The Likely Cause of Addiction Has Been Discovered, And It Is Not What You Think

originally posted by: HeyAHuman
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But when there is a feeling of genuine acceptance and love, and the addicts feel that their societal roles are important, the rate of success is much higher.

By success I assume you mean rate of recovery from addiction. It sounds good but on what do you base this claim? Are there studies that prove this?

originally posted by: freedom7


From personal experience of abusing alcohol,gambling and drugs heavily in my past, I can honestly say.. It was when I turned my back on the faith and felt no purpose in life, felt like I was an accident of the universe destined for misery, and when my family fell apart and my Dad left us.. that's when the addictions starting getting out of control.

This backs up the thesis of this study as shown by the OP to be true. In that environment plays a crucial role.

If science and faith every collide in intertwine and we begin seeing the duality within, as opposed to going to war with one another. If we ever see that science in facts points to God. and see all the rainbow as opposed to black and white, this world would be a much better place.

How do you explain the people who experience that and don't become addicts?

The duality within? Meaning what? In the next sentence (or sentence fragment) you talk about seeing all the rainbow as opposed to black and white. It seems that you don't understand that duality is an example of black and white.

No, science definitely does not point toward God. There isn't an iota of testable evidence proving that God exists but, if you know of some that has been overlooked, please let us know.

a reply to: purplemer

Not sure if anyone brought this up yet, but alcohol is a substance that your body NEEDS if you are passed the addiction phase. You body becomes dependent on the substance and can die without it.
So the study might be true for most so called 'addictive' substances but alcohol must be an exception.

a reply to: purplemer

I, for one, being thrust directly in the face of this very present issue, just gave me some massive ammo to fire at within weeks to come ~!! thank you SO much for this ~!

Please flag this to the next galaxy and back and then do it again.. here's why~! It's not just for addiction either.. it's for life~!

My mother, whom I had the great pleasure to live with for 2 years, was diagnosed with bi-polar, manic depressive and schizophrenia brought on from a direct family tragedy, landed in the state mental facility (which I refuse to call a hospital even to this day, due to the medieval torturings they gave her to ‘help’ her) for 10 years.

After living with her in a half-way house and not seeing her get any better, and landing in the Good Sam phyc ward every month sometimes twice a month; life got extremely crazy. I got a retirement and rehab facility to take her in where I was working at; I immediately called her and said was going to pick her up and the next day we loaded the car and I moved her.

She had a semi-private room for a short time, but something struck me immediate within weeks of the move, she never went to the hospital. As I was working, I took noticed where she was sitting at the dinning table, as always as I served her, she always insisted I meet someone new that was sitting with her, which I would have anyways; but it was nearly an obsession with her. She totally bragged about me to the point of embarrassment.

I notice a huge bond being created between us, like, mom was being a mom I never saw before, to the point where we were going out to the movies and being a family. I got a better job with the Intel Corporation and visited her once or twice every other week but always called each other and mom had a landed a awesome male friend who was staying there and took her into his apt and they lived together like 2 peas in a pod; so much so that mom would call me only once a month instead of twice a week.

One day, I got a call from the retirement/rehab homestead and instantly thought, ‘un oh..’ so I picked up and it was Joyce the intake coordinator, we greeted each other and I said.. ‘anything wrong.?”

Joyce: “no, I just wanted to say that I noticed something interesting about your mom…”

I braced for the worst…

Joyce: “just wanted to tell you that it’s been 5 years since your mom has been in the hospital, and she’s the life of the party here..”

I broke immediately over the phone and couldn’t stop weeping my eyes out for 10 mins and more so after we hung up; she only went back once in 12 years and it was for a 4 hour stay ‘check up’ ..her new love of her life bought her a condo on the beach and lived happily ever after.. Seriously.~!

Before the Lord took her home, her manic-depression and schizophrenia were written in her medical report as non-existent and possibly only with 1mg of meds a week for the bi-polar…change your environment, stay in touch with those who are concerned with your success in life and with family... and ever be afraid to love when it’s the seems to be the last option, you never know when you can be the healer.

a reply to: strongfp

I agree with you it is only a study that gives us a model of the world. It is not the world itself. Every model has its exception...

This is pretty sad. 80% of addicts are addicts because they inherited the propensity to use abuse drugs and alcohol, and would become addicts regardless of what their home lives were like or their happiness. They don't chose to become addicts, there is no choice for them. Their brains work differently then non addicts.

The other 20% abuse drugs and alcohol until they become physically and mentally dependent on them. From there they change their brain chemistry and neuro pathways to resemble the addict that was born with the disease.

This study and findings are just furthering along the incorrect idea that it is some kind of moral choice, and if adopted as fact could set back addiction recovery a whole century. This is exactly how addiction was viewed prior to the early 1900's when they agreed that it was a disease and not a moral choice or moral shortcoming of the addict.

I have a wonderful wife, wonderful children, owned my own business and made $100k+ a year, and am a recovering heroin addict. In the peak of my addiction I was living the american dream. I am living proof that this study is pure BS. I know that this can be hard to swallow as a non addict, I also didn't believe it for most of my life. I have addiction going all the way up both sides of my family tree. I never chose to be an addict, it chose me long before I or my parents or grandparents were ever born.

I pray to god that this is buried in a deep dark hole, and that minds much more intelligent than this guys prevail in shutting this idea down. This is dangerous information to the addicts still suffering today that need lots of help. Society would be all to happy to go back to adopting this model of addiction, dooming many to a fate they don't need to suffer.

originally posted by: sputniksteve
This is pretty sad. 80% of addicts are addicts because they inherited the propensity to use abuse drugs and alcohol, and would become addicts regardless of what their home lives were like or their happiness. They don't chose to become addicts, there is no choice for them. Their brains work differently then non addicts.

The other 20% abuse drugs and alcohol until they become physically and mentally dependent on them. From there they change their brain chemistry and neuro pathways to resemble the addict that was born with the disease.

This study and findings are just furthering along the incorrect idea that it is some kind of moral choice, and if adopted as fact could set back addiction recovery a whole century. This is exactly how addiction was viewed prior to the early 1900's when they agreed that it was a disease and not a moral choice or moral shortcoming of the addict.

I have a wonderful wife, wonderful children, owned my own business and made $100k+ a year, and am a recovering heroin addict. In the peak of my addiction I was living the american dream. I am living proof that this study is pure BS. I know that this can be hard to swallow as a non addict, I also didn't believe it for most of my life. I have addiction going all the way up both sides of my family tree. I never chose to be an addict, it chose me long before I or my parents or grandparents were ever born.

I pray to god that this is buried in a deep dark hole, and that minds much more intelligent than this guys prevail in shutting this idea down. This is dangerous information to the addicts still suffering today that need lots of help. Society would be all to happy to go back to adopting this model of addiction, dooming many to a fate they don't need to suffer.

Are you saying there is no choice in using drugs/alcohol? I've never used heroin. I chose not to. Are you saying that the genetic propensity is to use drugs/ alcohol or to become addicted if one chooses to use drugs/alcohol? There's a whopping big difference between the two.

On the one hand, you're relying on claims about body chemistry and on the other you're relying on an invisible supernatural deity. Don't you see the conflict there? If a genetic propensity causes one to use drugs/alcohol how does belief in an invisible supernatural deity prevent one from becoming addicted or stop one from using?

originally posted by: Tangerine

Are you saying there is no choice in using drugs/alcohol? I've never used heroin. I chose not to. Are you saying that the genetic propensity is to use drugs/ alcohol or to become addicted if one chooses to use drugs/alcohol? There's a whopping big difference between the two.

On the one hand, you're relying on claims about body chemistry and on the other you're relying on an invisible supernatural deity. Don't you see the conflict there? If a genetic propensity causes one to use drugs/alcohol how does belief in an invisible supernatural deity prevent one from becoming addicted or stop one from using?

No I am not saying there is no choice to use drugs/alcohol. I said there is no choice on whether you have the disease of addiction.

Where did I mention any supernatural diety's? Did you mean when I said "I pray to God that this is buried....Etc"? I didn't mention God being involved at all, if you call genetics a Supernatural Diety I don't know what to tell you. I would be happy to discuss my view point as much as you would like.

originally posted by: sputniksteve

originally posted by: Tangerine

Are you saying there is no choice in using drugs/alcohol? I've never used heroin. I chose not to. Are you saying that the genetic propensity is to use drugs/ alcohol or to become addicted if one chooses to use drugs/alcohol? There's a whopping big difference between the two.

On the one hand, you're relying on claims about body chemistry and on the other you're relying on an invisible supernatural deity. Don't you see the conflict there? If a genetic propensity causes one to use drugs/alcohol how does belief in an invisible supernatural deity prevent one from becoming addicted or stop one from using?

No I am not saying there is no choice to use drugs/alcohol. I said there is no choice on whether you have the disease of addiction.

Where did I mention any supernatural diety's? Did you mean when I said "I pray to God that this is buried....Etc"? I didn't mention God being involved at all, if you call genetics a Supernatural Diety I don't know what to tell you. I would be happy to discuss my view point as much as you would like.

You said, " They don't chose to become addicts, there is no choice for them. " Actually, there is a choice and the choice is to use drugs/alcohol or to not use drugs/alcohol. You can't become addicted to heroin if you choose to never use it.

Yes, when I mentioned an imaginary supernatural deity, I was quite obviously referring to your statement, "I pray to God that this is buried in a deep hole....". I think you need to reread my post and reread yours as well. Clearly, you're confused about what was said in both.

One may have the genetic propensity to become an addict but I don't see how one has the disease of addiction, as you label it, without choosing to use the substance to which one becomes addicted. Do you follow what I'm saying? I'll make it clear: choice is involved.

My mum us a heroin addict along with many other ppl she knew...
We lived communally for a while (not all at our place were heroin addicts), and then people moved away, and it was just us.
I can tell you this study is abslutely 100% true.
As people moved away her addiction became more noticable. At first it seemed normal (I didn't notice any signs of addiction) like after a house party when everyone leaves (a very long house party that lasted four or five years), but it didn't improve, it got worse. Gradually a ceaseless whirlpool of senseless despair and misery crept into our lives like a cyclone bringing darkness chaos, with her addiction (which she tried to hide for many years) at the eye of the storm.

Imo the adddiction is the result of the initial stupidity that leads to all kinds of substance abuse and experimentation etc, as with the rat who committed suicide, life doesnt satisfy them enough to get by without regressing into infantile comfort seeking. Yes stupidity is inherited, but I don't beleive propensity to addiction is inherited, and this study strongly affirms that. The stupidity is creating those cages in the mind, and allowing yourself to be binded in the illusion that they are real. I've seen addicts up close and personal on regular basis in our community, people like Russell brand by the wagon load, and my take on it is their addiction to a substance is a symptom of general anxiety and stupidity, which the subtance makes worse as they become more addicted. I doesn't at all surprise me 95% of Vietnam vets quit heroin after getting out of the war zone. They werent stupid enough to keep using back home, plus they werent anxious of being killed by the Vietcong. The reason I think stupidity is a factor is because if for example you have kids, even a simple thought like "I want to raise my kids well, they are young, I am their only caregiver, I should be looking after them properly" IS enough for most addicts to quit then and there, and go cold turkey etc, I can say this because I was raised with addicts and i think (fair enough i could be halucinating their potential) i know exactly what they are and are not capable of. At the end of the day its a desire, and it gves them temporary chemical induced happiness, but like people who desire to kill themselves, they are still human with DEEP psyches, okay? Deep psyches... I truly beleive an addict can be talked out of an addiction in the same way a rat can be guided out of a cage, and released into a field. Obviously guiding a rat is a lot easier, but you get the symbology. They definately don't deserve as much sympathy as for example schizophrenics and manic depressives or people with any other kinds of mental illnesses deserve. They need to be shown a way out of the misery of this self destructive cycle.
Every addict is different. Some should know better, others really just need to be shown a way of out.
Thanks for posing op.

a reply to: Tangerine

You don't choose whether you are an addict or not, you chose whether you use the drugs in the first place.

Sorry that simple God statement threw off, let me reprhase: I hope this is buried in a deep dark hole". Should be no confusion on the rest of that paragraph now.

Again, 80% of addicts are born with the disease of addiction, it is up to them if it manifests itself or not by taking the drugs or drink to begin with. The other 20% alter their brain function and neuro pathways and after extended periods of use become addicts both physically and mentally or either or.

I am not trying to be rude, but I feel this is pretty clear. I think you are approaching it with a preconcieved notion and biased towards my argument without really taking the time to think about it and instead just blindly arguing against it.

originally posted by: sputniksteve
a reply to: Tangerine

You don't choose whether you are an addict or not, you chose whether you use the drugs in the first place.

Sorry that simple God statement threw off, let me reprhase: I hope this is buried in a deep dark hole". Should be no confusion on the rest of that paragraph now.

Again, 80% of addicts are born with the disease of addiction, it is up to them if it manifests itself or not by taking the drugs or drink to begin with. The other 20% alter their brain function and neuro pathways and after extended periods of use become addicts both physically and mentally or either or.

I am not trying to be rude, but I feel this is pretty clear. I think you are approaching it with a preconcieved notion and biased towards my argument without really taking the time to think about it and instead just blindly arguing against it.

No, I'm biased against careless wording. Can you explain how we know for certain that 80% of addicts are born with the disease of addiction and 20% alter their brain function and neurological pathways causing themselves to become addicts?

a reply to: Tangerine

No I am good thanks though. I said what I wanted to say and don't have time to argue statistics when it is such a small part of a large post that you have no valid argument for other than semantics. Take care.

You're title is misleading, in science this would noy be considered a "cause."

a reply to: sputniksteve

This is how you choose to perceive the study. Its doesnt mean its wrong. In fact the study agrees with you. It highlights the fact that addiction is caused not neccesarily by the addictiveness of the substance, but by something else. That is what youre saying too by saying 80% of addicts inherit that propensity. In other words its not the addictiveness of substances that leads to addiction to addiction, its something else.

a reply to: purplemer
I seem to be the only one who listened in those DARE classes, but then again some of the so called anti drug teachers did it also. So...

Anyways while what you say has a lot of truth. The fact is that drugs and especially some drugs are addictive. The addiction is manifested in different ways and different reasons, but it also a chemical thing which is not something that can be switched on and off like a light switch, and once your body and mind and brain chemistry becomes dependent on it, hence addiction sets in. You can kick it sure. But depending on what your kicking its not going to be as easy as all that. And like you said most who use it, do so to get away from the unhappiness in life. So really, in a perfect situation it can be done and even then it would be a struggle for a user. But the ultimate thing is to avoid it altogether, which in real life is not so easy, sometimes its like walking through a minefield.

Mice are mice. On general if they have it all they are more prone to avoid poisons and life out there mousy life's as best they can. What I am saying is, on some levels animals like mice are smarter then humans. Don't believe me, try to feed you dog or cat some old stale leftovers. They may just look at you like "WTF is this #, no thank you. I'm a go and lick my butt till you give me real food"

Though even in the animal world there is substance use, ie wild animals eating hallucinogenic mushrooms or things they know will give them a high. But! In there world there is no widespread over-abuse of such things. They follow what there nose says more so then humans do. Basically they sniff it and if there nose says no good, or not today, they move on.

But then again in what situation do you see actual real life mice in the wild have everything they could ever need. Besides it also depends on there population numbers. How long has that study been done and for how long have the mice been in that cage like that, there are so many factors out there that. Over time things change. Believe it.

If these mice could get a sip of the happy juice, at first they may not. But in time as there population grew and things got more complex in there little box...Me thinks differently.


So ya! If you are happy, you can conclude that you do not need drugs to make you something what you already have. But the many factors involved with the term "happiness" Does not necessarily mean the same thing from person to person, and all kinds of variables and life situations do change things. But in the end, no matter if your happy or not, its best to avoid addictive drugs and seek happiness in other things, even in the small things in life would make you more happy then drugs.

a reply to: funkadeliaaaa

In essence yes, I just don't like the part about saying if you have a happy life you will no longer be addicted to drugs or alcohol. Improving your surroundings and well being a part of recovery and for some people I suppose could be enough but for others it takes quite a bit more. My concern was just with the allusion that it is some kind of moral choice being made by the user to be addicted (not whether they use in the first place, for clarification).

originally posted by: sputniksteve
a reply to: Tangerine

No I am good thanks though. I said what I wanted to say and don't have time to argue statistics when it is such a small part of a large post that you have no valid argument for other than semantics. Take care.

In other words you were just making up the statistics. OK.

originally posted by: sputniksteve
a reply to: funkadeliaaaa

In essence yes, I just don't like the part about saying if you have a happy life you will no longer be addicted to drugs or alcohol. Improving your surroundings and well being a part of recovery and for some people I suppose could be enough but for others it takes quite a bit more. My concern was just with the allusion that it is some kind of moral choice being made by the user to be addicted (not whether they use in the first place, for clarification).

I think you mean illusion not allusion. They mean different things.

originally posted by: RobinB022
a reply to: Honcho

Let's say you have someone who works for a grocery store. And another person who is a very famous musician. Now, let's say both of them get real heavy into drugs and start having a nervous breakdown for the people around them to see. And end up losing their job/career because of it, maybe even friends/significant others. Who do you think will scrutinized/demonized the longest and hardest?

The person working the grocery store, more than likely. Just because it isn't public doesn't mean much in the mind of the person being scrutinized. If it's a small town it's likely to be much worse for the average person, because small towns are made up of a lot of folks with very long memories, and people who make even one mistake may never live it down. Whereas, the media oftentimes are very forgiving in their views-to those who make even huge mistakes.

No doubt-your average person suffers just as much, if not more, than those in the spotlight.

What about an actor who lives in a small town? Not all of them live in New York or Hollywood.