thinking about addiction
Jul. 30th, 2011 02:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hnpccI've never listened to much of Amy Winehouse's music - not that she produced much in the end. I knew who she was, of course, she'd appear in the media on a regular basis, normally as they reported on the public signs of her addiction spiralling out of control, rather than her music. It was I think no surprise to anyone that she died - her addiction had been uncontrolled for a while, and she didn't seem to have reached a point where she wanted to be free of it enough to have sought permanent help. But then, it's difficult also to break addiction - and seeking help often occurs several times before people manage to finally free themselves. Talking to ex-smoker friends of mine some of them still find themselves craving a cigarette, 10 years after they finally quit. The cues are still ingrained, and for some the body hasn't totally given up on getting another hit soon. It's not an easy demon to break completely free of, both psychologically and physiologically - and when you've still got structural support to continue, when you can manage the addiction so that the balls stay mostly in the air and it's all mostly hidden from public view and you're not at breaking point then it's harder still. There are a lot of functioning addicts out there, hidden from view in plain sight until something goes wrong - there's an unexpectedly pure batch of heroin, the cops pull you over and breathalyse you, the bills start mounting because your need is greater than your income - and the balls start crashing to earth.
A lot of people had mentioned the Russell Brand piece on her death, but I only just read it now. And it amazes me with its compassion. I think most of my exposure to Brand came during his addict period, which meant that I was left with the impression of him as yet another dickhead radio DJ/comedian/tosser, who'd since married a pop star. But he came from a place where he could see Amy Winehouse and understand what she was doing - and is also now far enough away I think that he could see the impact on her family and friends.
When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction you await the phone call. There will be a phone call. The sincere hope is that the call will be from the addict themselves, telling you they’ve had enough, that they’re ready to stop, ready to try something new. Of course though, you fear the other call, the sad nocturnal chime from a friend or relative telling you it’s too late, she’s gone.
Frustratingly it’s not a call you can ever make it must be received. It is impossible to intervene.
Watching the news reports of the funeral, the grief written on the faces of her parents and brother was heartbreaking. I can't imagine the stress and pain that they've gone through over the past decade, watching their daughter and sister move further into addiction and away from them while being almost powerless to protect her, to save her from the obvious abyss they feared. And so many people are in the same boat.
I have no idea how you change the situation. I don't think legalising the drugs would work - I do think decriminalising addiction would help. In the end though, once the person is addicted there is a level of them needing to actively want to be helped, and I don't know how you can manage that stage. You can try and prevent the addiction in the first place by targeting the suppliers - but if there was no market, there would be no supply. You can try and equalise society as much as possible, but even the Nordic countries have drug addicts and they're some of the most egalitarian societies currently in existence. Some people it seems will always chase the dragon, whether from a need to anaesthesise the pain of living or a need to chase the high or even just from a need to see what chasing it will do.
I do wish the media would stop reporting on addiction differently according to the income level of the addicted person though - Amy Winehouse had a wonderful and unique talent, but she was just as addicted as the man committing bag snatches from elderly women to feed his addiction, or the woman breaking and entering to get stuff to take to cash converters to maintain hers, or the man or woman prostituting themselves. One is referred to as "a troubled singer", the others as "scumbag junkies". I don't deny the impact of the crimes (although decriminalising sex work would also help) - but the underlying disease remains the same and absolving the rich because they can feed their addiction without resorting to crime (mostly - see Andrew Fraser for an example of what happens when the well-resourced need cash to feed their addiction too) doesn't actually help with the society-wide debate about addiction and means of management.
I do wish, for her parents, her brother, her friends and most of all for her sake that Amy Winehouse had come out the other side, sought help, reclaimed her life. As with all the others out there that are trying to break free.
A lot of people had mentioned the Russell Brand piece on her death, but I only just read it now. And it amazes me with its compassion. I think most of my exposure to Brand came during his addict period, which meant that I was left with the impression of him as yet another dickhead radio DJ/comedian/tosser, who'd since married a pop star. But he came from a place where he could see Amy Winehouse and understand what she was doing - and is also now far enough away I think that he could see the impact on her family and friends.
When you love someone who suffers from the disease of addiction you await the phone call. There will be a phone call. The sincere hope is that the call will be from the addict themselves, telling you they’ve had enough, that they’re ready to stop, ready to try something new. Of course though, you fear the other call, the sad nocturnal chime from a friend or relative telling you it’s too late, she’s gone.
Frustratingly it’s not a call you can ever make it must be received. It is impossible to intervene.
Watching the news reports of the funeral, the grief written on the faces of her parents and brother was heartbreaking. I can't imagine the stress and pain that they've gone through over the past decade, watching their daughter and sister move further into addiction and away from them while being almost powerless to protect her, to save her from the obvious abyss they feared. And so many people are in the same boat.
I have no idea how you change the situation. I don't think legalising the drugs would work - I do think decriminalising addiction would help. In the end though, once the person is addicted there is a level of them needing to actively want to be helped, and I don't know how you can manage that stage. You can try and prevent the addiction in the first place by targeting the suppliers - but if there was no market, there would be no supply. You can try and equalise society as much as possible, but even the Nordic countries have drug addicts and they're some of the most egalitarian societies currently in existence. Some people it seems will always chase the dragon, whether from a need to anaesthesise the pain of living or a need to chase the high or even just from a need to see what chasing it will do.
I do wish the media would stop reporting on addiction differently according to the income level of the addicted person though - Amy Winehouse had a wonderful and unique talent, but she was just as addicted as the man committing bag snatches from elderly women to feed his addiction, or the woman breaking and entering to get stuff to take to cash converters to maintain hers, or the man or woman prostituting themselves. One is referred to as "a troubled singer", the others as "scumbag junkies". I don't deny the impact of the crimes (although decriminalising sex work would also help) - but the underlying disease remains the same and absolving the rich because they can feed their addiction without resorting to crime (mostly - see Andrew Fraser for an example of what happens when the well-resourced need cash to feed their addiction too) doesn't actually help with the society-wide debate about addiction and means of management.
I do wish, for her parents, her brother, her friends and most of all for her sake that Amy Winehouse had come out the other side, sought help, reclaimed her life. As with all the others out there that are trying to break free.
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no subject
Date: 2011-07-30 06:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-30 10:39 am (UTC)Thanks for the link to the Russell brand piece, I shall read that in a mo (then look up FODMAP) so much to read...so little time.
Been thinking about addiction quite a bit lately. Some of my family have that addictive personality gene or whatever it is. I luckily, do not. If only they could figure out what it is in our DNA that makes the addictive personality more likely...then of course fathom out how to re-wire it ;) The 12 steps of co-dependents anonymous are the same as AA and I know from the meetings I attended in the US and the reading I did just how important admitting you have a problem AND wanting to do something about it, is. Alas we can't do it for them...
The posts circulating about all the other musical peeps that died at 27 - where they all addicts? How much is related to the sensitive nature of the creative soul I wonder...fascinating and heartbreaking.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-30 12:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-08-01 12:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-30 04:35 pm (UTC)The only thing I have an issue with is the talking about "disease". Disease is what's behind the addiction, the addiction itself isn't one.
But hey, from his point of view I get the choice of words.