Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Answers
Alright, it has come to my attention recently that the world is encased in addictions. My question is, what is the draw? Why do people become addicted to tobacco, alcohol and sex. It has to be more than the obvious stimulants that attract people. I am asking this question in all honesty, coming from a close minded christian home. I understand that once a person is hooked it is a chemical fight inside of them. Or is it our sinful nature that screws us over? Are all addicts just weak willed people? I really can't get my head around this, maybe it's just because I get my high from the Most High.
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5 comments:
You need to work on your grammar. I don't know that it is something that can be easily explained. I think you will also find that a lot of what you are talking about is not "addiction" as defined by the medical community. Wikipedia states: "Addictions can form for any rewarding behavior, or as a habitual means to avoid undesired activity." So if you feel cool whilst smoking in the alley, you train yourself that smoking will make you feel like you feel when you are cool. Sex leads to orgasm. (reward) Pornography can pass time when you are bored. (avoiding boredom) Alcohol can desensitize you. (avoiding the world) Yet even these are too simple. Addiction happens when habits (formed from above) lead to release of pleasure chemicals which one craves and will pursue the activity to release the chemicals. (endorphins) Check out Addiction and it's various kinds (alcohol, sexual, etc etc) on wikipedia for more insight.
Also I should add that often things that you are referring to (starts with a g and rhymes with bus?) may be habits, not addiction.
ya i kinda agree with sam's last point about the habbits. Like john started smoking again even after he said he quit, I dont know what his girlfriend says about it. i've tried it and its not for me, I dont get anything out of it. Sure i might smoke a cigar on grad, but i blame that on james bond, he makes me do everything. (no i havent had a vodka martini) But hey i might, but not to get drunk, just to say "i drank bond's drink". I'm kinda stupid in that way, movies really influence me.
No one sets out to become an addict. No one plans a life controlling problem. You lose your ability to cope or grieve and you self-medicate... you shop, or you gamble, you drink, or you kiss girls. It makes no difference. All you know is that you feel better. Something makes you feel more joy than God alone does.
After that, you want to do it again... to feel better. After a few times, a chemical process in the brain takes over and your bad habit becomes an addiction. It takes a lot of retraining of your mind and behaviour to break the bondage of alcoholism, nicotine, drugs, sex, etc.
Yes, the Jesus high is great, but just yesterday you warned us to be prepared to get depressed over the world's depravity. What will you do with that feeling of no control... that feeling of watching the ills and depravity all around you? The Jesus high is not a realistic state of mind.
As Christians, our maturity depends on being able to receive the good and the bad in this life, knowing that we are here, called for a purpose, and, that is, to fulfill the Great Commission.
I do this by spending my time on the Canadians who are the most in need--the least, the last, and the lost. One thing I learned in Bible College that stuck with me: Don't spend your life doing something a non Christian could do just as well as you could.
Stepping off soapbox now.
In response to Michelle's comment: Thank you for the honest response. You are completely correct in saying that the high is not a realistic state. I did not intend to mean that I am dependent on the Jesus high, if that was all our faith offered we'd be sunk. I hope I did not offend you with the way I worded the post, my intent was to get some honest answers.
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