General info on addiction.

[jdrug]

Originally Posted by Irish

what defines addiction?

Search these forums as this has been discussed previously (for example: http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=23130). Addiction is tough to define because the usage and application of the word and concept are not consistent. Therefore, attempts to define addiction are often disputed.

A common thread among different definitions is that one continues using a substance when he/she desires to stop. Another commonly accepted indicator is when the substance causes one to fail to carry out normal life tasks such as work, school, etc. Unfortunately, there is not one single accepted definition as time, usage, and propaganda have convoluted the meaning.

Originally Posted by ~lostgurl~

...but SWIM still thinks there are some valid points comparing the two.

If swiy finds value in comparing the two, the comparison is valid and meaningful. The problem is that it is nearly impossible to prove the answer to the question, "is taking drugs more dangerous than insert_activity_here". As you say, there is risk everywhere. Another thing that complicates the issue is that everyone is different, reacts differently to drugs, and answering this question (and validating the answer) is a mammoth task. There are also too many unknowns to establish a measurable comparison -- for example, if one were to compare a certain amount of cocaine (let's say a half of a gram) to a single skydiving jump and the subject has never used cocaine and never been skydiving it might turn out that skydiving is more dangerous. It is easy to see how complicated it is to prove one is categorically more dangerous than the other. So, swiy isn't wrong to compare them, but I doubt anyone can provide an absolute answer...

[~lostgurl~]

Originally Posted by jdrug

If swiy finds value in comparing the two, the comparison is valid and meaningful. The problem is that it is nearly impossible to prove the answer to the question, "is taking drugs more dangerous than insert_activity_here". As you say, there is risk everywhere. Another thing that complicates the issue is that everyone is different, reacts differently to drugs, and answering this question (and validating the answer) is a mammoth task. There are also too many unknowns to establish a measurable comparison -- for example, if one were to compare a certain amount of cocaine (let's say a half of a gram) to a single skydiving jump and the subject has never used cocaine and never been skydiving it might turn out that skydiving is more dangerous. It is easy to see how complicated it is to prove one is categorically more dangerous than the other. So, swiy isn't wrong to compare them, but I doubt anyone can provide an absolute answer...

This is kind of what SWIM was getting at, the fact that there are so many risks in every day activities that there is no real "absolute answer" so why does the govt get to make that decision for people when they have no way of proving what is riskier....... That is why SWIM finds the comparison so ironic.

[~lostgurl~]

Um, jdrug, you might try quoting the right person as SWIM did not say "what defines addiction" that was Irish.....

[jdrug]

Originally Posted by ~lostgurl~

Um, jdrug, you might try quoting the right person

Sorry about that. I edited my post and corrected the error.

Originally Posted by ~lostgurl~

Why does the govt get to make that decision for people when they have no way of proving what is riskier

It depends on the government, but your point is likely to resonate strongly with many who read it. In the United States, the so-called "war on drugs" has a long history of using misinformation, propaganda, and creative statistics in order to justify such positions. The concept of a government saving its people from themselves by arbitrarily identifying substances as "bad" or "too risky" is frustrating, perplexing, and disturbing.

[Irish]

thank you for rying to answer SWIM's question. SWIM has just been struggling with his use of drugs and deciding whether or not SWIM should use them. the hardest question SWIM has been trying to answer was posed to him by SWIM's mom. "If you died from an overdose, how could you explain to me that it was because you wanted to experiment?" basically how could SWIM explain to his mom that he died because of something as frivolous as drugs. hard question to answer...

[~lostgurl~]

People find happiness in different things, and they take different risks for different reasons. Most swimmers don't think they will one day die from an overdose every time they get high, just like most people dont think they will one day die in a car crash every time they go for a drive.