The likely cause of addiction has been discovered, and it's likely not what you think

[Original_Intent]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-ha ... 06936.html

Yeah, it is the Huffington Post, not the best source in the world, but definitely worth reading and pondering.

The rats with good lives didn’t like the drugged water. They mostly shunned it, consuming less than a quarter of the drugs the isolated rats used. None of them died. While all the rats who were alone and unhappy became heavy users, none of the rats who had a happy environment did.

and

This gives us an insight that goes much deeper than the need to understand addicts. Professor Peter Cohen argues that human beings have a deep need to bond and form connections. It’s how we get our satisfaction. If we can’t connect with each other, we will connect with anything we can find — the whirr of a roulette wheel or the prick of a syringe. He says we should stop talking about ‘addiction’ altogether, and instead call it ‘bonding.’ A heroin addict has bonded with heroin because she couldn’t bond as fully with anything else.

So the opposite of addiction is not sobriety. It is human connection.

[David13]

Pure unadulterated bunk.

Your alcoholics, your addicts are some of the most sociable people, and have some of the most advanced and developed social skills of anyone.
The dopers themselves say that you can drop them into any city in the USA and within a few hours they will have their drugs. They have the skills with which to find and obtain the drugs.
Many of your alcoholics and addicts are over achievers, a very high percentage. For one thing, drugs and alcohol cost money. And again they are the ones with the social skills to be able to find and afford them.
dc

[Ezra]

Pure unadulterated bunk.

Your alcoholics, your addicts are some of the most sociable people, and have some of the most advanced and developed social skills of anyone.
The dopers themselves say that you can drop them into any city in the USA and within a few hours they will have their drugs. They have the skills with which to find and obtain the drugs.
Many of your alcoholics and addicts are over achievers, a very high percentage. For one thing, drugs and alcohol cost money. And again they are the ones with the social skills to be able to find and afford them.
dc

Social skills don't = happiness.

People turn to drugs, alcohol, computer,sports,tattoos and all sorts of other things because they are unhappy. You don't like the term human connections. And I don't think it really does it justice either. True Happiness I feel is a better term to describe what is the opposite of addiction and distractions.

[Original_Intent]

Pure unadulterated bunk. <--- Pure opinion. the article actually provided some evidence. Thanks for playing,

Your alcoholics, your addicts are some of the most sociable people, and have some of the most advanced and developed social skills of anyone.
The dopers themselves say that you can drop them into any city in the USA and within a few hours they will have their drugs. They have the skills with which to find and obtain the drugs. Social skills do not equal meaningful connection. You must enjoy feeling that you are made of finer clay than your brothers and sisters.
Many of your alcoholics and addicts are over achievers, a very high percentage. For one thing, drugs and alcohol cost money. And again they are the ones with the social skills to be able to find and afford them. Again, being an over achiever has little to nothing to do with feeling fulfilled - in many cases I am sure they become over-achievers hoping it will give meaning to life. Do you even read articles, do you seek comprehension, or do you just enjoy venting your spleen and basking in the glow of your own superiority?
dc

Great response. 8-|

[David13]

Pure unadulterated bunk. <--- Pure opinion. the article actually provided some evidence. Thanks for playing,

Your alcoholics, your addicts are some of the most sociable people, and have some of the most advanced and developed social skills of anyone.
The dopers themselves say that you can drop them into any city in the USA and within a few hours they will have their drugs. They have the skills with which to find and obtain the drugs. Social skills do not equal meaningful connection. You must enjoy feeling that you are made of finer clay than your brothers and sisters.
Many of your alcoholics and addicts are over achievers, a very high percentage. For one thing, drugs and alcohol cost money. And again they are the ones with the social skills to be able to find and afford them. Again, being an over achiever has little to nothing to do with feeling fulfilled - in many cases I am sure they become over-achievers hoping it will give meaning to life. Do you even read articles, do you seek comprehension, or do you just enjoy venting your spleen and basking in the glow of your own superiority?
dc

Great response. 8-|

Well, it seems to me that you have identified yourself and this ridiculous article with superiority to me. Having worked in the filed for more than 30 years I know something about it. And that's why this is just pure bunk.

I guess either you have some weird type of inferiority complex or you don't understand that there is a difference between truth and hocus pocus "science". I don't know if you also happened to notice but there is a slight difference between rats and humans. In most cases, anyway.
dc

[David13]

Pure unadulterated bunk.

Your alcoholics, your addicts are some of the most sociable people, and have some of the most advanced and developed social skills of anyone.
The dopers themselves say that you can drop them into any city in the USA and within a few hours they will have their drugs. They have the skills with which to find and obtain the drugs.
Many of your alcoholics and addicts are over achievers, a very high percentage. For one thing, drugs and alcohol cost money. And again they are the ones with the social skills to be able to find and afford them.
dc

Social skills don't = happiness.

People turn to drugs, alcohol, computer,sports,tattoos and all sorts of other things because they are unhappy. You don't like the term human connections. And I don't think it really does it justice either. True Happiness I feel is a better term to describe what is the opposite of addiction and distractions.

I think you are using the term happiness in a way that many misuse it.
Happiness is not a goal in and of itself. If you try that, you will never be happy, though you may project a happy attitude. Whether or not you use drugs or abuse alcohol is a different matter.
True happiness comes from setting and accomplishing goals.
dc

[Ezra]

Pure unadulterated bunk.

Your alcoholics, your addicts are some of the most sociable people, and have some of the most advanced and developed social skills of anyone.
The dopers themselves say that you can drop them into any city in the USA and within a few hours they will have their drugs. They have the skills with which to find and obtain the drugs.
Many of your alcoholics and addicts are over achievers, a very high percentage. For one thing, drugs and alcohol cost money. And again they are the ones with the social skills to be able to find and afford them.
dc

Social skills don't = happiness.

People turn to drugs, alcohol, computer,sports,tattoos and all sorts of other things because they are unhappy. You don't like the term human connections. And I don't think it really does it justice either. True Happiness I feel is a better term to describe what is the opposite of addiction and distractions.

I think you are using the term happiness in a way that many misuse it.
Happiness is not a goal in and of itself. If you try that, you will never be happy, though you may project a happy attitude. Whether or not you use drugs or abuse alcohol is a different matter.
True happiness comes from setting and accomplishing goals.
dc

I agree and disagree. Setting and accomplishing goals can bring about true happiness but it's not what happiness is. And you can set happiness as a goal and it is attainable.

There is no way to attain true happiness from anything external. True happiness only comes through internal thinking or disposition. It's not something you can pretend or project. But it most definitely is something that you can set as a goal.

It's thinking correctly that brings about true happiness. Getting rid of the worldly thoughts and desires. I have heard it said that the key to happiness isant having more it's wanting less and I agree.

Worldly thinking and desires is the cause of most people unhappiness. It causes people to view the world with colored goggles. They then Make unjust and incorrect judgement of themselfs others and the world. And anytime people don't see the world they live in in a correct light. They suffer They struggle they are unhappy.

[Onsdag]

Pure unadulterated bunk. <--- Pure opinion. the article actually provided some evidence. Thanks for playing,

Your alcoholics, your addicts are some of the most sociable people, and have some of the most advanced and developed social skills of anyone.
The dopers themselves say that you can drop them into any city in the USA and within a few hours they will have their drugs. They have the skills with which to find and obtain the drugs. Social skills do not equal meaningful connection. You must enjoy feeling that you are made of finer clay than your brothers and sisters.
Many of your alcoholics and addicts are over achievers, a very high percentage. For one thing, drugs and alcohol cost money. And again they are the ones with the social skills to be able to find and afford them. Again, being an over achiever has little to nothing to do with feeling fulfilled - in many cases I am sure they become over-achievers hoping it will give meaning to life. Do you even read articles, do you seek comprehension, or do you just enjoy venting your spleen and basking in the glow of your own superiority?
dc

Great response. 8-|

Well, it seems to me that you have identified yourself and this ridiculous article with superiority to me.

Coming into this discussion as a neutral observer I have to agree with David here and say you shot yourself in the foot with that snarky and callous reply OI. I read everyone's posts and had no issues with anything until I read yours. I believe David posted a reasonable argument discussing his point of view - a view, by the way I don't even agree with since many of the addicts I know of are rather anti-social and have the worst social skills I have ever had the displeasure of witnessing. These people get their fixes not by charming or persuading people to give them what they seek, but rather by simply stealing or taking it at whatever the cost even if it means hurting and abusing others in the process. There are of course exceptions to this, but by and large this has been my experience. You then came in with a rebuttal that did little to address his points and instead accused him of pride, ignorance, and a superiority complex using rather colorful language (that is a pretty shade of green, by the way) that seemed more descriptive of how you were addressing him than anything he had said or done to that point. But what do I know - I'm probably just "venting [my] spleen and basking in the glow of [my] own superiority" as well. [-(

[Finrock]

Pure unadulterated bunk.

Your alcoholics, your addicts are some of the most sociable people, and have some of the most advanced and developed social skills of anyone.
The dopers themselves say that you can drop them into any city in the USA and within a few hours they will have their drugs. They have the skills with which to find and obtain the drugs.
Many of your alcoholics and addicts are over achievers, a very high percentage. For one thing, drugs and alcohol cost money. And again they are the ones with the social skills to be able to find and afford them.
dc

Right, having the skills and the ability to get their drugs does not equal healthy bonding and human connection. It's like a narcissist being really good at acting like they care so that they can get what they want, but inside they have no true connections or bonding with other people.

Please provide the data that proves your assertion that many alcoholics and addicts are over achievers.

Having social skills does not equal healthy human relationships, intimate connections, and bonds.

I'm a recovering addict and work with other addicts to help them overcome their addictions. All addicts have one thing in common. In fact, this applies to all humans. There is a void inside each of us that needs to be filled. If this void isn't filled with love, light, and goodness, such as healthy human relationships, connections, and bonds with family and friends, or with God, then we try to fill it with something else, such as drugs, alcohol and various other addictions of all sorts.

-Finrock

[Finrock]

Pure unadulterated bunk.

Your alcoholics, your addicts are some of the most sociable people, and have some of the most advanced and developed social skills of anyone.
The dopers themselves say that you can drop them into any city in the USA and within a few hours they will have their drugs. They have the skills with which to find and obtain the drugs.
Many of your alcoholics and addicts are over achievers, a very high percentage. For one thing, drugs and alcohol cost money. And again they are the ones with the social skills to be able to find and afford them.
dc

Social skills don't = happiness.

People turn to drugs, alcohol, computer,sports,tattoos and all sorts of other things because they are unhappy. You don't like the term human connections. And I don't think it really does it justice either. True Happiness I feel is a better term to describe what is the opposite of addiction and distractions.

I think you are using the term happiness in a way that many misuse it.
Happiness is not a goal in and of itself. If you try that, you will never be happy, though you may project a happy attitude. Whether or not you use drugs or abuse alcohol is a different matter.
True happiness comes from setting and accomplishing goals.
dc

There is a way of happiness. That is why there is a plan of happiness.

You can live "after the manner of happiness" (2 Nephi 5:27). Happiness is most likely to be achieved in life when your life is based upon the gospel of Jesus Christ (Family Proclamation). Not just in word, but in deed.

41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

In 4 Nephi, there never was a happier people, because they had become one. In other words, they had wonderful relationships, bonds, and connections with each other:

15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.
17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.
18 And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings; yea, even they were blessed and prospered until an hundred and ten years had passed away; and the first generation from Christ had passed away, and there was no contention in all the land.

-Finrock