Addiction

[devotedknuckles]

I'm on a project for the next 3 years or so workin with addicts
this thread is me fishing for as many catholic and trad catholic resources regarding addiction as can be posted and found. as well as discussion exploring the issue
if there is any
not to interested in the "junkies are bad shoot em" responses or "crack heads hang em high" responses while i understand the sentiment i cant work that into the project.
addiction
most of us know what it is by its effects. Ive lost more then one friend to it as in dead. but I'm asking not what the consequences of the behaviour are ie death, jail, ect but more what it is.
what is addiction?
i really like and am working with the mercedinian notion of addiction being a new form of slavery. but i think i need to tweak it
any takers?

[Scriptorium]

Loosely related to the addiction topic:

dads.org >> http://www.dads.org/strugglewithporn.asp

Addiction is hard. I believe there are personalities/temperments that are drawn to substance abuse and/or addiction. Usually it starts with the good time, then it becomes a crutch or escape, and then life seems like it can't be without it. Fulton Sheen said it is loving the drug more than anything else, and it needs to be crowded out with something you love more. I am struggling right now with an alcoholic family member. I don't understand addiction because it is just so far from how I work.

[devotedknuckles]

thanks. i need to be more clear. while no doubt porn and gambling are addictions the project i am on is one focuses on drug addiction.
of course the big difference is with porn the addiction is to the image which is not a substance that enslaves the body as well as the mind. and gambling well gambling is more an addiction to an idea "winning the big one"
gambling can be far worse I guess sin that with drugs their is only so much one can do before they kill u where in porn or gambling the only plms are the people coming to break your legs or worse. well of course gambling and using drugs aren't a sin used responsibly while porn is always a sin

[Servire Deo]

Medicine cannot cure addictions. Addictions, for the most part, are a result of mortal sin. Confess, say the Rosary every day, and stay away from near occasions of sin. It's what we should all be doing anyway, so it's not that difficult.

I myself had an addiction but the above method unchained me from the demons. I tried other non-religious means by themselves but they didn't work. And by "religious", I don't mean AA or that other non-denomination nonsense that you have to go to for the rest of your life.

[Scriptorium]

thanks. i need to be more clear. while no doubt porn and gambling are addictions the project i am on is one focuses on drug addiction.
of course the big difference is with porn the addiction is to the image which is not a substance that enslaves the body as well as the mind. and gambling well gambling is more an addiction to an idea "winning the big one"
gambling can be far worse I guess sin that with drugs their is only so much one can do before they kill u where in porn or gambling the only plms are the people coming to break your legs or worse. well of course gambling and using drugs aren't a sin used responsibly while porn is always a sin

Maybe there are psychological parallels. I don't know. I always think of drug addiction as a psychological dependence which evolves into a physical dependence. First it starts with the rush, or the turn-on, or whatever, and then the body builds up tolerance, and pretty soon someone is neck deep chasing after ... what? Normalcy? The rush? Or are they in pure apathy?


What in the world ever became of sweet Jane?
She lost her sparkle, you know she isn't the same
Living on reds, vitamin C and cocaine
all a friend can say is "ain't it a shame"

[devotedknuckles]

ok.
but while praying the rosary is great some i would argue many need more then that to break out of addiction.
of course addiction to a cup of Joe or pot is far different then addiction to heroine or crack.
these chemicals do affect the body in ways that a rosary may not be able to solve.
not knocking our lady I'm just keeping it real.

[devotedknuckles]

what addiction did u suffer from?

[Servire Deo]

ok.
but while praying the rosary is great some i would argue many need more then that to break out of addiction.
of course addiction to a cup of Joe or pot is far different then addiction to heroine or crack.
these chemicals do affect the body in ways that a rosary may not be able to solve.
not knocking our lady I'm just keeping it real.

If one is in a state of mortal sin, which most drug users are, then their not getting the grace from saying the Rosary. It's not pointless but they need to be in a state of grace to be getting the most out of the Rosary. Of course medicine can help when used in conjunction but it shouldn't be used as the sole means.

I could see how some rehabilitation can be useful for withdrawal symptoms but beyond that, it need to come from the soul.

Edit: Don't forget that Our Lady called the Rosary a "battering ram" when speaking to St. Dominic.

what addiction did u suffer from?

It's personal and I'd rather not discuss it.

[devotedknuckles]

i see what your saying and i agree to a point. its tricky. because with the addiction come other plms. I'm starting a rosary group up at a catholic community for addicts. related to the project I'm on. whats interesting is the addicts who suffer from herion addiction and are in recovery have far less mental plms then ones who suffered from cocain and crack addcition.
the former junkies have more physical plm with the liver etc but their minds seem to be intact.
i cant say the same for the long temr cocain addicts I'm working with or the former crack heads
Rather then medical rehabs catholic communities Long term seem to offer far more support and aid to recovery
in my opinion
u can answer the question i guess without getting personal. but i understand why u dont want to

[devotedknuckles]

Mmmm well i guess that's it then
really I thought more discussion would happen   ah well
hang en high!