Let me tell you how to spot an addict: their singular focus on drugs. Every pleasure with an eye on the next hit. That’s an addict.
Obsessing on the drug, wearing its motifs, professing idolatry with posters and magazines would be obvious clues, but maybe innocuous at face value, in the absence, naturally, of behavioral problems as a result of drug use.
Another trait, the voracity of the addict’s need to get instant satisfaction. Like a child who wants something in the store, he’ll disregard propriety, your feelings, a normal sense of proportion, to get what he wants. No holds barred. Kids will be kids, but luckily their weapons are few and manageable. The adult child has a wealth of manipulative techniques.
Another, addict radar. Drug users can spot other users. It’s in the behavior, in their communication. Recovered addicts are especially good at pegging other addicts.
I had an engagement lined up with two friends, one a recovered addict and the other a full on addict. I was hoping to glean, among other things, my recovered friend’s take on what the other was using.
When the current addict learned that a veteran would be present, he refused to come. “I don’t want to hang out with no tweaker” is what he said. Hmm. He no doubt wouldn’t prefer to hang out with you.
Drug test. That’s the painless method. Not because you suspect something by his behavior, but as a matter of routine. Agree to regular, but unannounced drug tests. It could be the deterrent to keep him honest.
If you are a drug user and you recognize these behaviors, you are an addict. If others around you can see these behavior traits, you are unmasked.
Why are you hanging around with tweakers and drug addicts?
another addicts radar.
Many drug users can spot other users simply by the way they stand walk or act. its a shame that it is that easy to spot them. But then u have your undercover addicts who seem to have everything going right but can not stay away from bars, strip clubs, porn, gambling etc. Unfortunaly there are alot more people like this in the world.
But what is the disease of addiction. Many people have addiction confused. Drugs is only a small piece of the pie. addiction runs in a million and one ways from being addicted to going to the gym everyday, eating, sleeping, cleaning, having sex, Money, whatever it might be everyone is addicted to something. I have learned from being addicted to drugs and alcohol there are many ways to over come this problem. I fortunally found a 12 step program to work for me and I am gratefull to it today. Today I try to help other people that have a drug problem I can spot them from a mile away but, now I can feel sorry for them because I was right there next to them.
You can only help the ones that ask for help. And the ones that ask for help will be helped by others that have the same problem……..THE DISEASE OF ADDICTION
Somewhere in time I think the luxury of free speech has gilded over into excessive advocacies towards “communal” self-improvement, as if others truly know my “best interests”.
I’m not in favor of instant gratification. Anticipation in itself is a trait requiring lessons of moderation, economic restraint, and diversification. A gross extrapolation of this sounds like “I’d rather earn a million dollars then have it”?
Nevertheless, I will always like brocolli. And no matter how much I put peas in a cup, I can’t help but feel that the potential others cry for is not the loss of my contribution, but for the sake of their own politics/tastes which needs more votes.
Soccor moms of America unite. Let’s resent self-gratification and put the burden on others to make us happy. Autonomy died in a Walmart piss contest. Keep America strong. Get a job.
Alarmists – relax. No beliefs here. Just bumper stickers.
Seriously, it’s not the addicts that bring me down. It’s the predatorial nature of humans. And while drug-use often brings about this behavior in most blatent fashion, People magazine remains equally cannabilistic. As does capitalism.
Next you’ll be telling me democratic intelligence is a virtue…
In Mob We Trust.
How to spot addicts? They are the ones that don’t know how to spread the cheese. Is that really so contemptible? Sometimes I am pleased to find parking stalls, and glad that stoners prefer the couch.
Be thankful for the thinning in a country of fat.
quote “what are you doing hanging around with stoners and tweakers?” end quote.
What are we supposed to do, screen out anybody who has personal problems as being totally worthless, and with nothing worthwhile to contribute?
I’ll have to burn all my books. Gadzooks! Poe will have to go, Jack London, Shakespeare goes without saying. Hunter Thompson. Sheite. The Bible, cause every book in it points out the failing of what are generally acknowledged as the most righteous people on Earth. Noah got drunk and cursed his son.
Lot got drunk and knocked up his daughters.
David, Solomon, need I even begin on those two?
St Peter, who was obviously a Zealot, and obviously had some really not discussed in the book prior experience handling a sword… he threw down on real swordsmen who had swords and didn’t die right on the spot. I personally believe when he cut the guy’s ear off, the guy ducked and got lucky, I think ol’ Pete was aiming to split his wig.
Say, while I am purging my stuff of all things stoner related, does that mean that I have to ditch my music collection as well? I would have to sell my stereo or use it as a doorstop or something….
Jonah, reading and listening to stoners and tweakers is a little bit different than having them over for dinner. I completely understand that many creative and brilliant people are flawed….the whole tortured artist thing. I was mostly poking fun at Eric because he’s so clearly disturbed by substance abuse that I do wonder how he can abide such company.
I know. And I have to have my fun too.
Plus there are others who at least browse the site.
Before I clicked onto the sight yesterday I got routed to a site, military oriented, which amongst other things suggested that Eric was unstable and urging them to log on and vent their feelings of him. But lighthearted fancy is how I keep from going berserk on all of society.
of course, when dealing with war/peace issues you are going to get a lot of contact with people who have that way (dope) of dealing with the insane mess of the world.
Eric is unstable? I hope that is just more jest!
I enjoy opinion: good, bad, well-written, or like I write… and likewise I sympathize with having slightly unstable friends. And I sympathize with my lover the most.
Drug users definitely provide contrast and conflict, whether personally or governmentally ingested.
But I hope that blog contributors continue to debate the thoughts and not the author’s character. Being disgruntled or concerned is not unstable. IF happiness like Winnie the Pooh’s is just an attitude change away – then the name of the attitude is ignorance.
Opinions too are addictions. You can spot them here and there unmasked – sometimes.
Three cheers for fighting the insanity with ribaldness AND with thought! (Can I drink in this blog topic?)
Sure you can drink. Is there actually enough room to do it?
Of course, it is imperative to know there some who are very distinctly Others who log on, mostly just to read, then cut and paste them to their own websites and blogs.
And that one did suggest harassing Eric.
As a personal matter too. I can think of one really good reason to encourage such behavior, though.
I’ll mention it to Eric in person next time I see him.
Jonah, let’s draw their fire! If soldiers can type, surely they can learn. Let’s grab these bulls by their training wheels and break them! It’d be the least we can do. These soldiers are slaughtering innocent Iraqis whose dying cries they can’t even be bothered to try to understand.
I was watching Wim Wender’s “Land of Plenty” last night. Did not make it to the film’s conclusion as the disk glitched leaving me somewhere in L.A. with vigilantes and America’s homeless. Rather ominous place to stop.
I really loathe this war – not just for the loss of innocent lives abroad.
It’s hard for me to choose to defend the freedom of Walmart with blood or blood tests. (inserted the blood test as a feeble way of trying to keep this on topic). Besides my dvd player don’t work – now I really hate this economy!
As per the Wim Wenders film, it only reitterates that indifference is not simply about oil/religion/soldiers/hawks or doves, and THIS war is larger than Iraq.
Jonah, Eric, et al – thanks again for posting to Not My Tribe. But likewise I sense the “ventilator blues” here as topic floats to lost (personal?) context. Then again, with ten fingers to point, and little to count on, it’s hard to hold onto anything these days….
Our country has succeeded in alienating thought. And I don’t mean that as insult, but self-confession.
Sublimate? I felt that one before. And remember it Well. “Well” being the place where Jack fell down and crown broke. So much for Head First.
Mind over Matter they said, and pretty soon nothing mattered much anymore.
(ok, i’ve posted too much for a newbie. Gonna retreat to reading bumper stickers for a while…)
Re-elect Al Gore.