Reddit reviews Chasing the Scream: The Opposite of Addiction is Connection
We found 12 Reddit comments about Chasing the Scream: The Opposite of Addiction is Connection. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
We found 12 Reddit comments about Chasing the Scream: The Opposite of Addiction is Connection. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
A book was recommended to me and changed my perspective .. very informative from a historical perspective .. regardless of your position, this is worth a read ..
Chasing The Scream
https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Scream-First-Last-Drugs/dp/1620408902
This is gonna get buried, but I at least feel like I should try. I highly recommend reading the book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs.
In addition to interviewing just about every facet of the war on drugs (from law enforcement to drug dealers, drug kingpins, pedestrians caught in the crossfire, medical professionals, etc), the author dives deep into what really drives addiction in the first place. A lot of research on the psychological side, not the biochemical side, of addiction shows that the chemical component of drugs is just a small factor in actual addiction. While the chemical itself is a hook into an addiction driven lifestyle, it's mostly a lack of stimulus in life, a loss of purpose, lack of love and compassion, or just generally having a hole in life that leads to addiction. Addiction to drugs, sex, video games, etc is simply a convenient method for filling a void with a guaranteed satisfaction that is instantaneous, but short lived.
If you know an addict in your life, it's likely that their addiction to drugs isn't really a desire to continue doing drugs. It's a call for self-fulfillment. Show them love and care, give them the feeling of purpose and desirability. If they are unemployed, help them find a job that they can be passionate about.
This is the first few chapters (and the basis) of the book Chasing the Scream by Johann Hari
Everyone should read it. It was absolutely incredible.
Let's see:
For a wealth of data but a perspective of addiction which actually disagrees with what I say (though they are selective in their interpretation) there's this:
http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674057272
The standard primer on neurobiology of addiction is this:
https://www.amazon.com/Neurobiology-Addiction-George-F-Koob/dp/0124192394/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498869508&sr=8-2&keywords=drugs+koob
For a biopsychosocial perspective, there's this:
https://www.amazon.com/Drugs-Society-Human-Behavior-Carl/dp/0073529745/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1498869548&sr=8-4&keywords=drugs+and+society
By the same author but for a popular audience is this:
https://www.amazon.com/High-Price-Neuroscientists-Self-Discovery-Challenges/dp/0062015893/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498869576&sr=8-1&keywords=carl+hart
Another popular, critical book:
https://www.amazon.com/Realm-Hungry-Ghosts-Encounters-Addiction/dp/155643880X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498869570&sr=8-1&keywords=in+the+realm+of+hungry+ghosts
Another popular take:
https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Scream-First-Last-Drugs/dp/1620408902
For the history of junkies in the us:
https://www.amazon.com/Creating-American-Junkie-Addiction-Research/dp/0801883830/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498869591&sr=8-1&keywords=creating+the+american+junkie
A global one:
https://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Oblivion-Global-History-Narcotics/dp/0393051897/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498869828&sr=8-1&keywords=in+pursuit+of+oblivion
Primer on Harm Reduction:
https://www.amazon.com/Harm-Reduction-Second-Pragmatic-Strategies/dp/1462502563/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498869612&sr=8-2&keywords=harm+reduction
Primer on drugs and drug policy, quite neutral:
https://www.amazon.com/Drugs-Drug-Policy-Everyone-Needs-ebook/dp/B0054ID9UG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498869623&sr=8-1&keywords=drugs+kleiman
A book on the legalization of drugs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0765701510/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Another, economic take, on legalization:
https://www.amazon.com/Drug-War-Crimes-Consequences-Prohibition/dp/0945999909
Sociology of drugs in the US:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199935904/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Psychopharmacology primer intro:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0878935347/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
A criticism of the concept of addiction:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0814747647/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Some more esoteric but interesting stuff on epigenetics, neuroscience etc:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0849373913/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
A great book on the anthropology of drugs (this author also writes a lot of smaller papers too):
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6614135-righteous-dopefiend
It is Not a Rumor.
See Also:
I highly recommend Johann Hari's book "Chasing the scream" about the topic: http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Scream-First-Last-Drugs/dp/1620408902
Johann Hari is the guy from the TED talk and his research was the basis for the video OP posted.
If you're not actually an ill-informed 15 year old, you're certainly playing the part really well. Guess I'm taking the bait.
Browsing through the comments, it seems you're as misinformed as the typical anti-legalization crowd. Unfortunately, the facts are not on your side. Addiction has very little to do with chemical hooks, and very much so to do with the socioeconomic and psychological environment of the addict.
I recommend you start your re-education with this wonderful TED Talk by Johann Hari that does a stellar job of summarizing his excellent book Chasing The Scream.
Next, take a look at the statistics from Portugal who legalized all drugs in 2001 and redirected public funds formerly used to track down, prosecute, and punish non-violent drug users to instead rehabilitate, reform, and reintroduce addicts into productive society. The numbers just don't lie.
Finally, use your common sense. If these substances really were chemical menaces that take over the minds of everyone who touches them, then why didn't the war on drugs succeed? Why, instead, has it been a catastrophic failure? The logic is simple: Addiction is a reaction to uncomfortable life circumstances and can't simply be snuffed out by eliminating supply. If this weren't true, we'd have droves of heroin addicts exiting hospitals every year. As Johann Hari points out in the above linked talk, ordinary people are pumped full of morphine during surgeries in hospitals around the world. Why don't they stumble out as junkies? Because they have happy productive lives to return to. They have no need for the drug. The powerful "chemical hooks" in opiates don't take control of their minds. Instead, they readjust to life after the surgery by weaning themselves off painkillers and continuing on as if nothing had happened.
If you really are an ENTP, do yourself a favor and follow the evidence. Don't bat down opposing arguments with logical fallacies and poor reasoning. You might just learn something.
Happy Holidays :D
There is a book if you are interested, I just bought it:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1620408902?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Chasing the Scream is a new book about addiction and it's very good: http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Scream-First-Last-Drugs/dp/1620408902/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Scream-First-Last-Drugs/dp/1620408902
https://youtu.be/Ptokjgt2j3Y
https://youtu.be/ao8L-0nSYzg
https://youtu.be/ATaSk7NzXLc
https://youtu.be/wJUXLqNHCaI
https://youtu.be/pROfg1vOp4w
Some easily digestible bits from educational sources
I'm guessing that book would have a lot more info.
Here's a link to it if you're interested.
The 'addictive drug' line of thought is rather outdated though. Rat park and solders that have come back after consuming massive amounts of drugs have shown that it's not the drug, it's the issue. The drug is just a way of self-medicating.
If you haven't read it you might enjoy Chasing the Scream.