also travelled when young and a wide range of drugs just kept falling into my lap. I think it was prevalence rather than special mystical coincidences.

In the end I made a decision to go home, study, and straighten up but met a guy in Bali on route who needed help going cold turkey .. so I was cool with that too, but the little kids thought we were having sex .. he was too young for me and I just wanted to help him.. It opened my eyes to the problems the Balinese young locals had to deal with cashed up white tourists flocking to their shores.

Generalisations are only ways into discussing the problems.

I still think the problem is much bigger than just substance abuse .. It is odd to me that there are people who feed their kids soft drinks think they were generous and yet self righteous about other drugs. The article mentioned computer porn which is no big deal for me, thats why @Former-Member comment about origins is interesting.

Sexuality and feelings and needs all come into it and self control and motivation.