I Want More: The Addiction Conspiracy

reply to post by Ridhya


It does make sense, once again I'll admit I probably haven't thought about it in that respect because I don't really gamble.

However, I do enjoy boxing and occasionally put a couple of quid on over the internet and there have been times when I've been tempted to put a silly amount of money down in an attempt to win back big and put some moeny worries to rest.

I think a good way to describe an addiction is when your doing something that is/will damaging you in some way but you still continue to do it.

Originally posted by Ridhya
reply to post by Death_Kron

 

And again with positive reinforcement, a person down and out with drug problem/no friends/criminal/depressed all turn to church because people treat them with compassion, friendship, sympathy, help them out, and they see that belief in God is what makes these people help them.

So it makes them want to join the club!

Its not so much God but God by proxy, as any one filling that void (which is most often companionship/loneliness) would make impact on this person... if the people said they worshipped Satan and showed compassion, or were atheist and showed compassion, same deal, its not the idea but the people who are connected to it, filling the void for the depressed person.

Very interesting way of looking at religion that is and its spot on in my opinion!

Explains why some many born again Christians have bad backgrounds I suppose.

Some good material flowing through this thread

Edit: You could probably say religion is one of the biggest addictions that not only affect us individually but globally, look at how many wars religion has created.

[edit on 5/3/10 by Death_Kron]

If you do try to quit smoking, I have a tip that helped me. Whenever you you decide it's time to stop, DO NOT tell anybody that you are quitting. I don't know what it is, but when you tell people that you're quitting, they always seem positive about it, and then 1-2 days later, they start to egg you on...especially if your friends also smoke. Any time someone started to scoff at me, or kinda chuckle, all I wanted to do, was just go right back to smoking. It's a strange thing, but that's what helped me the most, after so many failed attempts.

As for addictions, I really am addicted to these friggin forums. I post on a TON of different sites, and most of them are the dumbest forums you can imagine. I'll debate about cars, comics, TV shows, movies...and then things like Facebook, which is just a forum of people you know in real life. It really is sad, and I need to just stop wasting so much time on different sites.....but I can't.

Oh well, maybe I'll stop tomorrow.

Originally posted by TravisT
If you do try to quit smoking, I have a tip that helped me. Whenever you you decide it's time to stop, DO NOT tell anybody that you are quitting. I don't know what it is, but when you tell people that you're quitting, they always seem positive about it, and then 1-2 days later, they start to egg you on...especially if your friends also smoke. Any time someone started to scoff at me, or kinda chuckle, all I wanted to do, was just go right back to smoking. It's a strange thing, but that's what helped me the most, after so many failed attempts.

As for addictions, I really am addicted to these friggin forums. I post on a TON of different sites, and most of them are the dumbest forums you can imagine. I'll debate about cars, comics, TV shows, movies...and then things like Facebook, which is just a forum of people you know in real life. It really is sad, and I need to just stop wasting so much time on different sites.....but I can't.

Oh well, maybe I'll stop tomorrow.

Thanks for the tip, I know exactly what you mean. It happened to me when I stopped for a couple of weeks a while ago, my so-called "friends" seem to break my resolve and I was back to smoking again

Don't worry about the forums, each to their own and all that, like you said theres always tomorrow

i don't think religion is an addiction, i think that's a bit derogatory, i think it's more a case of people feeling a need to find purpose in their lives.

we are all highly rational beings and once you think about it, though you probably shouldn't, human existence is a fairly futile enterprise yet our animal instincts mean that we are driven to survive.

we will all be faced with the challenge of finding a way of resolving these two aspects of our lives. some people numb the rational with drugs and alcohol, some people shorten the perspective of their lives to the day at work or the next pay-off from the bookies, and some lengthen their perspective by immersing themselves in the physical or spiritual realms of eternity.

you can't really point at anyone else's solution and say it's not good enough because it's good if it's what works for them, you've nothing to base your opinion on.

reply to post by pieman


Don't get me wrong I'm not saying religion is an actual addiction, I'm just saying that in some peoples eyes it can be viewed as such. It isn't for me but who am I to judge as you say I can knock someone about what works for them.

I was going to say that religion is the one compulsion or activity that doesn't do any harm but obviously that would be incorrect.

reply to post by Death_Kron

But, then, where do you draw the line?
Everythings damaging to you really... I am an insomniac and hell Im still up at 7:45 right now!! Would it be called an addiction to late nights?

Eating mcdonalds is detrimental, extreme sports, driving ANYWHERE, not listening to your girlfriend, skipping work, getting drunk near a fire...

I think more specifically a better definition would be 'continually doing a detrimental action even though you wish to stop'. I really think thats the key. Wanting to stop but not being/not thinking you're able to stop...

reply to post by Ridhya


Yeah I agree with that although its more or less what I already said, doing something that you know is bad for you but carrying on doing it anyway.

I am just going to post something quick. Doctors need patients. It is up to the individual to realize that he or she has a free will, even though many of the powers in this world WILL to try and negate such a notion. Here is a really quick example on which one can focus, if he or she wills: I was in a 2 month, weekly class for being caught with a dime bag of pot and some rolling papers. Every paper and pamphlet and posting on the wall in this place referred to people as consumers. The "teachers" mindlessly referred to the compulsory visitors as consumers. A consumer is a thing that feeds, that seeks something to devour sans mind. They were labeling people as mindless addicts; they were ostensibly aiding the very people they were supposed to support, yet they were reinforcing their self-programming as addicts. I am not saying they were even conscious of such a thing. Maybe they are the very thing they are labeling the "other." Mindless beasts. As such, they knew no better. Although the director seemed to be more savvy than the uneducated teachers. Sort of like reinforcing a problem so that a parasite can continue to offer a solution. Something to ponder anyway. Peace.

Edit: I also believe that we continue to do self-destructive things because we choose, consciously or not, to be the characters in that drama. We want to understand the inherent nature of the spiral. When we possess a sort of wisdom on these matters, we no longer feel the need to directly experience these negative consequences to our choices. We have already "seen" them by exploring the branching and interwoven , circular and linear, indeed spiraling possibilities. I learned that I should not chase the rabbit. I cannot see myself. I can only be myself. I am the rabbit. And as for me and the rabbit being identical, the like charges repel each other. I have the curious view that a bulk of people in this world are genuinely schizophrenic and that the psychological establishment lacks insight on this phenomenon (at least for the time being, but they can will it otherwise). After all, the doctors would have to admit their very own personal afflictions. It is much easier to project the problems on to the entire world, on to every one except oneself. There is the public facade and the private being. The answer people are searching for is the reconciliation of the two. Such can lead to addictive traits. BTW, we are addictive in a sense, but it can be directed. We become and carry out that on which we focus, and we focus on that which we have faith. But I will ramble no more in this thread. Peace again.

[edit on 5-3-2010 by orwellianunenlightenment]

[edit on 5-3-2010 by orwellianunenlightenment]

reply to post by Death_Kron

you figure that out and then let me know why God hates me so much sometimes....no really..only by the "grace of god" have I not killed myself in the the last.....um...25 or so years, (I am 43 years old and kinda...saucy...most times)

Life just is........and so is addiction.....my 38 year old alcoholic brother.... he died at age 38 from his drinking and taking a prescribed medication that didn't mix well with that drinking....(and I did same, in my life...and yet am still breathing....just older and maybe wiser in some way?).

NOBODY, unless living the nightmare of addiction...can say for sure...and even THEN...one just suffers that addiction, and then ponders why they've that addiction, (in moments of clarity)...why they suffer still from some curse, (called addiction)....WOW, what a tirade I have been on!!!!

THIS is my definition of addiction and why I think debate is useless and..ummm, well...useless...life just is....and you deal with it...question it...ponder it..or fight it.....IT JUST IS...

Today is day 40 of my latest quit-smoking attempt. I've read a lot about addiction in my past 23 years of smoking. I love(d) smoking, nicotine was/is my drug of choice. I began smoking when hospitalized for schizophrenia and depression, and smoking gave me a reason to live. People with mental illnesses seem to have a harder time quitting smoking.

Why did God let me get addicted? It served a useful function when I was so depressed I didn't care if I lived or died--it gave me a reason to go on. I am now mentally healthy thanks to medication, but the desire for those nicotine hits is persistent. In my long-term view I know quitting is in my best interests, but when the craving strikes my time horizon collapses.

I think perhaps your greatest weakness can be your greatest teacher. I go to Nicotine Anonymous, a spiritual program, and although my spiritual beliefs vary a lot from day to day depending on what I've been reading, I think many people can find spirituality through an addiction.

Addiction is real, You can get addicted to anything

Obviously many people have an addiction to internet porn, It's very OBVIOUS.

Someone browsing, downloading, watching, tons and tons of porn is not what you would call normal

People have been having sex since the stone age, Nothing fascinating about porn.

Addicts with internet mmorpgs...

I can go on and on, Just have a changing schedule daily that doesn't involve the same thing over and over, especially if it's unhealthy

But hey, Some people never change so.

Commericals = QUIT SMOKING!!! we have people puffing away, OBVIOUSLY tobacco is harmful to you and me and any living thing,

reply to post by Cornczech


Wow, that was a fairly depressing post. I'm sorry to hear about your brother and your own personal circumstances, maybe you are right - maybe life is just what it is but people with addictions can be helped.

reply to post by Jumbles


Congratulations on quitting! Another common theme in this thread is that addictions do serve a temporary purpose, a temporary relief, interesting...

reply to post by Kingdom of darkness


See the thing is personally I'm very "set in my ways" I enjoy things to be in there place so to speak and to have a regular routine, no very productive in terms of addiction I suppose!

reply to post by Death_Kron


Hi, from an addict - anything I get into and I am addicted.

I certainly know where you are coming from.

What really annoys me is people who are not addicts preaching to you.

reply to post by orwellianunenlightenment


Very good post and you echo some personal thoughts of mine especially regarding doctors.

I have often wondered about doctors lecturing people on the dangers of alcohol for example. I'm sure they drink at the weekends or at social events, the governement guidelines on the amount of alcohol that is safe to drink daily are ridiculous in my opinion.

It's strange but my opinions regarding addictions have changed massively now compared to when I started this thread, I would almost go as far to say that addictions sometimes can be a healthy thing?

Originally posted by Death_Kron
I'm sure they drink at the weekends or at social events, the governement guidelines on the amount of alcohol that is safe to drink daily are ridiculous in my opinion.

The thing is its not really dangerous per se, but as you mentioned it is the amount, I dont think the amount recommended is ridiculous (and I work in the liquor industry) they tell you outright 1 standard drink per hour and you will be able to operate.

One good thing to do is look through history, personally I like the Elder Eddas as they have limitless wisdom within:
"There lies less good than most believe
in ale for mortal men."

And another I forget, but it says 'take care in moderation of everything'.

I would almost go as far to say that addictions sometimes can be a healthy thing?

It depends on you mean by healthy though. It is simply a psychological tool to 'keep you going', like when children get raped and form Dissociative disorders, such as DID... its healthy in that it prevents them from killing themselves (and is a form of functioning 'normally'), but healthy, well its repression and repression is unhealthy... some people with dissociative identity disorder do things they absolutely do not wish to and do not remember doing it... so I would have to say (this category of psychological disorders) is well meaning, but very unhealthy.