What Causes Addiction?

Personal Story

• Recounts early memory of trying to wake a relative who had a drug addiction.
• Reflects on how drug addiction has impacted their family.
• Starts questioning the reasons behind addiction.

Historical Context

• Drugs banned 100 years ago in US and UK, leading to global prohibition.
• Approach taken: Punishing addicts to deter them from using.
• Reevaluation due to its apparent ineffectiveness.

Search for Answers

• Undertook global research to understand addiction.
• Encountered diverse perspectives from various individuals and cultures.

Common Beliefs about Addiction

• Current Belief: Addiction is caused by chemical hooks in drugs.
• Scenario: 20 days of heroin use leads to addiction due to these chemical hooks.
• Evidence contradicting this: Patients taking diamorphine (medical heroin) post-surgery do not become addicts.

Professor Bruce Alexander's Experiment

• Noted flaw in isolated rat experiments leading to addiction.
• Created "Rat Park," a stimulating and social environment for rats.
• Results: Rats in enriched environments didn't become addicted.

Human Experiment - Vietnam War

• 20% of American troops used heroin; expected high addiction rates post-war.
• Findings: 95% of addicts stopped using heroin without going to rehab.

New Theory of Addiction

• Addiction as an Adaptation: Proposed by Bruce Alexander and Peter Cohen.
• Core Idea: Addiction stems from one's environment and lack of connection.
• Human Bonding: Humans have innate need to form connections; lack of healthy bonds leads to harmful addictions.

Implications for Drug Policy

• War on Drugs: Current approach involves punishment and alienation.
• Example: Women in Arizona made to wear "I was a drug addict" t-shirts and dig graves.

Portugal's Approach

• Historical Context: Severe heroin problem in 2000.
• Policy Change: Decriminalized all drugs and used funds to reconnect addicts with society.
• Results: Dramatic decrease in drug use, overdose, and HIV rates.

Broader Implications

• Modern Disconnection: Despite technological connectivity, genuine human connections are declining.
• Social Recovery: Society needs to focus on rebuilding connections and supportive communities.

Personal Takeaway

• Loving Approach: Change in personal approach to addicts in their life.
• Core Message: Emphasize love and support instead of conditional relationships.
• Conclusion: Shift from "War Songs" to "Love Songs" for addicts. The opposite of addiction is connection.

Key Takeaways

• The environment and social connections play a crucial role in addiction and recovery.
• Punishment-focused drug policies exacerbate the problem.
• Successful approaches like Portugal’s focus on reintegration and support for addicts.
• A societal shift towards genuine human connections is necessary to combat addiction.