New Article on Addiction from the NY Times

Old 06-11-2012, 04:06 PM
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New Article on Addiction from the NY Times

The Fallacy of the 'Hijacked Brain' - NYTimes.com

Haven't read it yet, but will and re-post with discussion. Enjoy!
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Old 06-11-2012, 08:28 PM
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I read this earlier today and well, it's one philosopher's take. The postings under the column are much better. You can't try to see alcoholism as a black/white disease, it's much more complex.
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Old 06-11-2012, 08:55 PM
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Her ending is okay:

"The complexity of each person’s experience with addiction should caution us to avoid false quandaries, like the one that requires us to define addiction as either disease or choice, and to adopt more nuanced conceptions. Addicts are neither hijackers nor victims. It is time to retire this analogy."
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Old 06-11-2012, 10:55 PM
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I took philosophy in college and haven't respected it since.
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Old 06-12-2012, 03:38 AM
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A person who knows he meets the D.S.M.-IV criteria for chemical abuse, and that abuse is often the precursor to dependency, and still continues to use drugs, is making a choice, and thus bears responsibility for it.
Basically he's saying what I think all of us here already know. Like with adult onset diabetes, the individual might be responsible for the initial unhealthy behaviors, but they most undoubtedly change the brains chemistry and then the disease takes over.

There's another aspect of responsibility not talked about here which is the responsibility the individual has to seek treatment. Just like with the diabetic, he must continue to avoid sweets if he wishes to avoid the downfalls of his disease, and as with the addict.

I wouldn't really say I learned anything new here, though.

And MattM, just curious why you "don't respect" philosophy. I mean, do you mean all of philosophy? Or just one area?
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Old 06-12-2012, 04:23 AM
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For some reason, this makes me feel better about my addiction. Cus I don't want to know that I'm consciously making this choice to drink. Not knowing what is making me drink, is hellish enough. I can't be ok with people losing families, loved ones, neglect children, become homless or die, for the sake of a drink/hit. Something clearly isn't right within our brain. No person wants this for themselves, loved ones or family.
What the hell is wrong with us? Why are there addicts in the world? What makes us become this? What makes people die from this? What makes people neglect and continuously hurt the people they love?
Please...tell me there some science behind it! Tell me its not something Im doing on purpose.
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Old 06-12-2012, 04:46 AM
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Simplyfab, I don't know if this will be apropos, but it's helped me in thinking about this the last week or so. I'm reading this book on Buddhism and in the first chapter, there is a young man plagued by Dispassion and begs to be relieved of it by some Buddhist sages. Dispassion is, I have taken to be, the feeling of "Why bother," or "What's there to live for," or "Why should I try to be any better?"
These have always been feelings that have plagued me and sometimes allowed me to engage in destructive behavior.
I'm changing that now (Thank G-d!), with the help of my 12-steps, but also my meditation practice and the group I meet with to discuss texts like the one I'm describing.
Anyway, in the story, the Buddhist sage replies that the Only way to find salvation is to start from a point of Dispassion. So, looked at in this light, we are on a spiritual path, but one does not have the desire to Truly find spiritualism until one has come to find their place of Dispassion, or "Hit one's bottom".
I think, though, now it is up to us to continue on the road to spiritual awakening knowing we are more sensitive to the Dispassion of this world.
I don;t know, that's been helping me, at least!
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Old 06-14-2012, 07:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Looking4ward View Post
And MattM, just curious why you "don't respect" philosophy. I mean, do you mean all of philosophy? Or just one area?
I had to go back and read the article to see what annoyed me enough to make such a flippant comment. (I've read other articles from this column in the NYT in the past and had a similar reaction).
And at the end of the day, I'm not sure I can put my finger on it.
I think, that when I started reading philosophy in college, I thought that logic and intellect could provide a foundation to replace the religion that I'd turned my back on.
But I think I found that for every apparently sound argument that one philosopher could muster...10 other philosophers could put forth equally compelling counter arguments. And ultimately, when I clawed my way to the very bottom of this pile of arguments and counter-arguments to see what philosophy rests on...there is no "there" there. Logic is a useful tool...but it doesn't help me lead a better life.
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