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I'm Just a Middle-Aged House Dad Addicted to Pot

nytimes.com

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Re: I'm Just a Middle-Aged House Dad Addicted to Pot

#61

Post by Gatsky »

Nursie wrote: post #59
Gatsky wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes it's hard to generalise of course. But the (lack of) success of quit smoking interventions should tell you that it is different to what is described here. I don't think it is irrelevant. The point is about how to help someone. Trying to get someone with a physiological addiction to realise the error of their ways is futile, like telling someone to unbreak their leg.

> But the (lack of) success of quit smoking interventions should tell you that it is different to what is described here. It might tell you that it is quantitively different, but not necessarily that it's qualitatively different. > Trying to get someone with a physiological addiction to realise the error of their ways is futile, like telling someone to unbreak their leg. I think your understanding of addiction is pro…

It isn’t necessarily black and white. Gambling has a physiological component. Dopamine agonists can cause compulsive gambling in people that never cared to gamble in their lives, due to purely biochemical alterations in reward pathways. I don’t hope to define psychological addiction as you put it. The distinction to me lies between physiological addictions and other compulsive habitual behaviours. Examples of the latter include things which are clearly not addictions, eg cracking your knuckles, checking you turned off the stove 5 times. Marijuana doesn’t have a big physiological component in general. As always, some people quite happily perform behaviours habitually but are not addicted (eg some smokers).

Re: I'm Just a Middle-Aged House Dad Addicted to Pot

#62

Post by xelxebar »

anigbrowl wrote: post #8

Actually, you're an asshole who likes pot and uses it as an excuse to behave badly. My drug use history reads like War and Peace and I don't have any aggressive or obnoxious episodes that I feel terrible about because I always considered that no matter what strange thing I put in my body I was responsible for for my own behavior, inebriated or not. This person needs help, and the first thing they need to do is take r…

> ... the first thing they need to do is take responsibility for who they are.

Actually, you might want to look in the mirror a bit, buddy.

I'd have agreed with your sentiment in the past, but now it reads as pretty self-righteous. Defining a person by some subset of their behavior is a specific, moral judgement not a factual description.

For a lot of people experiencing depression, it's exactly the kind of 'advice' that's likely to ramp up feelings of worthlessness and suicidal thoughts.

Personally, I find it more empathic and relevant to affirm the person and judge the consequences of an action.

Re: I'm Just a Middle-Aged House Dad Addicted to Pot

#63

Post by torpilla »

Addiction is highly correlated with depression and is a symptom of loosing connection with something important in one's life. It is a from of escape form this life because missing that connection is too painful. https://thelostconnections.com/ Here are some of the connections we need so that we are not tempted by surrogates: - connection with others, our tribe, people we can confess with when needed, who we can 'share ourselves' with - connection with meaningful work - a healthy value system that is not overly materialistic - being driven by inner purposes rather than outer ones - connection with our own subconscious fears and desires - having hope in the future - etc

Re: I'm Just a Middle-Aged House Dad Addicted to Pot

#64

Post by simonsarris »

shittyadmin wrote: post #48
root_axis wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many of the best engineers I've worked with are daily pot smokers, including my former boss who currently runs a team at Facebook.

Yeah, I think the key word in the parents post is "high school"... studies have shown people who start early have far more issues than functioning adults.

To back this up:

http://m.pnas.org/content/109/40/E2657.abstract

Persistent cannabis users show neuropsychological decline from childhood to midlife

Re: I'm Just a Middle-Aged House Dad Addicted to Pot

#65

Post by screye »

I am all for legalizing marijuana, but the extent to which it appears to be infiltrating the this generations culture is a bit disturbing.

I have seen all too many people who seem to find an identity in pot. All activities and games they play are centered around pot.

Much like alcohol, but it is even harder to participate if you are not one of them. At least with alcohol, I can grab my cider, pretend to also be drinking 'hard liquor' and be a part of the event. Also, alcohol parties always need a couple of sober people as nannys. (This is specific to college aged people)

With pot heads, even if I don't partake in smoking, I am going to come out smelling of weed and inhaling 2nd hand smoke. At least pot heads have good taste in music.

In conclusion, as legal restrictions to marijuana are lifted, now would be a great time to put the role of marijuana in the societal context under scrutiny. It isn't as bad as alcohol, but it isn't as innocuous as some would like us to believe either.

Re: I'm Just a Middle-Aged House Dad Addicted to Pot

#67

Post by fipple »

root_axis wrote: post #42
fipple wrote: post #10

I saw multiple of my most talented high school friends lose their spark to pot. They’ve now made about 2 years of progress in 20 years’ time.

Many of the best engineers I've worked with are daily pot smokers, including my former boss who currently runs a team at Facebook.

I didn’t say all pot smokers fail.

Re: I'm Just a Middle-Aged House Dad Addicted to Pot

#68

Post by pinzhed »

People really love the word addiction. It’s like a safety blanket that keeps you from having to feel responsible for your own behavior. There are sex addicts, porn addicts, and food addicts, among others.

More than likely there is just an underlying mental health issue with poor impulse control and behavioral manifestations.

Re: I'm Just a Middle-Aged House Dad Addicted to Pot

#69

Post by antisthenes »

paavoova wrote: post #12

Marijuana is pure Soma. The people pushing, fighting for legalization are digging their own grave in one form or another, especially as far as sentiments of freedom are concerned - the government wins one way or another. You cannot argue against sobriety without appealing to inherent weaknesses of human nature. That alone speaks volumes in regards to the value of this drug.

It's as close to Soma as we're going to get this century.
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