Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

[Determinator]

haven't read it yet, but bought the copy today. I'ts the cover feature.

FYI.

[nancy]

Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

online viewing

I just read it online. Very interesting.

Thanks for telling us.

[Determinator]

Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

online? aw crap, I just paid 5 bucks for the mag...oh well. it's looks pretty through and detailed...not just the cursory glossing over a "forbidden subject". finally maybe society can knock it off with the horrible stigma attached to this desease!?!?!

[Breez]

Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

Thanks Deter (& Nancy).

[hablur]

Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

Thanks guys for the article. I just finished reading it and found it very interesting. Not to make excuses for myself but it sure does make it sound like it is far more of a medical issue than I ever thought it was.

There is still so much stigma about being involved with drink (I still have a terrible problem with the label alcoholic) and society just throws you away. If someone finds out you have a problem then you are immediately considered scum and might as well be a leper in the town square in the middle ages.

I think at this moment in time people are a little more accepting if you have depression or ADHD or something like that. If you have schizophrenia or bi-polar you are shunned. If you have drink issues or drug issues you are just a loser that will steal and cheat and cant be a good person. Maybe that is true for some folks but I seriously doubt it is true for a lot of us out there.

I once had a teacher say that ten percent of the population is usually the ones that cause problems, the ones that are the bullies, the rude, obnoxious, thieving, etc... and I imagine that of the folks that use drink and drugs that the 10% rule also is true. Of all the folks I have met here so many of you sound like really wonderful and caring folks. I imagine though that many of us are very reserved about who we tell our problems too though? The only folks that know are you all (of course) my wife, my mom, my PDoc, my therapist, and of course me

In many ways I wish I could be more open about this so I could get support from all those around me but the stigma would sink my career, which is going stellar, ruin all my working relationships, and likely damage most of my regular friendships. I guess the only thing we can do is count on is articles like this Time one to educate the general populace. Until the time when they actually have some medical treatment that goes beyond Campral, Topamax, etc, and is far more effective, I do not think that society as a whole will accept the fact that it really is a medical condition.

[Roberta Jewell]

Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

Thanks guys.

This is an excellent article. You'll find it here.

RJ

[beatle]

Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

I thought it missed out on a lot of the ideas about chemical imbalances (and rebalancing them) that both MWO and Seven Weeks to Sobriety emphasize and specifically address.

[lushy]

Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

Really? I thought it addressed quite a lot about the imbalances, particularly the lack of GABA. I found it to be a fascinating article. Thanks for posting RJ!!

[chrysa]

Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

Thank you very much RJ!!

[Determinatrix]

Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

This article is enlightening.

* The statement that women progress more rapidly to alcohol then men: this could explain why the men feel so outnumbered on this site!

* The 90 day time frame for re-engaging proper decision-making: this makes the success of those of you who have made it thru the difficult 90 days even more significant. You all are working your arses off.

* Also fascinating was the analogy of Pavlovs dog: the sound of clinking glasses contributes to the process of yearning for alcohol. It's a lot of little signals and reinforcements.

Great article!
Dx

[nancy]

Time Magazine Article on Addiction July 16

Hablur: I agree with what you wrote. I think it is unacceptable to be an alcoholic (though some people are compassionate) and I don't blame you for not telling too many people. Though, for many of us, who have had public experiences, the cat is out of the bag without a word! I think probably you are right, that people are more accepting of depression, but not bipolar. I have a lot of empathy for people who have any kind of mental illness.

I think this story sheds light on the medical issues. But as is the case with depression, there are more complex psychological factors at play. Antidepressants working on serotonin only tell part of the story with depression and I imagine the same will be true with addiction (the biology and medication issues tell part of the story).

Despite the lack of acceptance, addiction seems pretty common. If you look at your wider circle of friends and family, work, you see a variety of addictions.

Thanks for posting it RJ. I still want the hard copy to see the charts and have it all sink in in a way that doesn't happen for me with online reading.