RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman

[hbliam]

"People with an addiction do not have control over what they are doing, taking or using. Their addiction may reach a point at which it is harmful. Addictions do not only include physical things we consume, such as drugs or alcohol, but may include virtually anything, such abstract things as gambling to seemingly harmless products, such as chocolate - in other words, addiction may refer to a substance dependence (e.g. drug addiction) or behavioral addiction (e.g. gambling addiction)."

It's much easier to be empathetic to those that are addicted to say alcohol or even prescription drugs. Things that are innocently taken or thought of as harmless. It's much harder to be empathetic toward those that know full well that the illegal dope they scored is highly addictive and even infamous for destroying nearly all that partake.

[Triple J]

I get what hbliam is saying. It's impossible to be a heroin addict if you've never tried it. The initial exposure was a choice, and a bad one.

I've tried a few drugs...but most I chose to just stay away from as they seem too dangerous.

[kopfjäger]

It's much easier to be empathetic to those that are addicted to say alcohol or even prescription drugs. Things that are innocently taken or thought of as harmless. It's much harder to be empathetic toward those that know full well that the illegal dope they scored is highly addictive and even infamous for destroying nearly all that partake.

From 'Clean' by David Sheff

"I guess it's this very deeply ingrained idea that addicts are choosing to get high and so they are reprehensible and they're weak. But what we know now is that addicts aren't immoral, they aren't weak; they're ill. They have a disease. And for me, when I finally realized that about Nic, that he was sick, and that's what explained this unconscionable, crazy behavior, it allowed me to look at him with compassion, and to figure out, instead of with anger, just, how do I help him? How do we save his life?"

[Cody]

It's much easier to be empathetic to those that are addicted to say alcohol or even prescription drugs. Things that are innocently taken or thought of as harmless. It's much harder to be empathetic toward those that know full well that the illegal dope they scored is highly addictive and even infamous for destroying nearly all that partake.

You just don't get it.

Do you think most heroin addicts woke up one day and decided to put a needle in their arm? No.

Heroin addicts typically were addicted to prescription pain medication prior to "scoring dope."

I wouldn't expect you to understand the transgression from being addicted to pain killers to moving to something much cheaper.

[hbliam]

You just don't get it.

Do you think most heroin addicts woke up one day and decided to put a needle in their arm? No.

Heroin addicts typically were addicted to prescription pain medication prior to "scoring dope."

I wouldn't expect you to understand the transgression from being addicted to pain killers to moving to something much cheaper.

Of the addicts I have met, I can't remember a single one that said they started with prescribed drugs. They started with cigarettes and marijuana. Then progressed to meth, crack, and heroin. 

[Randimus Maximus]

Wow.

This one is getting ugly.

Can you guys take the debates to PMs?

[kopfjäger]

[Cody]

Of the addicts I have met, I can't remember a single one that said they started with prescribed drugs. They started with cigarettes and marijuana. Then progressed to meth, crack, and heroin. 

I find that hard to believe. Luckily, I never did heroin. I had a drug dealer that was easy to visit. He was known as my pain management doctor. I would go visit him twice a month and my insurance would pay for my pills. I could blame my doctor for me becoming an addict, but that isn't right and certainly wasn't the case. I kept going back because I was addicted. If I wouldn't have had my doctor, no telling what would have happened to me. I very well could have switched to heroin.

[ducpainter]

I think it's time to let Mr. Hoffman rest in peace and to stop sniping at each other.