LogFAQs > #905342539

R_Jackal posted...

Outside of being forced in to being an addict, which I understand is a thing, for a large portion they choose to stay that course. It's not like the information isn't there, they likely know what they're doing ahead of time.

I understand it all pretty damn well though, most of my extended family were/are addicts. Empathy didn't get too far with most of them. Reality and honesty has a better track record for me.

what do you mean by "stay the course?" do you mean they keep falling into their addictions? most people don't realize they're addicted until it's too late. hell, how many times have you thought "i'll make sure to get off CE by 10pm" only to find it's 2:57am and you're debating the finer points of addiction? we all let ourselves fall in to something thinking we won't, it's just that the most vulnerable fall into the worst things.

in addition, it's a very privileged thing to say that "the information is there." most people who become addicted are either never exposed to that information, or have that information countered with false information at the wrong time. how many times has someone told you not to mix liquors because it'll fuck you up? it's bullshit, but that time you were at your first party and fucking Fratboy Garrett said that, you made sure to stick to just tequila for the night, and you still got fucked up anyway.

OR how many times have you tried something where someone said "you'll get hurt" and you thought "nah, not me." that's literally a neurological fact about being young -- you think you're always going to be the exemption, even when all of the evidence says otherwise. we are physically unable to properly register consequence until our brains are fully formed, and addiction nearly always takes place prior to that.

it's all so much more nuanced than "they made a bad choice," and to say otherwise is reductive and damaging and literally killing people.
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idk