addictive stories
“Life, as we find it, is too hard for us; it brings us too many pains, disappointments and impossible tasks. To bear it, we cannot dispense with palliative measures. There are perhaps three such measures: powerful deflections, which cause us to make light of our misery; substitutive satisfactions, which diminish it; and intoxicating substances, which make us insensitive to it.“
(Freud, 1930, p. 75)
All the substances of abuse, whether they’re stimulants or depressors, are in fact pain killers. Some of them specifically are painkillers. Whether the pain is physical or emotional, the same sector of the brain activates. So when people suffer a personal rejection, the same region of the brain will light up as if they get stabbed.
As Tolle says (2011, p. 152), every addiction arises from an unconscious refusal to face and move through your pain. Every addiction starts with pain and ends with pain. In that sense, all the addictions are attempts to soothe the distress.
Ian B.
Ian B. shared his testimony for Addictive Stories to shed some light on the complexity of the nature of addiction. He has been in recovery for over 3 years.
Eckhart Tolle
The first question when dealing with an addiction is not why the addiction but why the pain. What usually clinical psychologists find is an emotional loss or some trauma. In the case of severe addicts, almost every single one of them are traumatised, emotionally rejected, or neglected. Trauma separates people from themselves; it gives a very negative view of the world, and they act accordingly, defensively, grandiosely and aggressively. Thus, the society responds in the same way, increasing the emotional rejections toward them, causing more psychological pain. The cycle reiterates, and the attempt to get away from suffering, to run far from themselves continues.
addictive stories
Keith Richards, Rolling Stones Guitarist.
According to Wurmser (1974, p. 832), people with addictive disorders are unable to control their undifferentiated feelings, impulses, and pervasive internal stress. So they turn to psychoactive substances to reduce their physical or psychological pain in the form of self-medication.
People distinguished by aggressive tendencies, overflowing emotions, and immature stress-management capacities tend to choose opiates to soothe their pain. Those characterised by suppressed aggression, feelings of emptiness, a tendency to depression, self-evaluation problems, and difficulties with the expression of emotions prefer stimulants (Kun et al. 2010, p. 1133).
DEAN B.
Dean B. shared his testimony for Addictive Stories to shed some light on the complexity of the nature of addiction. He has been in recovery for over 6 years.
substance consumption in Australia 2019
In 2019, 9.0 million (or 43%) people aged 14 and over in Australia had illicitly used a drug at some point in their lifetime (including pharmaceuticals used for non-medical purposes) and 3.4 million (or 16.4%) had used one in the last 12 months.
More people are using multiple drugs at the same time.
At least 8 in 10 people who had used cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy or meth/amphetamines used alcohol at the same time.
National Drug Strategy Household Survey
However, the emergence and development of substance addiction involve biological, social and administration methods. These factors are unlikely to be independent. Instead, interact with one another at different points in the addictive trajectory.
Addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder characterised by a compulsion to seek and take substances, loss of control limiting intake, and the emergence of a negative emotional state (e.g. dysphoria, anxiety, irritability) reflecting a motivational withdrawal syndrome when access to the substance is prevented. Also, the emergence of substance dependence develops adverse effects on the addicts, like giving up social, occupational, or recreational activities because of substance use. Despite the knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem, and negative consequences on many aspects of their life, substance use is continued (Nutt et al. 2018, p. 1).
addictive stories
IAN B.
Why do the people keep doing these harmful things to themselves despite the terrible consequences? Some addicts lose, families, children, wealth, possessions, health, dignity, their life, and still they persist. Addiction can’t be seen as a moral failure or a self-will problem; it is much deeper than that. What do the drugs do for them? What makes the drug so crucial in their life? What is the short term benefits that the addict is seeking?
DEAN B.
Reasons why people first use drugs
Reasons why they continue to use
National Drug Strategy Household Survey
IAN B.
In some cases, self-described addicts feel ”different” from others before developing an addiction. They feel relatively uncomfortable, lonely, restless, or incomplete. In other cases, when first engaging with a substance, it is perceived as highly valued or enjoyable. The initial reaction may be experienced as extremely positive, making it particularly appealing. Whatever the reason to use a substance, all addicts may have in common the capacity to alter the subjective experience of the self.
Once all the addictive behaviours become habits, the addict experience negative feelings like self-delusion, self-seeking and self-pity, conditions that according to Alcoholics Anonymous (2008, p. 62) are the centre of all the troubles for an individual with substance abuse behaviour. The individual becomes self-centred with compulsive behaviours and no controlled cognitive process.
Whatever the initial reason for using, substances of abuse are highly positively reinforcing. They are rewarding, particularly during the initial phases of use, because they induce pleasure. ”Liking” is related to activity in discrete hedonic ”hot spots” within the reward circuitry of the brain.
As the use increases, reinforcement can become more pronounced in response to cues associated with the substance (e.g. people, objects, places). These responses to cues can be greater than the reaction to the substance itself.
Therefore, the ”liking” of the pleasurable effects of substances during the initial stages of use is accompanied by the formation of robust conditioned responses to the substance— cues can trigger the expectation of ensuing pleasure.
DEAN B.
IAN B.
“Addiction is a process of buying into false and empty promises: the false promise of relief, the false promise of emotional security, the false sense of fulfilment, and the false sense of intimacy with the world. . ..Like any other major illness, addiction is an experience that changes people in endless ways. The addictive logic remains deep inside of them and looks for an opportunity to reassert itself.”
addictive stories
Addicts frequently are characterised by two identified mood disorders marked by the disorganisation of emotion regulation: major depression, bipolar disorders. Additionally, from the spectrum of anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder correlates with the use of psychoactive substances (Kun et al. 2010, p. 1132). As explained earlier, the brain rewires, and the wanting despite not liking anymore, combined with the formation of a habit, don’t allow the addict to stop from getting the next dopamine reward. The behaviour is hardcoded in the brain circuits.
On top of the neurobiological change, mood and anxiety disorders correlate with alexithymia, a condition characterised by:
addictive stories
IAN B.
On his Systematic Review of Emotional Intelligence and Addictions, Kun (2010, p. 1133) claims that addicted individuals feel undifferentiated, overflowing negative and painful feelings, and difficulties to express and regulate their emotions Many of these feelings, from early years on life wounds, never healed, never spoken. Sucking in the emotions during all their life creates the painful path that precedes the hallmark of addiction.
On the view of Dr Bob (A. A. founder), alcohol consumption is the last consequence of a series of spiritually harmful living practices. Character defects, such as selfishness, conceit, jealousy, carelessness, intolerance, ill-temper, sarcasm, and resentments, defines alcoholic behaviour (A. A., p. 263). He mentions that the alcoholic must correct these to recover from the mental disease.
Difficulties in decoding emotions can be a risk factor in problematic alcohol and substances use, which then in a vicious circle can have other adverse effects regarding the competencies of identifying emotions.
addictive stories
emotions
feelings in an articulated way
to cease pain by any means
spirituality and mindfulness
May begin to develop following the initial appetitive effects. It involves excessive thoughts about the substance and excessive time spent planning to use it.
Dean B.
Addicts often report feeling compelled towards substance use while sensing in complete control over their behaviour. This appears to implicate decrements in higher-order cognitive functioning, akin to a loss of control. Here, substance-dependent individuals are likely to further engage in substance use to eliminate or reduce the physical and psychological discomfort experienced as a result of chronic addiction behaviour.
addictive stories
Ian B.
just to go through a day of work
addictive stories
Dopamine is a brain chemical necessary for human life, to make us feel curious about something, to give us a sense of vitality and excitement, to make us explore a novel environment. Without dopamine, we are like zombies, no interested in anything. In other words, we are no human beings. All drugs of abuse release dopamine in the brain; particularly the stimulants like cocaine, nicotine caffeine and crystal meth, release dopamine in a significant way.
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) receives information from several other regions that tell it how well various fundamental needs, and more specifically human needs, are being satisfied.
The VTA then forwards this information to another structure further forward in the brain: the nucleus accumbens. To send this information to the nucleus accumbens, the VTA uses a particular chemical messenger: dopamine. The increase in the level of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, and in other brain regions, reinforces the behaviours by which we satisfy our fundamental needs.
These surges in dopamine release resemble and can, in the case of stimulants, greatly surpass the physiological increases triggered by natural rewards like food, water, sex. If you are seeking food, or the expectation of being rewarded by food, that will give you a 50% increase on your dopamine levels. When you are seeking a sexual partner to get a sexual reward, the dopamine level increase on 100%, a shot of cocaine will increase your dopamine levels on a 300%, a shot of crystal meth will shut the levels to 1200% (Brain Development & Addiction with Dr Gabor Mate 2019).
Dopamine levels increase against stimuli
Percentage
Notably, the release of dopamine is not necessary for all forms of reward learning and ”liking”. It may involve just the ”wanting” of a reward. As the addiction grows, development of irrational ”wanting” of substance rewards, at the expense of ”liking’, emerges. The enhanced motivation to procure substances becomes a hallmark of addiction.
Dopamine neurons are activated upon exposure to conditioned stimuli associated with rewards. Since drugs of abuse increase dopamine, they facilitate the consolidation of substance use memories and experiences.
While using stimulants, the brain reacts to the abnormal amounts of dopamine. It start to kill the dopamine receptors in order to handle the large unusual doses produced by the substance use, and that’s when withdrawal comes in, as the brain is incapable of receiving the natural rewards for usual doses. The users become miserable, depressed, tired and irritable because the brain has changed. The brain is now used to unnatural amounts of dopamine and has killed several chemical receptors. Thus, a 50% increase of dopamine produced by a delicious meal, is barely perceived compared to a 1200% shot.
Dean B.
Ian B.
Human beings don’t have as much free will as they think they do, because, for the most part, we are controlled by mechanisms deep in our brain that we are not even conscious. The real problem in addiction is not the free will, is the free won’t. The addict cannot say no, the part of the brain that is supposed to say no (the impulse control on the brains cortex) does not work correctly. There’s no free won’t up there, pain relief habits have reconstructed the reward system.
The attempt to escape from pain is what creates more distress, and that’s the reality of addiction. But how can people be with their suffering? Only if they sense some compassion from somebody.
So addicted people need a compassionate present which will permit them to experience their pain without having to run away from it. People have got to be with that pain, but having some support.
We live in a society that, one way or another is always about instant relief, immediate satisfaction, distraction. We live in a culture based on, both economically and psychologically, not supporting people to be with themselves. There is always a quick getaway. So, it’s complicated to deal with addiction in this society.
Addiction in Australia is one of the country’s most significant problems. Millions of Australians and their families are currently struggling with a range of substance use disorders, the majority of which go untreated.
When you live in an environment that is full of temptation, the best thing you can do is remove yourself from it. It is easier said than done, however. As discovered in this article, drug addiction is a psychological, biological and social issue with a fundamental origin in pain.
Ian B.
Dean B.
Ian B.
If you are suffering from Addiction in Australia, some programs can be your support during this recovery journey. Reach out, get to know the origin of your suffering and find a new way of living towards a healthy future.
Alcoholics Anonymous
1300 222 222
aa.org.au
Narcotics Anonymous
1300 652 820
na.org.au
Headspace
1800 650 890
headspace.org.au
Suicide Call
1300 659 467
suicidecallbackservice.org.au
Emergencies
000
police.vic.gov.au/emergency-response
Click on the button to see the references used on Addictive Stories:
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2015, Mental and Behavioural Conditions, cat. 4364.0.55.001, ABS, viewed 14 September 2020, < https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/lookup/by%20subject/4364.0.55.001~2014-15~main%20features~mental%20and%20behavioural%20conditions~32>.
Alcoholics Anonymous 2008, Alcoholics Anonymous Fourth Edition, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., Australia.
Almaas, A 2000, Diamond Heart Book One: Elements Of The Real Man, Random House US, United States.
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2019, National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, cat. 1006.0, ABS, viewed 14 September 2020, < https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/mental-health/national-survey-mental-health-and-wellbeing-summary-results/latest-release>.
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2019, National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, cat. 1006.0, ABS, viewed 14 September 2020, < https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/mental-health/national-survey-mental-health-and-wellbeing-summary-results/latest-release>.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020, National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2019, AIHW, ISBN: 978-1-76054-697-7.
Brain Development & Addiction with Dr Gabor Mate 2009 [Streaming], Heartspeak Productions, Vancouver.
Kun, B, Demetrovics, Z 2010, ‘Emotional Intelligence and Addictions: A Systematic Review’, Substance Use & Misuse, vol. 45, pp. 1131-1160.
Nakken, C 1996, The Addictive Personality, Hazelden Information & Educational Services, United States.
Nutt, D, Nestor, L 2018, Addiction, Oxford University Press Incorporated, Oxford.
Tolle, E 2011, The Power of Now, Hachette Australia, Australia.
Wurmser, L 1974, ‘Psychoanalytic considerations of the etiology of compulsive drug use’, Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, vol. 22, pp. 820-843.
