What, y’all never heard the story of The Prodigal Son?
People make mistakes. Simple fact o’ life. Some people make worse mistakes than others. Some people’s mistakes are very hard for them to recover from. Is this whole “I kicked my drinking habit!” thing getting way overblown? You betcha. But dagblammit, I hold a shitload of respect for ANYONE who can overcome their inner turmoil and become a better person afterward.
SPOOFE: Correct. Overcoming the devils of an addiction is (I imagine) incredibly difficult and painful, and those who do it should be applauded. However, I don’t think it should be up for a canonizable quality.
pezpunk: In no way do I suggest that coming from an alcholic family does not make you susceptible to being one yourself. In NO way.
[hijack - and I don’t want this to go OT too much]
I thought I read something, somewhere (can I be more vague? Well, not really) that there are higher odds to becoming an alcoholic yourself if you come from a family that had an alcohlic parent. Now, whether it was just from the enviroment or genetics, I dunno. Has anyone else heard/read that or am i just dreaming again?
[/hijack]
I think you misunderstood me. Coming from an alcoholic family DOES increase your chances of being one yourself. I was just reiterating that I, in no way, was saying otherwise.
What cracks me up is how WHINY some of these people are-particularly Bret Michaels of Poison.
Oh, they don’t like our music, oh, Nirvana’s more popular, these critics suck, blah blah blah…SHUT UP ALREADY!!!
Not to mention some of the groupies who are interviewed…um, skank much?
From the DSM-IV-TR; “Alcohol-Related Disorders”, Pgs 221-222:
*FAMILIAL PATTERN
Alcohol Dependence often has a familial pattern, and it is estimated that 40%-60% of the variance of risk is explained by genetic influences. The risk for Alcohol Dependence is three to four times higher in close relatives of people with Alcohol Dependence. Higher risk is associated with a greater number of affected relatives, closer genetic relationships, and the severity of the alcohol-related problems in the affected relative. Most studies have found a significantly higher risk for Alcohol Dependence in the monozygotic twin that in the dizygotic twin of a person with Alcohol Dependence. Adoption studies have revealed a three- to fourfold increase in risk for Alcohol Dependence in the children of individuals with Alcohol Dependence when these children were adopted away at birth and raised by adoptive parents who did not have this disorder. However, genetic factors explain only a part of the risk for Alcohol Dependence, with a significant part of the risk coming from environmental or interpersonal factors that may include cultural attitudes toward drinking and drunkenness, the availability of alcohol (including price), expectations of the effects of alcohol on mood and behavior, acquired personal experiences with alcohol, and stress.*
Thanks!
Oh boy. I don’t know if I should have opened this thread.
I have to say, first of all, that I have never been addicted to anything aside from nicotine and caffeine. So, anything I say is based on my own experiences with friends with addiction.
I have compassion for people with addiction, really. But, I have no pity for them. I know I sound confused, but hear me out.
Five years ago last Friday, my best friend died from an overdose of heroin and cocaine. I nursed his silly ass through three overdoses before he finally hit the nail on the head, so to speak. I was the one who took care of him whenever he just got so fucked up. And every time, I heard the same lament…sing along with me now: “I’m going to quit, I really am”.
I understand that addiction to any drug is a powerful force. And, I know this sounds bad, but when I hear someone say “I’m clean and sober now” I just want to say “Whoopie. Glad you finally rubbed those last brain cells together and realized what you were doing to your friends, your family, and your own life.” I realize that overcoming an addiction is a struggle and I know this is harsh.I would NEVER say this to anyone. But sometimes I wish I could. I guess it’s the fact that I have never been addicted to something that consumed my life.
I hope the reason that they show things on BTM like this is so that, in VH1’s own optimistic way, they will influence someone to say, ‘if he can do it, so can I’. (I’m sure they do it purely for the ratings. But that’s another story entirely.) I would chance to guess that rarely does someone watch BTM and decide to quit. While I don’t think people need to be put on a pedestal for overcoming their addictions, it could be helpful to other people to see the struggle other people had overcoming an addiction. So, I think that these particular broadcasts are not meant to glorify someone’s newfound sobriety, but to serve as a cautionary tale. Then again, I say this as a person who has never been addicted to something. (Why in the hell would I want to do drugs? So I end up like Nikki Sixx or Leif Garrett? Good lord!)
I don’t mean to offend any recovering addicts. (Regardless of the fact that this is the Pit.) I just don’t think that people deserve to be praised for getting their lives in the shitter, then getting back out again. I know, sometimes you get in over your head before you realize what’s happening. But in all honesty, didn’t you know that heroin/crack/cocaine/etc. was bad for you in the first place? Wasn’t there a tiny little glimpse, that for a second you said “maybe I shouldn’t do this?” I’m really not trying to be a smartass.
Alright, I’m stepping off this soapbox. If there’s anybody here that thinks they may have a problem, I do wish you luck.
Oh, and rest in peace, Noel. (you big dummy.)