What if everything we know about drugs and addiction is wrong? What if drugs are not what we think they are, and drug addiction is not what we have been told it is? What if the drug war is not what our politicians have sold it as for one hundred years and counting?
What causes addiction? Easy, right? Drugs cause addiction. But maybe it is not that simple. Addiction is caused by isolation. The opposite of addiction is not sobriety, it is connection. The drug war claims that it is important to physically eradicate a whole array of chemicals because they hijack people’s brains and cause addiction. But if drugs aren’t the driver of addiction, then the claim makes no sense. The war on drugs, in fact, increases all those larger drivers of addiction.
Johann Hari, in his book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs, provides an engrossing narrative and hard-won insight from around the world as humankind continues to grapple with the life-and-death challenges of drug use and addiction.
The video above, adapted from Johann Hari’s New York Times best-selling book, explains all the complex ways addiction works and tries to answer some of the pertinent questions that most of us probably don’t know or don’t want to know – Why did the drug war start, and why does it continue? Why can some people use drugs without any problems, while others can’t? What really causes addiction? What happens if you choose a radically different policy?
This Article (The Real Driver Of Addiction Is…Not What You Think) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and AnonHQ.com.
Addiction is caused by hopelessness.
Perhaps this is why marijuana is not addictive; it’s a social drug. But then how does alcohol become addictive… it too is social, at least at first. It is very interesting & hopeful though to see thinking outside the box. Perhaps a look at the book is in order.
Because even if the drugs start out as social tools to the right mind set they can indeed become something you no longer just do at a party or in a social setting, but something that fills the social void.
It also stands to reason that it might also reminds the brain of the social feelings as well.
I speak from exp and also in my exp almost all of my social interactions revolved around light drugs and booze so in my mind, they go together like bread and butter.
This is spot on. Exactly the way things were in the 60s & 70s. It was seriously a lot of fun though. I broke of all drugs and friends when I was 22. But drank a bit more. Stopped that at 25. Never went back to any of it. Time to make a living being straight at the time.
Sure an the opium dens in china also were veru social clubs. Guess that should make opium not addictive. I agree with hayden this is very much removed from reality and probably only part of the research as a whole or reall has poor methoodology in the study.
U gotta open your mind, who is generally doing these studies, the government pays these scientists, and scientist are people, so the government says, ” if u say this, that, or anything” this budget money will be yours, or if u cant, then we will give it to the company u have a rivalry for. How come yall don’t open your eyes people, we are all Muppets on the end of the government string
very well said.
to make this statement shows you know very little about opiates, or the feeling of loneliness… you could be in a room with 100, and be lonely- and then, with the opiate hitting you, not care anymore.
Studies have shown about ten percent of people who use marijuana in any amount end up with an addiction. My own experience is an addiction to marijuana with mental and physical symptoms of withdrawl.
studies have also shown people who never tried marijuana have addiction problems… if you’re an addict, you were born that way. this has been a recognized fact for quite some time.
also- studies have shown there is no physical withdraw symptom directly cause by marijuana- if you felt pain after stopping, the more likely cause is pain that you have regardless..
Your own experience is just that. Your own. But it’s experiences like yours that fuel authoritarian mentalities with these drug wars, high prison rates and human destruction.
I know individuals who can’t stop smoking weed. When they get up, before work, during lunch, after work and til bedtime. Are they over social?
Those you speak of are growers Buster.
Thats not addiction or social its indulgence. Just the same as food, Alcohol, etc. Cant get enough is a symptom of greed.
drunkenness is embarrassing and then the people drink alone
Funny, MJ is addicting and can become an addiction along with any other mind altering substance.
proven fact that it is not physically addictive- and psychological addiction is tied to the addict, not the object of addiction. an addict can be addicted to the smell of pine-sol.
I’m a recovering addict and I’ve never ever once not at the very least thought your stories were “ok” all of them I love but this is so far from reality if I thought anonymous as a whole stood behind it I’d stop trusting them. I became isolated because the drug of my choice became more desirable than any friend, girl, place…. ect. admin should remove this quickly before others like me see it more so people who need your priceless journalism….it’s the equivalent of a cat story on prime time
Here here
Agreed. I to am in recovery. This artical had me a bit distraught. It is people who do not know or understand what addiction is.
Seriously? Remove it cause you are still recovering? Let go of the crutch and be recovered. So many studies point to environment and cycles. Break free of your toxic environment and break the cycles that feed your craving. If you have recognized you cannot handle life without using, maybe you are leading the wrong life.
Sorry it doesn’t make sense to some,but this not be being spewed from a place of ignorance. Read about the guys background and then think about it. Also,many addicts responding to this are experiencing cognitive dissonance. Our understanding of addiction and addictive behaviors is changing and na or aa are not the only solutions out there. Harm reduction is valid for some as is named or aa for others…
I read an article recently about addiction. It basically stated that the “loss of self” leads to addiction(s).
In my own case, I feel that a lot of addictions are a symptom of trauma, whether it be from childhood, adolescence and recently as a way of coping or escaping from the emotional/mental pain, addictions are basically a “coping mechanism.”
Paulette Ward:
Because the people often have a feeling like a need for alcohol to have social relations. So it´s still true in my point of view.
Iboga cures addiction.
I think it’s more complicated than that. My addictions are probably rooted in depression. Drugs (weed, booze, MDMA/other “soft chems”) don’t make me feel good, they just make feel less shitty for a while, no matter if I’m alone or not.
But when I can’t get drugs and feel damn shitty I turn to alternatives like picking fights with random people who seem like assholes to me and/or fucking cheap hoes to distract myself, so it’s not completely wrong I guess.
You probably have an under lying condition like adhd… Some people just need active stimulation at all times. I have adhd and I’m the same way when not addressing my condition.
I am sure there would be less addiction if “rat park” or and ideal place was where we lived. But soldiers coming back from Vietnam didn’t just get happy and bond with their family. Most of them were a mess. I know I knew lots of people at that time coming back. I lived with a vietnam vet for 13 years. Also there is not necessarily some traumatic reason people did or do drugs, drugs can be fun.
This sound’s like pure shit..
I’m an addict and will alway’s be one
They clearly tries to feed you more crap then anyone of us can imagine..
Those who wrote this are some kind of brain washed buttfuck’s…
I have ADHD/DAMP whit Sociopatic/Psychopathic some b.s like that
So when i was about 5 i got Ritalin..
Then it stoped working when i was about 15
So i started to smoke weed agter a while
That did’nt help eather so i got some pills called Conserta had those for about 2 years they stoped working … So addicted to Amefetamin’s i started to buy it on the streets and the funny thing is when they aressted me they simply cut’s me lose whit a little slapp on my hand and a warning..
But now i got aressted so they took me in to leave a urin sample..
Then i was in jail for 3 whole days with nothig in my system it feelt like i was dying so the police contacted a doctor now
I need’s to buy it from my Governement 1900r for 30 pills a jar!!
But i could buy it in the streets for about. 200Kr per grams!!
Ifi by it on the streets X____XGG
Jail time 1-4 years WTF!! We shoud have the choice to meddicate us selves as we see fit
But no no no the gov always wants a pice of the cake…
Concerta and Ritalin are both trade names for Methylphenidate.
I think we hate them because they wont stop robbing us, not because they dont recover, i personally dont give a rat ass if a junkie recorvers, wins the loterie or if he dies, its all the same to me, and if its not a junkie i still dont give a fuck about people I dont know, but i do hate muggers, to the point I would simply kill them if that doesnt send me to prison.
Wow, you are pretty closed minded eh. I for a fact dont know a single addict who steals to buy their stuff. Most drug addicts are 100 times more honest and polite than every fucking bank clerk there is.
After I saw this video.. i just relize.. those people need more connection with other people but not with God.
Studies have shown that in fact people do drugs 1 person or 100 people at a time. The effect is called a party. Or how ever you want to explain feeling is why people do it. After effect would should be studied more, why the with draw? Wanting more to want a feeling is cause and effect. Fix the with draw or side effects or study that would be more I trestung
Woooh dis is amazing thank you for sharing this video 🙂