Is addiction, in itself, a mental health issue?
January 24th 2009 05:42
Illicit drugs are especially accessible these days, yet at the same time those that are the most addictive (heroin, methamphetamine) are not especially socially acceptable. Cocaine and marijuana are on the other side of the scale, as to say it would be easy for a person to make a passing comment about the last time they got stoned or share knowledge on the cheapest and most potent coke dealers.
I guess it comes down to what's trendy at the time, but then there is a difference between these socio-stimulation subsets. Heroin and ice provide for alot more antisocial behaviour in their users than pot and coke ever could, mainly because the act of being addicted to them brings about psychotic elements into the users action and thought.
Of course, the problem with the trendy drugs is that people know they're being trendy when they use them. An air of arrogance can replace what was once hopeless innocence, and the users often become the wolves in a room full of sheep. There is also a psychotic element involved here, where delusional thinking can leave the users with an opinion of themselves higher than that of their peers.
Sure they're just getting high and having a ball in the grand scheme of things, just make sure you're not around for the come down. Joss Stone had a classic line from a song about a drug using partner:
"When you come down you're just no good to be around"
I couldn't have summed it up better. There is also the people who, after a certain amount of drug-induced stimulation, find themselves deep in the land of the mentally ill - where addiction can lead them to regret the past yet look forward to more of the same in the future.
Then there's coffee and cigarettes, two addictions that I cannot shake myself. I see it as an insane part of my mind where I continue to do the same day after day although I know the effect is not as desirable as it used to be. I used to love my caffiene and nicotine hit, but as time dwindles on I find myself ever so less inspired and motivated by that which had always given me an extra kick in order to contribute that little bit extra to the list of achievements for the day. I need to change my thought patterns on the idea of smoking, more so than anything else. It is absolutely all in the mind. I could do with a psychologist on this one methinks.
These are such times when addiction, in itself, becomes a mental health issue.
I guess it comes down to what's trendy at the time, but then there is a difference between these socio-stimulation subsets. Heroin and ice provide for alot more antisocial behaviour in their users than pot and coke ever could, mainly because the act of being addicted to them brings about psychotic elements into the users action and thought.
Of course, the problem with the trendy drugs is that people know they're being trendy when they use them. An air of arrogance can replace what was once hopeless innocence, and the users often become the wolves in a room full of sheep. There is also a psychotic element involved here, where delusional thinking can leave the users with an opinion of themselves higher than that of their peers.
Sure they're just getting high and having a ball in the grand scheme of things, just make sure you're not around for the come down. Joss Stone had a classic line from a song about a drug using partner:
"When you come down you're just no good to be around"
I couldn't have summed it up better. There is also the people who, after a certain amount of drug-induced stimulation, find themselves deep in the land of the mentally ill - where addiction can lead them to regret the past yet look forward to more of the same in the future.
Then there's coffee and cigarettes, two addictions that I cannot shake myself. I see it as an insane part of my mind where I continue to do the same day after day although I know the effect is not as desirable as it used to be. I used to love my caffiene and nicotine hit, but as time dwindles on I find myself ever so less inspired and motivated by that which had always given me an extra kick in order to contribute that little bit extra to the list of achievements for the day. I need to change my thought patterns on the idea of smoking, more so than anything else. It is absolutely all in the mind. I could do with a psychologist on this one methinks.
These are such times when addiction, in itself, becomes a mental health issue.
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Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
i notice gambling, and sex, and excercise, and eating are all classified as addictions
some may argue theres a chemical element associated with binging on any of these, a rush, a thrill, adreneline, endorphins, seretonin etc
how much is habit forming and how much is chemical?
even with drugs, caffeine, nicotine, marajuana, ecstacy, alcohol, painkillers, sedatives, recreational use of "hard" drugs . . . i think theres an element of social routine, like its hard to sit in a pub without a drink, or an office desk without a coffee, but when you are at home by yourself with no social expectations do you still compulsively throw them down your neck?
probably a little from column A and a little from column B, with varying degrees of using before you are classified as abusing
if you snorted a line of coke every day but never acted out of control in public, never stole to support your habit, never missed work, and never had any health troubles, would your drug use be an "addiction" or even a "problem"?
just some random thoughts . . .
Comment by Optomistic Opportunism
Bohemian Hiphop
Japanese Jazz Funk
Optomystic Opportunism
the tolerance and symptoms of withdrawl - have you been reading my AOD notes? textbook definition of addiction from a social worker point of view.
and the sociology side of things, what we're surrounded with is basically what we use to form habits, also makes perfect sense.
and finally, on to psychology. if the coke snorter would never act out of control, there may still be issues as to why said user is doing the drug in the first place - even if there are no chicken or the egg theories going on, not accepting reality without drugs usually has its dark underlying causes.
rock on sistah,
opto