Understanding Addiction

Hi people. I wanted to write one last post before leaving for India. (tomorrow!!!) So here’s something that’s been on my mind a lot lately. We have discussed many ways of seeing addiction and recovery in terms of choice. We mostly agree that, if using or abstaining is a choice, it’s a very unusual kind […] (Read the rest.)

Hi again. Well, I started writing. What a relief! I’ll say more about that in a sec, but to make it slightly relevant to this blog, let me tell you what I just learned about “choice.” Last post there was a great dialogue about the “choice” model of addiction. I ended my post arguing that […] (Read the rest.)

Hi all. I’ve been low on energy for a couple of weeks, which is why I haven’t posted anything. Actually, depressed is the word. I have this whole world of opportunity waiting for me — a visit with the Dalai Lama! And yet I’m completely nonfunctional. I’ve been trying to start Book 2 for over […] (Read the rest.)

In comments following a recent post, many of you saw addiction and religion as different versions of a similar enslavement. Then last post we talked about the terrifying loss of meaning at the finish line. But today I want to show that these parallel prisons arise from the same fundamental longing — one that’s almost […] (Read the rest.)

Hi all. I recently got an email from Jeff Skinner, a member of this blog community, who came up with the following synopsis. To me, this brief statement (lightly edited) perfectly sums up the existential trap that awaits the addict facing recovery, like some lurking monster that you simply cannot sneak past. You have to […] (Read the rest.)