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I'm an addict

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Re: I'm an addict

#211

Post by tommit »

noobker wrote: post #200
supernihil wrote: post #160

I dont like the idea of replacing the time spend compulsively procrastinating with "learning a new language, getting a pet, going to the gym" is the right way. I see the root cause (for me atleast (used to read HN and blogs for 4 hours everyday)) is that i cant stand being with myself. During the last two months ive been trying to not panic when i'm idle. And not take out my phone or read the nearest material i can l…

> I hold unto my right as a mammal to be inefficient and sit drooling looking at trees here, here!

Quick question: we have a similar (the same?) exclamation in German, it's "hört, hört!" which would be translated to "hear, hear!", not "here, here!". Is it actually "here, here!" in English or it possible you've just mistaken the words after having only heard them?

Re: I'm an addict

#212

Post by pixl97 »

mantas wrote: post #111
paulryanrogers wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing quite like fear of eternal damnation to motivate oneself.

The problem is that many people otherwise don't have motivation. Why strive for anything? Especially when the very bare minimum for survival is already covered by community.

It may be hard to accept that the universe exists for no reason at all. You can fall in to a nihilistic trap where nothing matters. Or you can fall into a fantasy trap and say it matters for reasons that are not true.

I would rather follow a more humanistic path, that we define our own existence, and that we should attempt to minimize our own suffering.

Re: I'm an addict

#213

Post by jamal-kumar »

FeepingCreature wrote: post #29
michalstanko wrote: post #14

It scares me how much this reminds me of myself. I don't know how I was able to keep my job (and keep the roof over my family's heads) with my habit of not being able to concentrate on work at all because the minute I need to think a bit harder I immediately switch to reading news, HN or watching YouTube, only to finish my work late in the evening to save my ass (on good days).

High BPM music does it for me.

Same, or mostly just mixes that go on for an hour or two which I can put on so I don't end up distracted clicking through tracks and discovering shit I want to get. I also have to remind myself to set time aside for checking tracklists on tracks.

Helps I got a side gig playing music haha but my bookmarks on that are gargantuan. The dancehall reggae section alone is massive. I never listen to that and get stuff done, really the best concentration music for me doesn't matter the BPM it just has to be mostly free of lyrical content. So work music is mostly electronic or classical.

What are you listening to that's high BPM for work? That hard techno shit out of Europe lately is a lot of fun, Anetha is incredible [1]

[1] https://youtu.be/qVRj8-t4PwI

Re: I'm an addict

#214

Post by probablyfiction »

There is increasing awareness that addiction and procrastination [1] are not indicative of laziness. Human beings are great at protecting their emotional core because it's essential to basic functioning. Addiction seems similar. Addicts seem to be attempting to escape something too (subjectively) difficult to face [2][3]. In my opinion it's often due to unresolved trauma.

When we don't have the emotional tools to resolve trauma from our past, we resort to coping mechanisms. While I'm not a therapist, I've had to deal with my fair share of trauma and have come to learn a lot about how trauma affects us and the way we deal (or fail to deal) with our day-to-day struggles.

1. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-pr... 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park 3. https://nida.nih.gov/about-nida/noras-blog/2018/10/new-nida-...

Re: I'm an addict

#215

Post by Veen »

HideousKojima wrote: post #113
seti0Cha wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's only true on the folk-religion side of things. I can't speak to other faiths, but serious Christian thought has always engaged with doubt.

One of the most famous examples being C.S. Lewis himself, his book A Grief Observed (written after his wife passed) being one of the most clear examples of it. On a slightly related note, there's an excellent film adaptation about C.S. Lewis's relationship with his wife called Shadowlands , starring Anthony Hopkins. Amazing that the man who played Hannibal Lecter could also portray the most famous Christian thinker o…

I'll second that recommendation. Shadowlands is a superb film. It's very much worth watching even if you have little sympathy with Lewis's religious views.

Re: I'm an addict

#216

Post by misiti3780 »

tonyarkles wrote: post #182
misiti3780 wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

christianity is most certainly not the solution, therapy is

I’m going to start by absolutely agreeing with you on the second half: I have had direct personal contact with a number of addicts over the years, and in virtually all cases it started (and generally continued to be) as a way to escape or numb some kind of unaddressed trauma or other emotional pain. Victims of (childhood or adult) abuse, parental rejection for whatever reason, etc. Additionally, people who I wouldn’t…

I have many family and friends that are christians, and was raised christian. It's a full fledged government-subsidized cult, maybe a benign cult, but a cult nonetheless.

Re: I'm an addict

#217

Post by fipar »

bitexploder wrote: post #210
fipar wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm an atheist, yet I don't think science can answer why we exist and what is the meaning of life. I think those questions are syntactically valid but semantically invalid. We kind of (in the 'broad strokes' you say) think ( ) we know how we got here, how life got started, etc. But why? How do you know that? It's an honest question because, again, I don't think that question makes sense so I'd love to know your take…

A fair response to my blithe and confident answer. In general, though, we have figured enough out to understand our origin well enough to rule out religious theories in our existence. To reduce things the way you did is a denial of progress at some level, while couching it in caution against trusting science too far. Our first bridges sucked, now they are better. Our first stabs at cosmology were not much better than…

We agree on the meaning then! :) This reminded me of the intro to “A universe from nothing”, where the author says (paraphrasing) “why is there life is the wrong question, but we can try to answer how is there life?”

Re: I'm an addict

#218

Post by elteto »

aahortwwy wrote: post #175
Jaruzel wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I recommend religion and religious teachings which address this and many other daily worldly issues perfectly. This advice simply doesn't work if the recipient is an atheist. To me, Religious texts are made up fiction that hold no more meaning in my world view than Harry Potter or Game of Thrones. If you read enough fiction on a shared topic, you'll be able to pull the same number of 'enlightening' quotes from thos…

You really don't see the difference between popular fiction and cultural texts that have survived for thousands of years? How do you feel about The Iliad, Plato's dialogues, the Mahabharata, Tao Te Ching, or the Epic of Gilgamesh? Do they also offer "no more meaning in your world" than modern fantasy novels? I didn't think being an atheist meant closing ones mind to human culture. Guess I've been doing it wrong.

None of these are religious texts (as in, the Bible, the Koran, etc) . What are you talking about?

Re: I'm an addict

#219

Post by r_c_a_d »

SnowHill9902 wrote: post #23

Knowing that HN is generally against it, I say it anyway: I recommend religion and religious teachings which address this and many other daily worldly issues perfectly. Christianity and Judaism both have excellent resources. Religious scholars have actually been the best psychologists but are generally dismissed by non-believers. Edit: for those asking for specific recommendations. It’s always best to find your own p…

And for atheists like me, you can still learn a lot from religions. I got a lot out of Alain de Botton's "Religion for Atheists" https://www.librarything.com/work/11370617/book/89008159

Re: I'm an addict

#220

Post by confidantlake »

_gabe_ wrote: post #112
kanonieer wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have no issues with religious people. I do however have issues with "missionary" types popping up around people who are vulnerable, trying to convince them with completely baseless claims of wellness.

Considering the vast majority of people who have overcome addictions with the help of religion and a religious community, "completely baseless claims of wellness" is pretty exaggerated no?

Any citation on the vast majority of people who have overcome convictions have done it with religion? I don't think court ordered AA really counts.
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