OK, let’s say I get addicted to some drug, so much that I have a physical and mental dependency on it. If I fell into a coma for several years, I imagine my physical dependency would have disappeared, but would I still be mentally dependent on it? For example, I might not vomit in need of my drug, but would I still crave it?
Physical craving is mainly a phenomenon of the physical addiction. That is, the reaction of the brain to not having the substance maintaining the person’s normal chemical equalibrium.
Now, if you are talking about wanting it out of habit or because of an emotional reaction- say you always shot up when your mom came to visit to calm your nerves, and now when your mom visits, would you wish to shoot up? Would you still want to use to “numb out” and avoid unpleasant situations or feelings?
Who knows? People in comas don’t talk.
We can measure their physical stress responses- i.e. mom walks in and their heart rate increases and they have faster breathing and such, but how they internally think and fell is unknown. Kinda the bummer with comas.
A better question might be whether a comatose person continues to have internal dialogue and mentations in general, and more specifically regarding using substances. Do they think as an alert person would- “Mom is such a bitch. Why is she here. Man, she’s going to go on and on about that neighbor again. I just hate her so much and wish I didn’t have to hear her.” Or are they in a “blank” state such that they may react primitively and reflexively to stimuli, but without actual thoughts or emotional feelings?
The only reports we have are from people who have return from comatose states. Most of these aren’t people who were comatose or vegetative for years- a return from that state is rare indeed. In any event, most do not remember the original accident, let alone most of what occured during their coma, if they remember anything at all.
In general we expect to find a person who has suffered that great a brain insult to have extensive permanent personality and cognitive changes, which may or may not render them more impulsive and prone to stupid behavior such as drug use. Is that addiction personality talking, or brain lesion sequalae?
The short answer though to such a question is : Who the fuck knows?