psychology of addiction
Addiction:
“the number one health problem in America” the most common psychiatric problem on the planet
In the past, the focus of treatment was on the absence of the treatment, but now it is on moderation.
Reasons of using substances: to aid religious practices to explore the self to alter moods to treat disease to promote and enhance social interaction sharing drugs can be intimate like sharing food/coffee, etc. to enhance sensory experience and pleasure to stimulate artistic creativity
Coleridge and Opium Dream
Huichol Indians and Peyote
Diego Rivera and marijuana
Jackson Pollock and alcohol substances like alcohol stimulate creativity, but in time, it destroys creativity when the dependence on substance becomes stronger, and the ability to create without the help of substances to improve physical performance
i.e. alcohol, amphetamines to rebel drugs are surrounded wi7th taboos and invite rebellious behavior to go along with the crowd to establish an identity
Andrew Weil, MD human beings have an innate need for altered states of consciousness inborn need for varying one’s conscious experience we attempt to eliminate this need and personal expressions of this need, but we are doomed to perpetual failure our society suffers, because people fail to recognize this need there are ways to achieve an altered state, but drugs are fast and powerful.
Weil’s strategy learn how to get high without hurting anyone/self or spending a lot of time/money develop techniques so you can do it when needed/desired meditation, prayer, communing with nature, music, art people who use such healthy ways report that their high experience get better over time while substance abusers’ experience get worse.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) people do drugs, because: to feel good euphoria, power, self-confidence, increased energy to feel better lessen anxiety, stress, depression to do better enhance athletic/cognitive
“the number one health problem in America” the most common psychiatric problem on the planet
In the past, the focus of treatment was on the absence of the treatment, but now it is on moderation.
Reasons of using substances: to aid religious practices to explore the self to alter moods to treat disease to promote and enhance social interaction sharing drugs can be intimate like sharing food/coffee, etc. to enhance sensory experience and pleasure to stimulate artistic creativity
Coleridge and Opium Dream
Huichol Indians and Peyote
Diego Rivera and marijuana
Jackson Pollock and alcohol substances like alcohol stimulate creativity, but in time, it destroys creativity when the dependence on substance becomes stronger, and the ability to create without the help of substances to improve physical performance
i.e. alcohol, amphetamines to rebel drugs are surrounded wi7th taboos and invite rebellious behavior to go along with the crowd to establish an identity
Andrew Weil, MD human beings have an innate need for altered states of consciousness inborn need for varying one’s conscious experience we attempt to eliminate this need and personal expressions of this need, but we are doomed to perpetual failure our society suffers, because people fail to recognize this need there are ways to achieve an altered state, but drugs are fast and powerful.
Weil’s strategy learn how to get high without hurting anyone/self or spending a lot of time/money develop techniques so you can do it when needed/desired meditation, prayer, communing with nature, music, art people who use such healthy ways report that their high experience get better over time while substance abusers’ experience get worse.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) people do drugs, because: to feel good euphoria, power, self-confidence, increased energy to feel better lessen anxiety, stress, depression to do better enhance athletic/cognitive