Addiction, Inc.

[Christ_empowered]

I was just skimming over some stuff--including even more Szasz, http://www.szasz.com/ -- and I got to thinking...why do we pump so much money into addiction treatment, and the results are so disappointing? Being "in recovery" from addiction is now a life long thing, an identity. And yet...relapse rates are verty high, overall drug abuse rates are fairly high, and the costs of treatment are huge.

Of course, in the US there's the whole public vs private treatment issue. If you have good insurance or $$$ to self-pay, you can get high quality treatment on demand. If you have to rely on state funded treatment...good luck. I guess its like health care in general in the US...you've got high grade healthcare, standard care, and lack of care for everybody else.

So, what do y'all think? Any experiences, good or bad (or in between) ?

Thanks

 

[Jethro Bodine]

I don't know how you get someone to care to want their life back enough to stop using whatever it is that is ruining their life. I've never been addicted to drugs or alcohol, but an addiction to caffeine was destroying my life. Apparently I have a low tolerance for it, and it was making me lose lots of brain rest at night for years until my brains and body turned to mush. I wanted my life back, and when that became more important than my addiction to caffeine (coffee in particular) I threw away the habit it utter disgust. I have some kind of sleeping disorder that the caffeine was making worse, but it wasn't until the cost of my addiction was too high that I was able to walk away from it.

I'm not pretending to understand serious addictions to coke or alcohol and things like that, but I did learn a little bit about what it takes to change your mind about what is going to control you. Apparently, when what you lose to your addiction becomes more important than what you gain from your addiction, that is when you can quit. I'm of the opinion that rehab should be focused towards that, and I wouldn't pay a dime for anything less.

 

[electricaluser]

I was just skimming over some stuff--including even more Szasz, http://www.szasz.com/ -- and I got to thinking...why do we pump so much money into addiction treatment, and the results are so disappointing? Being "in recovery" from addiction is now a life long thing, an identity. And yet...relapse rates are verty high, overall drug abuse rates are fairly high, and the costs of treatment are huge.

Of course, in the US there's the whole public vs private treatment issue. If you have good insurance or $$$ to self-pay, you can get high quality treatment on demand. If you have to rely on state funded treatment...good luck. I guess its like health care in general in the US...you've got high grade healthcare, standard care, and lack of care for everybody else.

So, what do y'all think? Any experiences, good or bad (or in between) ?

Thanks

I found that learning is the best way to beat an addiction. Once you know how your addiction effects your body, mind and emotions that knowledge becomes great power to have control over yourself.

 

[Abigail123]

I was just skimming over some stuff--including even more Szasz, http://www.szasz.com/ -- and I got to thinking...why do we pump so much money into addiction treatment, and the results are so disappointing? Being "in recovery" from addiction is now a life long thing, an identity. And yet...relapse rates are verty high, overall drug abuse rates are fairly high, and the costs of treatment are huge.

Of course, in the US there's the whole public vs private treatment issue. If you have good insurance or $$$ to self-pay, you can get high quality treatment on demand. If you have to rely on state funded treatment...good luck. I guess its like health care in general in the US...you've got high grade healthcare, standard care, and lack of care for everybody else.

So, what do y'all think? Any experiences, good or bad (or in between) ?

Thanks

I don't have a statistic, but I think recovery rates through programs like this are fairly low. I know someone who went through rehab programs and it wasn't until he was serious about his recovery AND turned his life over to God that real progress was made. In fact, when he cried out to God, he was immediately cured and never drank again and that was over 15 years ago.

Addiction is a spiritual matter, a person begins using whatever their choice of drug is to fulfill a need only God can fill. Throwing money at rehab programs is the worldly way of fixing the problem and we already know it's not going to be very successful without God in the picture.

 

[electricaluser]

I don't have a statistic, but I think recovery rates through programs like this are fairly low. I know someone who went through rehab programs and it wasn't until he was serious about his recovery AND turned his life over to God that real progress was made. In fact, when he cried out to God, he was immediately cured and never drank again and that was over 15 years ago.

Addiction is a spiritual matter, a person begins using whatever their choice of drug is to fulfill a need only God can fill. Throwing money at rehab programs is the worldly way of fixing the problem and we already know it's not going to be very successful without God in the picture.

Hi Abigail, I was reading your post and I couldn't help think it was addressed to me indirectly. If that's true then I am so happy that you did it that way so you wouldn't be hurting my feelings directly.

 

[Abigail123]

Hi Abigail, I was reading your post and I couldn't help think it was addressed to me indirectly. If that's true then I am so happy that you did it that way so you wouldn't be hurting my feelings directly.

No way, E! I had not even read your post until now. My post was not directed to you at all. My post is only expressing what I believe to be true about human nature, which is: we all have a hole to be specifically to be filled by God.

Welcome to cf, I am glad you are here.

 

[electricaluser]

No way, E! I had not even read your post until now. My post was not directed to you at all. My post is only expressing what I believe to be true about human nature, which is: we all have a hole to be specifically to be filled by God.

Welcome to cf, I am glad you are here.

Hi I'm Chris, can you tell me more about this hole that only God can fill.

 

[NBTrollin]

So you're assuming that every body does what they do in order to fill a hole? So if someone had something horrific happen to them as a child, and use drugs to escape... nope! Just a Jesushole! What about people who already know God who go astray and start doing drugs? Theoretically, God should've already filled that hole?

 

[electricaluser]

So you're assuming that every body does what they do in order to fill a hole? So if someone had something horrific happen to them as a child, and use drugs to escape... nope! Just a Jesushole! What about people who already know God who go astray and start doing drugs? Theoretically, God should've already filled that hole?

Jesus did say he would and life is true to it's word.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

What about people who already know God who go astray and start doing drugs? Theoretically, God should've already filled that hole?

I wish that were true, but many Christians wander the desert outside of God's promises. When they are ready, God will lead them into the benefits of their salvation.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I think drug and alcohol abuse are a cultural problem that shows itself in individuals. I mean...Christ is the ultimate answer but why do so many people do drugs? The culture. That's one thing I don't like about psychiatry+psychology in general...they treat what are really social problems like individual problems, at great co$t and with minimal results.

 

[electricaluser]

I think drug and alcohol abuse are a cultural problem that shows itself in individuals. I mean...Christ is the ultimate answer but why do so many people do drugs? The culture. That's one thing I don't like about psychiatry+psychology in general...they treat what are really social problems like individual problems, at great co$t and with minimal results.

I'll answer your post in a poem.

Untitled 4.

Understanding why people take up addictions

Is very easy to understand

It all starts and ends with learning relationships

Many parents who have children

Don't desire to be in learning relationships with them

And they only want to provide them their base life needs

And then their children grow up lacking a real love connection

And because of this they suffer awful pain of not being known

And because of this they suffer awful pain of not knowing in return

And soon enough they turn to an addiction to solve the pain problem

And to simulate the love connection they couldn't get at home.

 

[Abigail123]

So you're assuming that every body does what they do in order to fill a hole? So if someone had something horrific happen to them as a child, and use drugs to escape... nope! Just a Jesushole! What about people who already know God who go astray and start doing drugs? Theoretically, God should've already filled that hole?

There is still a hole to fill and only God can do that.

Christians who are addicted to something else have made that something the god of their lives, it's idolatry.

 

[Christ_empowered]

Jesus helps more than pills will. From what I've seen+experienced, all most rehab places due is detox, pump you full of psychobabble, and switch your "bad" drugs for "good" drugs...read: lots of Seroquel and antidepressants.

Teen Challenge sometimes works. I mean, I benefited, most definitely, but...apparently they're a mixed bag. Some are awesome, some are dreadful, many are in between. So...buyer beware, I suppose.

What I don't understand is why "recovery" is a lifelong thing. That's one thing I liked about teen challenge...repentance. You *were* a junkie or whatever, now you're saved and set free. Go forth and sin no more. Mental health places apparently need life long customers or something...you'll always be an addict in recovery (or dealing with depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, whatever...always a long term, often lifelong thing).

There's lots of money to be made, that's for sure. Here locally, there's a shrink who owns a small chain of outpatient centers for opiate addiction. Sounds professional and all, but...what do they actually do? Counseling and Rx Temgesic or whatever. See what I mean? Psychobabble and switching a "bad" drug for a replacement drug, which in this case is just a milder, less euphoric opiate.

Ramble ramble...I dunno. I get the sense that only Christ offers true transformation, especially in today's society. The secular world seems interested in making lifelong patients out of everybody.

 

[electricaluser]

Jesus helps more than pills will. From what I've seen+experienced, all most rehab places due is detox, pump you full of psychobabble, and switch your "bad" drugs for "good" drugs...read: lots of Seroquel and antidepressants.

Teen Challenge sometimes works. I mean, I benefited, most definitely, but...apparently they're a mixed bag. Some are awesome, some are dreadful, many are in between. So...buyer beware, I suppose.

What I don't understand is why "recovery" is a lifelong thing. That's one thing I liked about teen challenge...repentance. You *were* a junkie or whatever, now you're saved and set free. Go forth and sin no more. Mental health places apparently need life long customers or something...you'll always be an addict in recovery (or dealing with depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, whatever...always a long term, often lifelong thing).

There's lots of money to be made, that's for sure. Here locally, there's a shrink who owns a small chain of outpatient centers for opiate addiction. Sounds professional and all, but...what do they actually do? Counseling and Rx Temgesic or whatever. See what I mean? Psychobabble and switching a "bad" drug for a replacement drug, which in this case is just a milder, less euphoric opiate.

Ramble ramble...I dunno. I get the sense that only Christ offers true transformation, especially in today's society. The secular world seems interested in making lifelong patients out of everybody.

I spent three months in hospital tripping hardcore due to a psychosis of thinking my daughter was Elohim.

 

[Abigail123]

Jesus helps more than pills will. From what I've seen+experienced, all most rehab places due is detox, pump you full of psychobabble, and switch your "bad" drugs for "good" drugs...read: lots of Seroquel and antidepressants.

Teen Challenge sometimes works. I mean, I benefited, most definitely, but...apparently they're a mixed bag. Some are awesome, some are dreadful, many are in between. So...buyer beware, I suppose.

What I don't understand is why "recovery" is a lifelong thing. That's one thing I liked about teen challenge...repentance. You *were* a junkie or whatever, now you're saved and set free. Go forth and sin no more. Mental health places apparently need life long customers or something...you'll always be an addict in recovery (or dealing with depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, whatever...always a long term, often lifelong thing).

There's lots of money to be made, that's for sure. Here locally, there's a shrink who owns a small chain of outpatient centers for opiate addiction. Sounds professional and all, but...what do they actually do? Counseling and Rx Temgesic or whatever. See what I mean? Psychobabble and switching a "bad" drug for a replacement drug, which in this case is just a milder, less euphoric opiate.

Ramble ramble...I dunno. I get the sense that only Christ offers true transformation, especially in today's society. The secular world seems interested in making lifelong patients out of everybody.

The world doesn't know how to help nor cure spiritual matters, but they are really, really good at making money.

 

[NBTrollin]

Jesus has never helped my anxiety, as far as I can tell, but pills have. Pills can help people if prescribed properly. Ever heard of chemical imbalances? Or do you seriously still think all illnesses are just demons or bad voodoo? Also, therapy and treatment, I'd would venture to say, has helped more people than "prayers" or good thoughts have,..

Mental illnesses are just as much of an ailment as a broken bone, or any other physical ailment folks.