Addiction is a misunderstood disease.
By the time you’re asking someone to “behave responsibly”, their dopamine system is so disregulated that any message which gets in the way of the addictive behaviour from happening is futile.
Sure, it might be a choice the first time however once it stops being a choice - the outcomes for the addict are sadly predictable with the timelines ranging from decades to less than a few months in some cases.
After Di Young’s epic live episode from SXSW Sydney on Wednesday, I wanted to put a show out that gives a basic outline of the way addiction can work, and how the people around the addict may be affected as well.
Search “Better Than Yesterday” where you get your podcasts.