Addictions as Excuses
An addiction used to be a chemical dependency, something where you would exhibit physical withdrawal symptoms. You don’t see heroine addicts blithely joking about the hilarity of their addiction on Tyra. Addiction was never meant to be an excuse for negative behavior. In fact, there was a time where accountability for your actions was held in high regard.
The validation that comes with a classification can be motivation enough for a person to not improve on their behavior. A shopaholic has a million excuses, but once they’ve decided they’re addicted to shopping they don’t need them anymore. It’s somewhat different with sex addicts, since the term itself is completely absurd. As humans, are we not biologically inclined to this “addiction” from birth? Perhaps by calling it an addiction they no longer need to ask for permission or forgiveness for their behavior. They no longer can help it.
Very recently, just about every bad habit has been classified as an addiction. Shopaholics, sex addicts, and flat out creeps all have an excuse. “It’s because I’m addicted.” It’s easy to put a label on somebody to justify their behavior, but wouldn’t it be more helpful to actually assist them with their personality quirks?
The late, great Mitch Hedberg once said, “Alcoholism is a disease, but it’s the only one you can get yelled at for having. ‘Damn it, Otto, you’re an alcoholic.’ ‘Damn it, Otto, you have lupus.’ One of those two doesn’t sound right.” It may be funny, but could you even take this joke seriously if it were related to an addiction to shopping? At least with alcoholism, there are physical withdrawal symptoms. An addiction is not a complete lack of self control, it’s a physical dependency. It’s a genuine need for something that you have to overcome.
When did accountability fade away? You have spouses destroying marriages because of their so-called addiction. You have people building up tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of debt due to an “addiction.” If these people were forced to account for their actions, you’d almost surely hear the response, “but I couldn’t help it.”
I propose a re-classification. I want you to actively attempt to re-assert old fashioned thinking onto these new ideas. When you hear the phrase sex addict, make a concious effort to think of something more suitable. (Sleazebag comes to mind.) When you hear someone talking about an addiction to shopping, try commenting on their lack of willpower. Try to help them, instead of just laughing it off as an addiction.
Do your part in bringing accountability back to the masses. Determine what is an addiction and what is an excuse. Be sure to help those in need; by helping them through their dependency, or giving them a wake-up call to their behavior. Either way, you will do them a lot of good.
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User Comments
Joni Keith
On January 27, 2009 at 10:21 am
A very effective call to action. You have done an excellent job stating your opinion here and made some very valid points. I can’t help but agree with you. I hope many more read this and take heed to your message.
Sharazad
On January 27, 2009 at 10:41 am
People get away with too much by claiming addiction. You are so right.
smoothe1
On January 27, 2009 at 11:51 am
Preach on! I couldn’t agree more. The comparison between alcoholism and lupus was comical but very affective.
Tusaani
On January 27, 2009 at 12:42 pm
This is dead on. Addiction is too commonly an excuse and not a problem.
Miragi
On January 27, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Unfortunately, people will only wake up when they want to….whether their chosen “addiction” is valid or not. It really does take hitting that rock bottom to get someone motivated to change. I’ve seen it happen in myself and in others (not necessarily with an addiction).
Great article.
Favorite bit from Mitch: Saved by the buoyancy of citrus….
Sad that he had to go so early.
Rock on!
ML Sheldon
On January 27, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Awesome argument!
I brought this same idea up in my psychology of addictions class, and the teacher argued it away. He said that genetics play a huge factor (for susceptibility to addictions), and that was it.
I don’t believe that junk.
A lot of it is just weak willpower, and society keeps finding new ways to pass the buck. People need to take responsibility for their own actions!
Lauren Axelrod
On January 27, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Excellent message, and I agree with you. Poeple shouldn’make excuses
fipp
On January 27, 2009 at 3:16 pm
What Joni Keith (#1 above) said, exactly.
denus
On January 27, 2009 at 3:49 pm
excellent article, good message in it.
cheers,
denus.
nutuba
On January 27, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Excellent points! Nicely written.
Gon Pincha
On January 27, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Great article.
We have to be moderated with these things..
Casey Kelley
On January 27, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Super -Valid. I enjoyed this.
Bo Jack Russo
On January 27, 2009 at 8:08 pm
This is a very good article,but some things are genetic,due to chemical makeup passed down through DNA.But no one can tell me shopping or credit is an addiction.
Matt John
On January 27, 2009 at 8:11 pm
Many people have they own addictions.
yaffel
On January 27, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Addiction is used to often especially by the people whi end up in court courts. you’ll hear it almost everytime about someones addiction when their caught. its become a bit of a farce and the courts fall for it. Excellent article!
Neil Bates
On January 28, 2009 at 9:02 am
Well, a very very good article and I think you have raised a lot of good points. In a way, yes I do agree with you, then I also in a way do not.
In a way, yes you are correct, I would say an addicition is a chemical dependancy. i.e. heroin, smoking, alcohol ……. but then there is that drug adreneline, which I know all too well is very easy to get hooked on. Ok, i do not understand shopping addicition but I can see how maybe they get addicted to the feeling and the chemical changed in their body that shopping gives.
This was true in the addicitions that I have found in my life. However, I think the major difference is that its internal biological chemicals that some of us get addicted to, against man-made chemicals that are added to our bodies.
Does this make sense?
Katien
On January 28, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Good article. I agree with what everyone has said. The term addiction is used a lot of the time to describe an extreme greed of one sort or another.
James DeVere
On January 28, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Do you think your proposal has legs? j
workaholic
On January 29, 2009 at 12:55 am
I enjoyed reading it.
alive and well
On February 18, 2009 at 1:57 pm
i am a recovering addict have been clean now for 3 years!!i dont think you really now what you are talking about i never asked to be an addict it just happened i was only 12 when i started and so are nearly all addicts about that age when they first take drugs ie smoking.i blame the area where i grew up its just what everyone did at the time we dident no any better.all drug users start of with pot thats why i think we should leagalized it, after all you dont get offered heroin or cokecaine in an off-licence the only reason most people are heroin users is because they are influenced by drug dealers when all they wanted was some pot.tax it put an age limited like alcohol.and i leave you all with this question.when you or if you drink at the weekend thats classed as being ok but when someone chooses to smoke some pot there a drug addict yet not one person in the world has ever died from smoking pot buy millions die every year from alcohol related deaths.who is the real addicts??????
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