The Power of Addiction and the Addiction of Power

The Power of Addiction and the Addiction of Power

What stood out to you in the talks you watched? What are your thoughts or opinions about the talks and the speaker’s premise about addiction? What does the talk say about the contributing factors to addiction? What is your opinion on the speaker’s perspective?

The TED talk by physician Gabor Maté was very interesting, and several things stood out to me. One of the arguments that stood out was on the causes of addiction, which did not arise from the addictive quality of the substances used but from the state of the user in terms of the pain they felt, trauma, and other individual traits. My opinion on Gabor’s talk is that the premises made on addiction are substantiated as numerous examples are given to support the premises. According to the talk, the contributing factors to addiction include childhood trauma, which interferes with typical brain development, and consequently, using substances enables users to feel normal as though they got something that they had always needed but was missing, in addition to pain which leads users to use substances to escape from the pain they feel as they lose the sense of self while on substances. I agree with Gabor’s perspective on addiction: people are always looking to compensate for something missing in the substances they abuse. For instance, a person may become an alcohol addict from constantly drinking to escape the loneliness they feel.

Have you or anyone you know been addicted to anything? How has it affected their (your) life? Have they (you) attempted some aspect of recovery from addiction? What do you think contributed to successful or unsuccessful recovery?

I know of a person who was addicted to alcohol and struggled with its abuse since his early adulthood years. The long progression of the abuse affected his life in numerous ways, including his health, when he was diagnosed with HIV in his early thirties. Ever since his diagnosis, the individual has attempted recovery by cutting back on alcohol consumption and also relying on his family for support. I think the factors contributing to his successful recovery include the desire and will to live, which pushed him to change, and the support from his family, which also propelled his recovery.

References

TEDx Talks. (2012). The Power of Addiction and The Addiction of Power. Retrieved June 10, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66cYcSak6nE.

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Watch one of the two talks:
“The Power of Addiction and the Addiction of Power”| Gabor Mate

or

” Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong” | Johann Hari

Start a new discussion thread, reference the titles of the videos you watched, copy and paste these questions into the initial post, and answer these questions:
a) What stood out to you in the talks you watched? What are your thoughts or opinions about the talks and the speaker’s premise about addiction? What does the talk say about the contributing factors to addiction? What is your opinion on the speaker’s perspective?
b) Have you or anyone you know been addicted to anything? How has it affected their (your) life? Have they (you) attempted some aspect of recovery from addiction? What do you think contributed to successful or unsuccessful recovery?