Comment Re:Poor Moby, that crazy junkie... (Score 1) 554
Addiction is a complex disorder and while many of the physiological symptoms of addiction are well-defined, the molecular locus of addiction has not been identified for all or even most addictive actions nor substances. So by that measure, I don't believe addiction is well understood. Furthermore, as you alluded to in your reply, I think there is a disargeement between what we would identify as addictive. For example, I don't think that water should be classified as an addictive substance, even though water is necessary for life and by many accounts pleasurable.
Addiction as defined by medical science is a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance characterized by tolerance and by symptoms of withdrawl.
Now, I guess you can argue that death by dehydration is a symptom of withdrawl. But what about the complusive need for water or tolerance to water? I guess the distinction that I am trying to make is that there is a difference between needing a substance for survival and being addicted to a substance. And the main difference is complusion -- or an irresistible impulse to perform an irrational act (like for example consuming cocaine). An irrational action is one that a person knows is detrimental to its survival and yet continues to perform action anyway. Drinking water is not an irrational action. It is one necessary for survival and is not addictive.
So is this all just semantics? I don't think so. I believe that it is important to make these distinction to more clearly define addiction. If we as a research society lumped all of human behavior that is pleasurable under the heading of addiction, I believe that this would be a great diservice to all of those individuals with truly addictive behaviors, and would hinder our efforts to develop effective treatments for people who suffer from addiction. And I am not talking about people who have a glass of water everyday.
By the way, thanks for the interesting link. I will follow thru and read that.
I am interested to hear your comments.
Addiction as defined by medical science is a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance characterized by tolerance and by symptoms of withdrawl.
Now, I guess you can argue that death by dehydration is a symptom of withdrawl. But what about the complusive need for water or tolerance to water? I guess the distinction that I am trying to make is that there is a difference between needing a substance for survival and being addicted to a substance. And the main difference is complusion -- or an irresistible impulse to perform an irrational act (like for example consuming cocaine). An irrational action is one that a person knows is detrimental to its survival and yet continues to perform action anyway. Drinking water is not an irrational action. It is one necessary for survival and is not addictive.
So is this all just semantics? I don't think so. I believe that it is important to make these distinction to more clearly define addiction. If we as a research society lumped all of human behavior that is pleasurable under the heading of addiction, I believe that this would be a great diservice to all of those individuals with truly addictive behaviors, and would hinder our efforts to develop effective treatments for people who suffer from addiction. And I am not talking about people who have a glass of water everyday.
By the way, thanks for the interesting link. I will follow thru and read that.
I am interested to hear your comments.
