Such hot takes today about addiction.

Just so we're clear...the advice is this?

I'm currently working on a companion piece titled: "Top 10 photos of Andrew MacDonald not being Andrew MacDonald from the 2016-2017 season."

Just really heroic shots of AMac doing great things from last season. A certain someone will enjoy it. Problem though is I've only found 2 photos. I'm going to have to settle on great shots of Provorov with AMac somewhere in the frame, probably obscured.
- Mononoke

This is an insult to journalism and just contributes more to the fake news culture

You have no idea how depression works.
- Flyers Time

He understands; he's just a stronger person than them is all!

I'm just saying Linkin Park's contributions to the musical community rival that of 311 and Disturbed. So while I'm not happy he's dead, it's no great loss to the musical community.
- jmatchett383

Take your L

Could have just given the dude Flagyl 500.
- flyer_nutter

Not for his endocarditis, silly

Having been sober for something over 20 years, and been through some sh*t along the way, I have to say... the edgy attitudes displayed by some are.... like.. wow, man. Just wow.
- Doc_Sarcasm

What was your favorite drink? Slow gin fizz?

Every person with a drug or alcohol disorder has the power to end it.

Don't every forget it. Don't ever excuse it away.

You hold the key. Find it. Use it. Unlock yourself.

Every person with a drug or alcohol disorder has the power to end it.

Don't every forget it. Don't ever excuse it away.

You hold the key. Find it. Use it. Unlock yourself.
- Just5

Does this apply to your addiction of shitty hockey takes too?

OK snowflake
- Just5

I'm literally getting my laptop out for this novel I'm about to write

Every person with a drug or alcohol disorder has the power to end it.

Don't every forget it. Don't ever excuse it away.

You hold the key. Find it. Use it. Unlock yourself.
- Just5

he didn't kill himself over an addiction. He hung himself cause he was depressed his entire life. He hung himself on his good friends birthday. plus he was sexually abused as a kid.

STFU

It's amazing that so many here have grown up in such privilege that they've never actually felt the need to explore these types of things. Or just a general lack of intellectual curiosity, which seems to be dying by the day.
- PhillySportsGuy

Why do I need to go out and explore it?

Drug addiction, alcoholism, type 2 diabetics all in my family.

I'm literally getting my laptop out for this novel I'm about to write
- Giroux_Is_God

Ok Snowflake.... wasnt that a Radiohead album?

Every person with a drug or alcohol disorder has the power to end it.

Don't every forget it. Don't ever excuse it away.

You hold the key. Find it. Use it. Unlock yourself.
- Just5

No, you don't. It will never end.

Every person with a drug or alcohol disorder has the power to end it.

Don't every forget it. Don't ever excuse it away.

You hold the key. Find it. Use it. Unlock yourself.
- Just5

I usually agree with you and appreciate your cynicism but you're wrong here.

Not for his endocarditis, silly
- Giroux_Is_God

Haha missed that in your post.

ACP-C.

I usually agree with you and appreciate your cynicism but you're wrong here.
- StepfordSam

I think a line should be drawn. I'm sensitive when people are quick to group these people together with many cancer patients.

Is cigarette smoking a disease?
Caffeine addiction a disease?

It's an addiction. Drug abuse is an addiction which is a serious condition. Not a disease that's all

he didn't kill himself over an addiction. He hung himself cause he was depressed his entire life. He hung himself on his good friends birthday. plus he was sexually abused as a kid.

STFU
- Flyers Time

Dude was pretty damn successful. Damn shame. Why have 6 kids when your minds not right? Irresponsible

Dude was pretty damn successful. Damn shame. Why have 6 kids when your minds not right? Irresponsible
- Just5

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Until you get your head out of your ass, don't comment on something you haven't begun to comprehend. Your lack of knowledge, understanding, and compassion are gobsmacking. And your takes are seriously irresponsible.

And if anyone here knows someone they think may be suffering from depression, reach out to them. Sometimes you can be in so deep you can't imagine reaching out yourself, even to a hotline. Having someone say, I see you suffering, let me help you get help can save a life.

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Until you get your head out of your ass, don't comment on something you haven't begun to comprehend. Your lack of knowledge, understanding, and compassion are gobsmacking. And your takes are seriously irresponsible.

And if anyone here knows someone they think may be suffering from depression, reach out to them. Sometimes you can be in so deep you can't imagine reaching out yourself, even to a hotline. Having someone say, I see you suffering, let me help you get help can save a life.
- bodiva88

good post

Addiction is fascinatingly terrible. Let's learn!

The midbrain: controls 3 things, in this order. Water, food, sex. That's it. It's primal and instinctual. When you're addicted to a substance, drug dominates the midbrain. That's all it wants. Experiments have shown rats starve themselves to death because they pick heroin over food. Rats have walked over increasingly charged electric grates, eventually killing themselves walking over to the heroin in their cage. The midbrain says drug, water, food, sex, in that order in the addicted brain.

Pathogenesis of addiction: dopamine imbalance. When people do things, that sweet dank dopamine is released and gives us that "reward" feeling. Eating, playing hockey, playing music, drinking scotch, flying to Florida in the winter, beating the Rangers....it makes you feel good. Once this "dopamine threshold" is surpassed, your brain is content. But what happens if someone (frank)s with that dopamine threshold? What if it goes up? What if it takes more to get that dank dopamine? Stress increases that dopamine threshold, and if it so happens that drugs get you that reward....well...that's the basis of addiction. Your brain relying on drugs as opposed to more healthy ways of triggering that reward system.

Let's talk about cravings!: It's just a matter of will. Everyone can kick a drug habit, you just need to pull up your big boy pants! hahahahahaahahahahahaha no. Why?

The Frontal Lobe: Responsible for rational thinking. Last time I touched the metal part of the seatbelt buckle it burned the poop outta my hand. Let's use the belt part this time or Nolan Patrick sucks because he's hurt or I missed this stop sign last time because it's hidden by that tree....I'll definitely stop this time. That's the frontal lobe. Decision making, rationalization.

Let's talk about cravings again!: "You just have to dig deep and unlock the key. Everyone has it!" Well, brain scans have shown the frontal lobe does not fire during a craving, while the midbrain is lit up like Micheal Leighton in the Cup finals. What does this mean? Users do not have the mental capacity to think rationally during a crave (since the frontal lobe is dark) and are only thinking about drug (since the midbrain is firing). They literally cannot think "last I stole percocet I lost my job and wife and children and went to jail. I can't do this again". Interesting...

Long term maintenance: One of the more crazy things about addiction is the positive reinforcement of it all. For example, the brain craves a reward when stressed. This is why people smoke after terrible sex or locking their keys in their car. You know what else is stressful? All the pressure placed on the shoulders of people quitting. They know drugs are killing them- people tell them this over and over. Strangers on TV commercials say it...or worse...their children. Or their wife. All that pressure to do good by their families and friends who the user promised they would quit...if they slip once, imagine the disappointment. Isn't that stressful? So what happens when the brain wants reward during stressful times? The midbrain turns on...and you get a craving. All of this stress ties in with depression, etc that usually goes along with drug addiction. Oh, and did I mention stress is the main player in raising the brain's dopamine threshold in the first place?

This is why empathy is important, because it lessens the pressure put on these people.

It doesn't go away. It's a chronic disease of chemical imbalance. It can only be maintained. It's insane how the brain is wired.

If anyone is ever feeling like they are truly in despair or that there is no way out please reach out to somebody. We like to have fun on here but not at the expense of anybody's mental health.

I think a line should be drawn. I'm sensitive when people are quick to group these people together with many cancer patients.

Is cigarette smoking a disease?
Caffeine addiction a disease?

It's an addiction. Drug abuse is an addiction which is a serious condition. Not a disease that's all
- Just5

Incorrect, diseases are characterized by a pathophysiological condition (dopamine imbalance) causing a symptom or symptoms (craving).

Try again

Incorrect, diseases are characterized by a pathophysiological condition (dopamine imbalance) causing a symptom or symptoms (craving).

Try again
- Giroux_Is_God

I love the human body. Sometimes I get pissed i don't choose a career that'sassociated with ut

I love the human body. Sometimes I get pissed i don't choose a career that'sassociated with ut
- YuenglingJagr

Don't regret anything. Believe me.

I regret not being an accountant (like a few of my friends) most damn days. It's fun, but unless you get higher in the healthcare ladder it's not worth it.

I love the human body. Sometimes I get pissed i don't choose a career that'sassociated with ut
- YuenglingJagr

That's ok because sometimes I get pissed I did

I'm with you though, and honestly my dream job was to be a trainer for pro sports team and graduate with a doctorate in physical therapy. But I went with pharmacy because I had more options and it was more cost effective. Basically I figured I'd either be hyper-focused on being a sports trainer or have a bunch of clinical pharmacy options. I went with the latter, being more realistic. Not saying I regret it, but that was a tough decision for me.