The causes of addiction are far more complicated than the video, and some of the information is inaccurate.
It's an important video with a good message, but by ignoring the OTHER factors that contribute to addiction, which include:
Physiological vulnerabilities (particular types of brain receptors that function in particular ways) many of which are hereditary (genetic factors); and
Psychological vulnerabilities which may result from traumatic events or experiences that can perhaps be minimized by having everyone live in a human version of "rat park," but can't be eliminated altogether.
In addition to those factors, there are adaptation mechanisms that work differently in people depending on the other complexities-- vulnerability, etc. The brain, among other organs, adapts physiologically to the continuing presence of an addictive substance. Tolerance and dependence are just two obvious examples; fMRI scans suggest a much wider range of effects that contribute to addiction.
And finally there's behavioral conditioning, which is the process of reinforcement over months or years of use of an addictive substance. We develop habits and routines that reinforce use and make change much more difficult.
And all of these factors interact-- someone who's inherited the brain structures that make you vulnerable to alcohol dependence may never actuate the addiction because they have minimal psychological vulnerabilities, are too rarely exposed to alcohol to adapt to it, and/or have healthy behaviors that reinforce not using alcohol in destructive ways.
On the other hand, someone who's inherited none of the brain structures that make you vulnerable to opiate addiction might have a terribly traumatic childhood-- loss of parents in a horrifying accident, an undaignosed, untreated learning disability, etc., and then suffer a severe injury, be exposed to opioids (that 21-day number quoted may be related to a single study, but it's not a magic number at all- shorter exposures have resulted in addiction, and longer exposures have resulted in no addiction) and very quickly adapt and become addicted.
The real tragedy of this wonderful video is that it's partially but very importantly right about one thing: Creating a human version of "rat park" and living in it would greatly reduce (though not eliminate) the numbers of people who become addicted to addictive substances.
But, even MORE important, it would make it so much, much easier for people who do become addicted to establish stable and lasting recovery, because they are right about one thing: Connection is critical. It's the thing that differentiates recovery from abstinence.
Sorry for the rant, but it just produces so much frustration for me when I see such good intentions and excellent resources used to over-simplify and perpetuate further misinformation about addiction.
Everything we know about addiction is NOT wrong. In fact, we're learning more about it now than we ever have, and it's not as simple as this video makes out. The old myths about addiction are terribly damaging, indeed. But creating a new myth, based on this over-simplified wishful thinking, is not the answer to the problems created by those old myths.
The real answer is good science, more research, better information and understanding of the complexities of addiction, PLUS refutation of the destructive old myths and stereotypes that includes good information like "promoting connection and healthy approaches to a whole range of social problems will reduce the incidence and costs of addiction and build strong stable recovery for those who do suffer."
passionately,
Bright
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