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

[RRypien37]

Depends on the drug. Perfectly happy people have ruined their lives with one use of meth that led to a life ruining addiction. We do not need to be putting more meth on the market.

Perfectly happy people don't go out and try meth for sh*ts and giggles.

[-DLC-]

I have both worked in the field and experienced addiction from a personal perspective within my family.

I find that it's far too complex to pinpoint...people become addicted for a number of reasons and, depending on the substance, some are more likely to "hook" people on an almost immediate basis. There's an instant pull for more, despite the situation.

I haven't had a chance to read it in full...did a skim/scan, so will return to do so. Such an important topic.

I do know that isolation can often go hand in hand with depression and so yes, drugs are often used in combating that loneliness. Despair and desperation have people give up on life/themselves. But there are so many paths that can lead to someone becoming dependent on substances and so no one's really "immune" unless they simply don't dabble.

Will be back to discuss further and fully read/digest this.

[Wilbur]

Were you at my training seminar today JR? We talked about this exact issue (including Rat Park). Weird this would pop up here now.

[Mr.DirtyDangles]

Depends on the drug. Perfectly happy people have ruined their lives with one use of meth that led to a life ruining addiction. We do not need to be putting more meth on the market.

Meth is quite possibly the worst of the hard drugs. I witnessed an acquaintance try it once and then weeks later saw a shell of their formal selves. Almost 100 pounds lighter and completely mentally frazzled as well as permanently damaged on a physical, mental and emotional level.

This person already had issue with their self worth and image and was constantly trying to loose weight to "fit in" so to speak. This persons perception of themselves and how they thought others perceived them was the largest contributing factor in their experimentation with drugs.

I can only speculate here as i do not engage in the use of any hard drugs but I do believe the "Escape from reality" factor and continued use and abuse of any substance will lead to a host of problems.

I think the main objective for most addicts is to forget rather than to analyze and make themselves better....and really how is anyone going to come to any realization about themselves when floating in a perpetually high state.

[kyledude]

*Yawn*

This is why I can't stand the Huff Po - a ridiculously long article with a sensationalist headline and no substance, that reads like an advertisement for the author's book.

As a former addict and a practicing addictions counsellor, trust me - we know the causes of addiction, and they vary from individual to individual, although there are common themes.

Yes, drugs themselves are not the problem. Yes, the drug war makes a bad situation worse. We've known this for decades - this is not some startling new revelation like this article tries to suggest.

[Lockout Casualty]

Perfectly happy people don't go out and try meth for sh*ts and giggles.

Uhhh, don't be so sure. My best friend scored meth instead of coke in downtown while out with the boys. Didn't even look like coke from what I hear, but that didn't stop him.

Personally, I'd worry more about PCP than meth. Meth is destructive sure, but you won't be eating anyone's face while on it. I'm all for legalizing drugs that can be done without any risk to the public, like heroin. And especially hallucinogens.

[RRypien37]

Uhhh, don't be so sure. My best friend scored meth instead of coke in downtown while out with the boys. Didn't even look like coke from what I hear, but that didn't stop him.

Personally, I'd worry more about PCP than meth. Meth is destructive sure, but you won't be eating anyone's face while on it. I'm all for legalizing drugs that can be done without any risk to the public, like heroin. And especially hallucinogens.

So because someone is your best friend they are very happy?

Wants coke.....get's something different...doesn't care....takes it anyway.

Seems legit...

[Lockout Casualty]

So because someone is your best friend they are very happy?

Wants coke.....get's something different...doesn't care....takes it anyway.

Seems legit...

Shocking as it may be, drug users aren't all depressed losers who only have the next hit to look forward to.

I never said he was smart.

[The Bookie]

Meth is quite possibly the worst of the hard drugs.

I thought crack was considered the most addictive drug. Remember reading somewhere that it's the only one to produce physical dependence after one try.

Personally, I'd worry more about PCP than meth. Meth is destructive sure, but you won't be eating anyone's face while on it. I'm all for legalizing drugs that can be done without any risk to the public, like heroin. And especially hallucinogens.

Definitely. In my younger, wilder times I tried almost everything, but crack & pcp were the two I wouldn't go anywhere near.

anyhow, I wanted to throw a link in here to a massive study published in Sep 2013

http://www.bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/9/e003077.full

Abstract

Objectives Illegal drug use continues to be a major threat to community health and safety. We used international drug surveillance databases to assess the relationship between multiple long-term estimates of illegal drug price and purity.

Design We systematically searched for longitudinal measures of illegal drug supply indicators to assess the long-term impact of enforcement-based supply reduction interventions.

Setting Data from identified illegal drug surveillance systems were analysed using an a priori defined protocol in which we sought to present annual estimates beginning in 1990. Data were then subjected to trend analyses.

Main outcome measures Data were obtained from government surveillance systems assessing price, purity and/or seizure quantities of illegal drugs; systems with at least 10 years of longitudinal data assessing price, purity/potency or seizures were included.

Results We identified seven regional/international metasurveillance systems with longitudinal measures of price or purity/potency that met eligibility criteria. In the USA, the average inflation-adjusted and purity-adjusted prices of heroin, cocaine and cannabis decreased by 81%, 80% and 86%, respectively, between 1990 and 2007, whereas average purity increased by 60%, 11% and 161%, respectively. Similar trends were observed in Europe, where during the same period the average inflation-adjusted price of opiates and cocaine decreased by 74% and 51%, respectively. In Australia, the average inflation-adjusted price of cocaine decreased 14%, while the inflation-adjusted price of heroin and cannabis both decreased 49% between 2000 and 2010. During this time, seizures of these drugs in major production regions and major domestic markets generally increased.

Conclusions With few exceptions and despite increasing investments in enforcement-based supply reduction efforts aimed at disrupting global drug supply, illegal drug prices have generally decreased while drug purity has generally increased since 1990. These findings suggest that expanding efforts at controlling the global illegal drug market through law enforcement are failing.

put an end to this sham of a war and let's start actually solving some problems

[kyledude]

I thought crack was considered the most addictive drug. Remember reading somewhere that it's the only one to produce physical dependence after one try.

Not true. Chemical properties alone do not generally produce an addict.

The most physically addictive illegal drug would belong to the opiate class. Of the common street drugs, that would be heroin.

[-DLC-]

As I do read this, I'm offering comments that pop into mind.

I think the chemical hooks are there/very real and can't be denied, however, think that environmental and emotional aspects of life weigh in to how strong that pull is for people on an individual basis. That those who aren't weighted down in life can offer more resistance than someone who is giving up on things and has little to "fight" (against it/the hook) for.

And although this (article) may not offer much that's new or groundbreaking, it's never a bad thing to have open discussion on drugs and other problems faced in society.

The *yawn* thing from someone in the field concerns me? Sure, you're a trained professional and recovered addict but there are people who may gain some value and insight into "learning" something that you already know? Rather a strange reaction.

[Absent Canuck]

Drug use is basically de crimminalized now. From a social and practical point of view .

The public views addicts far less as criminals and much more as lifestyle choices. But its also the fact we increasingly cant afford to have cops waste their time dragging in some shmuck with 3 crack rocks that he is still trying to smoke through his cuffs in the back of the paddywagon . The paperwork housing these guys in the joint is a waste of time. The crown paper work approving the charges pisses off the prosecutors and the cops dont want them on their bad side.

One day -soon - they are going to realize the 'crime' these guys pull to get their dope would disappear if they were able to get it at the drug store. At some point we are going to have to go this way and deal with the over doses with public awareness and antidote drugs so they dont keep wanting more.

From the dawn of time humans have tried to alter the way they feel chemically or otherwise when they have a trauma or simply a bad day. Its been that way for antiquity and will be that way eons after we are gone.

Right now, we spend money on DEA , FBI and other agencies . We spend more billions on policing arresting and incarcerations.We then spend untold billions on rehab and prevention.

Only problem is we aint taking any money in. The cartels make all the money from the sale.

Legalize it, sell it, and deal with the consequences. . Might as well make the cash from sale to then spend on treatment and education.

my .02

[Mr.DirtyDangles]

I thought crack was considered the most addictive drug. Remember reading somewhere that it's the only one to produce physical dependence after one try.

Definitely. In my younger, wilder times I tried almost everything, but crack & pcp were the two I wouldn't go anywhere near.

anyhow, I wanted to throw a link in here to a massive study published in Sep 2013

http://www.bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/9/e003077.full

put an end to this sham of a war and let's start actually solving some problems

I think Crack can be considered as bad as Meth but Heroine takes the cake. From what I understand Cocaine leaves the body after 2-4 days of not using if you are not a heavy user. The addiction is really more mental rather than chemical or physical. I understand the physiological affects but once the drug is out of the system the mental struggle is what is the worst part.

I have had the unfortunate experience of holding an intervention for a close friend who was a heavy user. I went to a few CA meetings to get a grasp of what I was dealing with. The knowledge I gained just from attending those meetings was eye opening to say the least.

[Dogbyte]

Terrific article. Thanks J.R.

For someone with close ties to these matters and whom has done a lot of thinking on the matter this is spot on. For people struggling with addiction the question at the end of of the search for answers and beginning of change usually end up with "why" you do it in the first place. As much as there is a physical element in which you may crave for a drug, it is in most cases nothing next to the reasons why your brain decides to do them again.

[kyledude]

The *yawn* thing from someone in the field concerns me? Sure, you're a trained professional and recovered addict but there are people who may gain some value and insight into "learning" something that you already know? Rather a strange reaction.

Obviously I think this is an important discussion or I wouldn't be posting here. I just happen to hold the opinion that this type of fluff article has no place in journalism.

[MANGO]

Early in life I believe you can fall into addiction through peer pressure. Sounds silly but yes, young people are susceptible to influence. However, you can also fall into addiction easily if you suffer from depression and use drugs or alcohol to self medicate. What comes first, the depression or the isolation? Generally people suffering from addiction will push away anyone who tries to help them, and cling on to the ones that are indifferent about it. And so isolation is par for the course. The addiction is how depression manifest itself, and not really the issue at all. The issue is the depression.

[Absent Canuck]

Obviously I think this is an important discussion or I wouldn't be posting here. I just happen to hold the opinion that this type of fluff article has no place in journalism.

Well it is. We all know that addiction is to fill a missing void in our lives. Happy content people dont need to get baked out of their tree. I think the article is fairly basic and even naive but paints a rudimentary picture of the structure of addiction .

[Toni Zamboni]

addiction is subjective.

[aGENT]

*Yawn*

This is why I can't stand the Huff Po - a ridiculously long article with a sensationalist headline and no substance, that reads like an advertisement for the author's book.

As a former addict and a practicing addictions counsellor, trust me - we know the causes of addiction, and they vary from individual to individual, although there are common themes.

Yes, drugs themselves are not the problem. Yes, the drug war makes a bad situation worse. We've known this for decades - this is not some startling new revelation like this article tries to suggest.

I think that's a touch cavalier and pretty short slighted.

The science in the article may be nothing new, (particularly to someone as close to it as you claim to be) but this is very revelatory stuff to more traditional/conservative folk who don't tend to travel in these circles. And that's a LOT of people.

If you work with addicts, you should be promoting anything like this article that would promote awareness and possibly public policy (and perception) change. Not condemning it.

Even if it's, *yawn* old news to you.

[Ghostsof1915]