Addiction Isn’t a Bad Choice, It’s a Solution
Our oversimplified narrative completely misses the real problem
Addiction is a scary, debilitating thing. Its all-consuming vice grip can hollow out even the most resilient of loved ones, leaving them no more than a shell of their prior selves. It consistently defies logic, stubbornly resists unwelcomed help and will stop at nothing to prolong its existence.
Close personal relationships. A stable career. A loving family. Economic stability. Personal health. Vibrant social networks. All of it can be left wreckage of addiction. No sacrifice is too great.
I know the pain and suffering well. Addiction claimed two of my friends during the pandemic, and I spent several years walking along the edge of the abyss. The stakes are quite real, and the challenge is growing. As a society, it’s absolutely critical that we do better…in prevention, in treatment, in understanding.
Addiction rates are on the rise. Overdose hit an ominous record last year, with more than 93,000 deaths. Research has shown that many Americans (especially women) increasingly turned to alcohol in an attempt to cope with pandemic-related stress and fear.
One study found that consumption of alcohol jumped significantly between 2018 and 2020; both days of consumption…
