Current Events > The stigma against drug addiction needs to go away

(+) Yeah! (+)

I've never been hooked on anything besides Alcohol (Been sober 2.5 years now), but the way addicts are treated is kind of sickening. Of course, if they're being scumbags to support their habit, robbing people and other shady shit, then yeah, demonize the actions of that person. But don't look at a guy who needs a little boost as subhuman trash.

That solves nothing and it only further makes already vulnerable people feel more like garbage than they already do.
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they need education and possible jail time. all addicts do (not the stuff that's currently legal).

addicts don't realize the damage they're causing to family's and community.
that's why i have an anti-drug crusade ever since day 1.
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_Goggalor_ posted...

the way addicts are treated is kind of sickening.

honestly, society doesn't go far enough to dehumanize them. "i did cocaine once" should be on par with "i molested a child once" and the societal stigma should be similar and ongoing for the rest of their lives

treat them as they are, like you aptly put it, subhuman trash

Addicts tend to hurt the ones they love more than they even realize.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1162825
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HolierThanMao posted...

_Goggalor_ posted...

the way addicts are treated is kind of sickening.

honestly, society doesn't go far enough to dehumanize them. "i did cocaine once" should be on par with "i molested a child once" and the societal stigma should be similar and ongoing for the rest of their lives

treat them as they are, like you aptly put it, subhuman trash

Lmao what. Did you just compare snorting cocaine to molesting a child
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Monolith1676 posted...

Addicts tend to hurt the ones they love more than they even realize.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1162825

he understands.
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kingdrake2 posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

Addicts tend to hurt the ones they love more than they even realize.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1162825

he understands.

I just needed an excuse to post such a wild news story.
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Monolith1676 posted...

Addicts tend to hurt the ones they love more than they even realize.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1162825

Wow
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HolierThanMao posted...

_Goggalor_ posted...

the way addicts are treated is kind of sickening.

honestly, society doesn't go far enough to dehumanize them. "i did cocaine once" should be on par with "i molested a child once" and the societal stigma should be similar and ongoing for the rest of their lives

treat them as they are, like you aptly put it, subhuman trash

Fuck the fuck off. People like you should be dropped onto an island somewhere.
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most people that get addicted to substances do so because they are hurting emotionally or have issues that they need help for
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Society's reaction to drug addicts is, quite possibly, literally the worst conceivable way they could react, view and treat them.

Society's dumb.
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MedzXVIII posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

Addicts tend to hurt the ones they love more than they even realize.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1162825

Wow

Literally killed his brother to try to save himself.
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Tmk posted...

Society's reaction to drug addicts is, quite possibly, literally the worst conceivable way they could react, view and treat them.

Society's dumb.

My family has battled with addiction so much. My mom died from it. My dad was an addict, spent 8 years in prison and turned it all around cold turkey and now he owns his own house and has a very well paying job. It is all about will power winning out. We can help addicts as much as we want and it all comes down to them wanting to make the change.
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HolierThanMao posted...

_Goggalor_ posted...

the way addicts are treated is kind of sickening.

honestly, society doesn't go far enough to dehumanize them. "i did cocaine once" should be on par with "i molested a child once" and the societal stigma should be similar and ongoing for the rest of their lives

treat them as they are, like you aptly put it, subhuman trash

Come on bro, it's too early in the morning for these kind of shitposts
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"I don't do drugs." *takes a shot* - a friend of mine
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catboy0_0 posted...

most people that get addicted to substances do so because they are hurting emotionally or have issues that they need help for

Well yeah, but what if they've tried therapy, legit meds, etc. and are still unhappy? I'm not advocating for people to go off and snort cocaine because they went to a few therapy sessions and took an antidepressant for a month and it didn't help.

I mean people that have been morosely depressed and miserable their entire lives and have tried dozens of therapy options and dozens more pharmaceuticals. Should that person be withheld from possibly the only happines they know because you don't agree with how they've obtained said happiness? Yeah, it may not be "true" or "real" happiness, but it's either that or feel like an empty hollow shell for some people.
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Monolith1676 posted...

My family has battled with addiction so much. My mom died from it. My dad was an addict, spent 8 years in prison and turned it all around cold turkey and now he owns his own house and has a very well paying job. It is all about will power winning out. We can help addicts as much as we want and it all comes down to them wanting to make the change.

Ah yes, the anecdote that seeds the superiority complex.

For every one person who survives, who succeeds, 99 fail, miserable, and die.

It's a fairytale to comfort people into believing they have ultimate power over their life to believe "well all those people who failed just didn't try hard enough!"

You may as well be saying they should ask Santa Claus for help.
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There are ketamine clinics. But somebody once told me robotripping has a similar antidepressant effect
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catboy0_0 posted...

There are ketamine clinics. But somebody once told me robotripping has a similar antidepressant effect

Oh yeah, forgot. They've been trying it as a means to heal for a bit now. If it was offered by my doctor I might be tempted to try it.
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kingdrake2 posted...

they need education and possible jail time. all addicts do (not the stuff that's currently legal).

addicts don't realize the damage they're causing to family's and community.
that's why i have an anti-drug crusade ever since day 1.

Jail time isn't going to fix that, just make the problem worse.

Education isn't the issue either, as it's not exactly lacking. People just choose to do it regardless for a variety of reasons. What is needed is better access to information to getting off drugs, support to that end and likely providing a safe place for addicts to do it until they can be weaned off the stuff.
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Tmk posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

My family has battled with addiction so much. My mom died from it. My dad was an addict, spent 8 years in prison and turned it all around cold turkey and now he owns his own house and has a very well paying job. It is all about will power winning out. We can help addicts as much as we want and it all comes down to them wanting to make the change.

Ah yes, the anecdote that seeds the superiority complex.

For every one person who survives, who succeeds, 99 fail, miserable, and die.

It's a fairytale to comfort people into believing they have ultimate power over their life to believe "well all those people who failed just didn't try hard enough!"

You may as well be saying they should ask Santa Claus for help.

I am not saying they haven't tried hard enough. I am just saying the onus is on the addicted person to want to change. We can throw all the money and treatment at someone to get better but if someone truly does not want to change their lifestyle then there is nothing to be done.

It is like people that are victims of a crime. Someone can be robbed or assaulted or whatever. If the cops show up and the victim says they don't want anything to be done the police can't force that person to be a victim. In all legal definition they were a victim, but that person can't be made to go to court and go through all of that.
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Monolith1676 posted...

Tmk posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

My family has battled with addiction so much. My mom died from it. My dad was an addict, spent 8 years in prison and turned it all around cold turkey and now he owns his own house and has a very well paying job. It is all about will power winning out. We can help addicts as much as we want and it all comes down to them wanting to make the change.

Ah yes, the anecdote that seeds the superiority complex.

For every one person who survives, who succeeds, 99 fail, miserable, and die.

It's a fairytale to comfort people into believing they have ultimate power over their life to believe "well all those people who failed just didn't try hard enough!"

You may as well be saying they should ask Santa Claus for help.

I am not saying they haven't tried hard enough. I am just saying the onus is on the addicted person to want to change. We can throw all the money and treatment at someone to get better but if someone truly does not want to change their lifestyle then there is nothing to be done.

It is like people that are victims of a crime. Someone can be robbed or assaulted or whatever. If the cops show up and the victim says they don't want anything to be done the police can't force that person to be a victim. In all legal definition they were a victim, but that person can't be made to go to court and go through all of that.

Yes, I too can control my brain chemistry through sheer willpower.
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Drug addiction is a mental illness and should be treated as such.
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_Goggalor_ posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

Tmk posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

My family has battled with addiction so much. My mom died from it. My dad was an addict, spent 8 years in prison and turned it all around cold turkey and now he owns his own house and has a very well paying job. It is all about will power winning out. We can help addicts as much as we want and it all comes down to them wanting to make the change.

Ah yes, the anecdote that seeds the superiority complex.

For every one person who survives, who succeeds, 99 fail, miserable, and die.

It's a fairytale to comfort people into believing they have ultimate power over their life to believe "well all those people who failed just didn't try hard enough!"

You may as well be saying they should ask Santa Claus for help.

I am not saying they haven't tried hard enough. I am just saying the onus is on the addicted person to want to change. We can throw all the money and treatment at someone to get better but if someone truly does not want to change their lifestyle then there is nothing to be done.

It is like people that are victims of a crime. Someone can be robbed or assaulted or whatever. If the cops show up and the victim says they don't want anything to be done the police can't force that person to be a victim. In all legal definition they were a victim, but that person can't be made to go to court and go through all of that.

Yes, I too can control my brain chemistry through sheer willpower.

You want to change right?
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Monolith1676 posted...

I am not saying they haven't tried hard enough. I am just saying the onus is on the addicted person to want to change. We can throw all the money and treatment at someone to get better but if someone truly does not want to change their lifestyle then there is nothing to be done.

So then the people who fail, it's not that they didn't try hard enough, it's that they didn't want it?
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"Addiction" is yet another example of the false victimization of anyone who makes bad choices. The actual physical aspect addiction that every claims to me so rampant (and in a lot of cases, is pretty damn hard to get to in the first place) is incredibly easy to over come. Human bodies are tough. You can get a person's body clean-as-new in a week. The reason people relapse is just because, if your entire life revolves around doing drugs, you're going to be totally lost if that is just taken away with nothing to replace it.

Yeah, I'm sure it's tough. That's why people don't want to take responsibility for it. But truly, it's a matter of discipline. The answer really is: just stop. It's not terribly complicated.

"lol what a troll! You're saying people who can't beat addiction aren't disciplined enough???" Yes, actually.
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Tmk posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

I am not saying they haven't tried hard enough. I am just saying the onus is on the addicted person to want to change. We can throw all the money and treatment at someone to get better but if someone truly does not want to change their lifestyle then there is nothing to be done.

So then the people who fail, it's not that they didn't try hard enough, it's that they didn't want it?

They wanted it of course, but they had setbacks, whether it be a bad influencer in their lives or something else. I am more referring to the people who go into treatment and don't really want to change.
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Monolith1676 posted...

_Goggalor_ posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

Tmk posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

My family has battled with addiction so much. My mom died from it. My dad was an addict, spent 8 years in prison and turned it all around cold turkey and now he owns his own house and has a very well paying job. It is all about will power winning out. We can help addicts as much as we want and it all comes down to them wanting to make the change.

Ah yes, the anecdote that seeds the superiority complex.

For every one person who survives, who succeeds, 99 fail, miserable, and die.

It's a fairytale to comfort people into believing they have ultimate power over their life to believe "well all those people who failed just didn't try hard enough!"

You may as well be saying they should ask Santa Claus for help.

I am not saying they haven't tried hard enough. I am just saying the onus is on the addicted person to want to change. We can throw all the money and treatment at someone to get better but if someone truly does not want to change their lifestyle then there is nothing to be done.

It is like people that are victims of a crime. Someone can be robbed or assaulted or whatever. If the cops show up and the victim says they don't want anything to be done the police can't force that person to be a victim. In all legal definition they were a victim, but that person can't be made to go to court and go through all of that.

Yes, I too can control my brain chemistry through sheer willpower.

You want to change right?

Not an addict. When I was though, yes, I did. But until you know what it's like to live as a truly hollow being with absolutely no way to make yourself feel happy. All of your hobbies? They bring you about as much joy as watching paint dry. All your friends and family? Your brain doesn't care, they don't make you feel anything.

That level of depression is caused by a serious fucking problem with the receptors in your brain, which has nothing to do with willpower or "wanting it bad enough". It's literally impossible for these people to feel anything. Also, there are other people like me, whose mental illnesses literally show up on brain scans as a diminished/defective part of specific areas that regulate mood and sense of self and all kinds of shit. I literally have a defective brain. Again, that isn't fixable through willpower.
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deupd_u posted...

The answer really is: just stop. It's not terribly complicated.

Oh, I didn't realise addiction was so simple. All those cravings are just imaginary.
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_Goggalor_ posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

_Goggalor_ posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

Tmk posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

My family has battled with addiction so much. My mom died from it. My dad was an addict, spent 8 years in prison and turned it all around cold turkey and now he owns his own house and has a very well paying job. It is all about will power winning out. We can help addicts as much as we want and it all comes down to them wanting to make the change.

Ah yes, the anecdote that seeds the superiority complex.

For every one person who survives, who succeeds, 99 fail, miserable, and die.

It's a fairytale to comfort people into believing they have ultimate power over their life to believe "well all those people who failed just didn't try hard enough!"

You may as well be saying they should ask Santa Claus for help.

I am not saying they haven't tried hard enough. I am just saying the onus is on the addicted person to want to change. We can throw all the money and treatment at someone to get better but if someone truly does not want to change their lifestyle then there is nothing to be done.

It is like people that are victims of a crime. Someone can be robbed or assaulted or whatever. If the cops show up and the victim says they don't want anything to be done the police can't force that person to be a victim. In all legal definition they were a victim, but that person can't be made to go to court and go through all of that.

Yes, I too can control my brain chemistry through sheer willpower.

You want to change right?

Not an addict. When I was though, yes, I did. But until you know what it's like to live as a truly hollow being with absolutely no way to make yourself feel happy. All of your hobbies? They bring you about as much joy as watching paint dry. All your friends and family? Your brain doesn't care, they don't make you feel anything.

That level of depression is caused by a serious fucking problem with the receptors in your brain, which has nothing to do with willpower or "wanting it bad enough". It's literally impossible for these people to feel anything. Also, there are other people like me, whose mental illnesses literally show up on brain scans as a diminished/defective part of specific areas that regulate mood and sense of self and all kinds of shit. I literally have a defective brain. Again, that isn't fixable through willpower.

You are here and surviving day by day. You have willpower to carry on. You are stronger than you think, you are not letting a defective brain as you put it stop you. You are someone to be celebrated because you are overcoming an issue.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_3Iq5F95Xg" data-time="

This is what I have, but there are other ones of course.

If you think willpower will change that, Idk what to tell you.
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Monolith1676 posted...

You are here and surviving day by day. You have willpower to carry on. You are stronger than you think, you are not letting a defective brain as you put it stop you. You are someone to be celebrated because you are overcoming an issue.

The issue is many simply don't have the willpower to do it by themselves without help. All this advice does is make the vast majority who can't meet this insane standard feel even more like shit for being unable to do it when "it's so simple" so they retreat back to the simple comfort they know and hide away from the world. This was my own experience with it and others who suffered so.
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Funkydog posted...

deupd_u posted...

The answer really is: just stop. It's not terribly complicated.

Oh, I didn't realise addiction was so simple. All those cravings are just imaginary.

So every time you crave drugs, say to yourself, "Instead of doing drugs like I want to right now, I will choose not to do drugs." Simple and easy are different concepts.
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Addicts will lie, steal and murder to get their fix and fuck anybody that gets in their way.

They are the scum of the earth - totally willing to destroy everyone and everything around them because they were dumb enough to try something they knew was bad for them.

Fuck them and the people dumb enough to defend them.
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deupd_u posted...

Funkydog posted...

deupd_u posted...

The answer really is: just stop. It's not terribly complicated.

Oh, I didn't realise addiction was so simple. All those cravings are just imaginary.

So every time you crave drugs, say to yourself, "Instead of doing drugs like I want to right now, I will choose not to do drugs." Simple and easy are different concepts.

You should make it less obvious if you want to troll btw.
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Funkydog posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

You are here and surviving day by day. You have willpower to carry on. You are stronger than you think, you are not letting a defective brain as you put it stop you. You are someone to be celebrated because you are overcoming an issue.

The issue is many simply don't have the willpower to do it by themselves without help. All this advice does is make the vast majority who can't meet this insane standard feel even more like shit for being unable to do it when "it's so simple" so they retreat back to the simple comfort they know and hide away from the world. This was my own experience with it and others who suffered so.

But here you are, you have the willpower. Fuck the standards, you are you and I would not want you to be anyone else. You are using your willpower to push on in this shitty thing we call life. Life throws some mean fucking curveballs at us. It is either swing at them with all your might and keep swinging at them or throw the bat down and walk away. I see you as still swinging the bat.

Also it is nice to have a person there telling to keep swinging and cheering you on.
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Monolith1676 posted...

Funkydog posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

You are here and surviving day by day. You have willpower to carry on. You are stronger than you think, you are not letting a defective brain as you put it stop you. You are someone to be celebrated because you are overcoming an issue.

The issue is many simply don't have the willpower to do it by themselves without help. All this advice does is make the vast majority who can't meet this insane standard feel even more like shit for being unable to do it when "it's so simple" so they retreat back to the simple comfort they know and hide away from the world. This was my own experience with it and others who suffered so.

But here you are, you have the willpower. Fuck the standards, you are you and I would not want you to be anyone else. You are using your willpower to push on in this shitty thing we call life. Life throws some mean fucking curveballs at us. It is either swing at them with all your might and keep swinging at them or throw the bat down and walk away. I see you as still swinging the bat.

Also it is nice to have a person there telling to keep swinging and cheering you on.

You're missing the point, and I'm not sure how many times I can repeat that advice often does more harm than good. You constantly repeating just drills into the heads of the vast many who can't do it that they are failures and may as well give up trying.
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Remember when this guy had a meltdown and beat up his room for no fucking reason at all, then posted the video for all to enjoy?

Definitely a top ten Gpggalurr moment

Funkydog posted...

deupd_u posted...

Funkydog posted...

deupd_u posted...

The answer really is: just stop. It's not terribly complicated.

Oh, I didn't realise addiction was so simple. All those cravings are just imaginary.

So every time you crave drugs, say to yourself, "Instead of doing drugs like I want to right now, I will choose not to do drugs." Simple and easy are different concepts.

You should make it less obvious if you want to troll btw.

This is exactly what the professional victim squad does. "I'm a victim and if you challenge that, you're insane and stupid and ugly and listen to Coldplay and sleep upside down like a bat and travel to third-world countries to burn down orphanages for fun"
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Funkydog posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

Funkydog posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

You are here and surviving day by day. You have willpower to carry on. You are stronger than you think, you are not letting a defective brain as you put it stop you. You are someone to be celebrated because you are overcoming an issue.

The issue is many simply don't have the willpower to do it by themselves without help. All this advice does is make the vast majority who can't meet this insane standard feel even more like shit for being unable to do it when "it's so simple" so they retreat back to the simple comfort they know and hide away from the world. This was my own experience with it and others who suffered so.

But here you are, you have the willpower. Fuck the standards, you are you and I would not want you to be anyone else. You are using your willpower to push on in this shitty thing we call life. Life throws some mean fucking curveballs at us. It is either swing at them with all your might and keep swinging at them or throw the bat down and walk away. I see you as still swinging the bat.

Also it is nice to have a person there telling to keep swinging and cheering you on.

You're missing the point, and I'm not sure how many times I can repeat that advice often does more harm than good. You constantly repeating just drills into the heads of the vast many who can't do it that they are failures and may as well give up trying.

No one is a failure unless they give up and stop. It took me telling my dad he was a failure and calling him every name in the book to get him to change.
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Monolith1676 posted...

No one is a failure unless they give up and stop. It took me telling my dad he was a failure and calling him every name in the book to get him to change.

It's all very feel good advice, but I just don't think it ultimately works in the end. It didn't for me, didn't for my partner and didn't for those I knew that got clean (sadly not many, unfortunately). Perhaps I am biased from my own dealings with it, but it took very different set of circumstances than being told "you can do it, go you!" for me to actually end up clean.

Sure, in some cases it does, but for many they've already been repeatedly told they are a failure and have been left abandoned by many that they need something else to push them to get to change.

deupd_u posted...

and listen to Coldplay

Hey now, I would never stoop so low as to accuse someone of that.
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I was a heroin addict for about 5 years. Been off of it for over 2.5 years. It can be done.
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Monolith1676 posted...

MedzXVIII posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

Addicts tend to hurt the ones they love more than they even realize.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1162825

Wow

Literally killed his brother to try to save himself.

i just hope his booty was clean.
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Abyssea posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

MedzXVIII posted...

Monolith1676 posted...

Addicts tend to hurt the ones they love more than they even realize.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/1162825

Wow

Literally killed his brother to try to save himself.

i just hope his booty was clean.

Wayne gobbled the blow and paid dearly for his brotherly love. lol who tf wrote that sentence
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYJ2MCcPpfU" data-time="
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deupd_u posted...

But truly, it's a matter of discipline. The answer really is: just stop. It's not terribly complicated.

You would make a perfect oncologist: "have you tried not having cancer?"
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