Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong | Johann Hari | TED

I believe that in order to try and figure out how we're supposed to live our lives, because we're not taught anything, we must do our very best to get to the very core of EVERYTHING in life! I also researched heroin as well as completing addiction counseling and opioid addiction counseling certification courses in my quest to help others!!!
In short, Most overlook the important fact that our existence is (no doubt, purposely) flooded with so many addictive poisons other than drugs. Eg: foods, drinks, greed, abuse, tobacco, entertainment, laziness, dysfunction, alcohol, electronics, depression, to name a few. While so many regurgitate what they're taught by condemning heroin/narcotic addicts as people with chemical brain imbalances that are stupid, not realizing most are ADDICTED to the many poisons that exist! Yes, most people that have never touched heroin or narcotics are addicts themselves, and for some reason they don't know this about themselves!
Until every human learns to start to think for themselves and truly help one another we will continue to suffer here!!!!

That bonding may be a manipulative government that doesn't have your best interest at heart.

Great talk but totally weird that there are so many Fast Food addiction ads throught

Not just "bonding". But bonding to the right people.

So many healthy people and kids bond with the wrong people and start doing drugs cause of them.

So if you're going to bring in group activities, do it with the right people and right intent.

Not just put em together and hope for the best like what majority of services do

The truth is i use because if i cant be comfortable and calm in my life i really wouldnt want to live i have a condition where i can only function and really listen while high and if i cant have that im out and not just out I'm talking Meadery out out as fast as the meterboy because I can't last a second sober it's too screwed up and it's madness

💙

I disagree that connection will counter addiction it’ll help but it’s not the ultimate answer

Lots of people become addicted to the medication prescribed oxytocin and other drugs have ruined peoples lives

This is amazing! Amazing knowledge so glad to know.

If I could give this talk 10 Thumbs Up, I would!

One of the loneliest countries in the world. 31% report being lonely. Being lonely feels like being an addict! You're too ashamed to even tell anyone except your therapist often enough. No wonder there's so much addiction of all kinds. You're even lucky if you're own family treats you kindly if you're depressed & lonely. I watched his talk on depression & anxiety, and then moved right onto this one. He's absolutely spot on, and the two topics often go hand in hand. Thank you, Johann Hari. Just hearing all of this helps ♥

Well, you just give me every reason to pick up again period so maybe I was never an attic. I just didn't have the right people in my life.

I’ve watched this about 100 X. ❤

This talk has some good stuff but honestly, u can have loved once and something to live for but when. The urge to do something or a substance k
Overpowers those things. If you were an addict or are in recovery. You would understand this. Knowing an addict does not say you know what it's like. Don't act like you know unless you have experienced it. Ur support is great for an addict is great though. But really, acting like you know the solution to something you have never experienced personally will make addicts turn there backs.

This reminds me of the true story of James Bowen & Street Cat Bob - James was a drug addict and when he met Bob, who was injured, he decided to spend his last bit of money on bringing him to the vet and decided to mind him until he was okay to go back to the streets, but Bob never left him and this is what inspired him to get off the drugs. There is a brilliant book and film about their story.

Addict's already are suffering 😢

I’m a opiate addict in recovery for 12+ years and while i agree with his main premise that connection is crucial it’s not as simple as he makes it out. I’ve known little old grandmas who had their hip replaced and do get very addicted. About 10% of the population is genetically predisposed to becoming addicted even people from happy families and who are surrounded by love. It’s more complicated than this speaker makes out but because he’s not an addict himself he really can’t fully understand. He can learn about it and hats off to him for doing that but the science of addiction has come a long way since this video was made. I also definitely agree that treating addicts like criminals is the opposite of what’s needed. ✌🏼

That’s not new news you ask any elderly person about productivity and they’ll tell you the same thing that having nothing to do is devil’s work

"End the war on drugs"
-Donald J Trump

This dude is full of shyte

Had to watch this today in my addiction recovery class. Very good video.

And I quote “Bah el uh wah er”

Group therapy amongst other addicts is saving my life; I am so afraid of judgment but we keep each other going.

Physical dependency is def real and depending on the substance involved can even be fatal. it's just not the same as addiction. You can theoretically be physically dependent on a drug you aren't even addicted to and you can be addicted to a drug and not physically dependent on.

This brought me to tears. It’s like the first time I’ve heard someone speak that gets me. Wish more people would take the time to try and understand addiction. It’s an act of desperation. So many ppl look at someone with substance abuse issues and assume m it’s something that lives inside you that will always make you more prone to addiction, regardless of other life factors.

Thank you for this explanation, made me realize a lot. Thank you !

I'm a recovering addict myself and this video was a revelation. Thank you.

What a truly gifted public speaker. Powerful

WOW

I agree, this is incredibly mind opening 👍

I need to make more friends

How can we begin to get more people to understand this? It is clear there is so much evidence to support this, yet we continue to make mistakes when it comes to addiction. How can we change this?

I spent two weeks in ICU and seven days of that in a coma from alcohol withdrawals. The chemical hooks to the body are real and shouldn't be taken lightly especially with alcohol. I agree with everything else.

AMAZING!

This is definitely one of the best TED talks I’ve ever heard!! So informative 🥳🥳 it was amazing to just absorb all the knowledge that Johann was imparting 😇

Certainly a lot of truth including stats to back that up. sadly the stats don’t help 100% of addicts including me. I want and need to stop however the weeks needed to quit them are not affordable to be absent from work. Simply put I cannot afford loss of work or I run risk of being homeless! During the withdrawal period there is a multitude of reasons you can’t work sweats, massive overheating, upset stomach, lethargy, bouts of depression/anxiety, cannot focus or think!

Physical addiction is entirely real and crippling for long term users.

Trying to get a 3 week gap in work to come off of them 🙏🏻 would be great to help
others after i’ve helped myself.

If you're reading this, I'm a child of addicted parents, state care, prison visiting my parents for 20 years, etc so I've tried everything to make that go a way. I highly recommend Dr. Gabor Mate. Start with him.

I looked for my original comment to this but could not find it. My original post said this video was a waste of time and he does not know what he is talking about. Addiction is a brain disease. I'm speaking from experience, as I have over 30 years of recovery. Good luck to the rest of you.

I agree, but I did heroin for ten + years and withdrawal/ physical addiction is definitely real. Not sure if this guys ever shot heroin for a long period of time and then tried to “just stop” but that doesn’t work.

Psilocybin containing mushroom are just amazing with so many health benefits. Helped me overcome my life long addiction to heroin. Also saved me from mental health issues. Never had a bad trip.

Just go and counsel the drug addictor believe me he tells you everthing why he has done that 😊

This guy is full of it and has been notorious for spreading misinformation. His speech sounds good but it is not the whole story by any means

bloody awesome!!!

Morphine is not heroin. This guy starts the whole talk with a false statement. No, that middle row won't get hooked on morphine after 2 weeks, but put them on heroin for 2 weeks and I'll guarantee you that the majority most certainly will get hooked. I haven't finished this (because he's so off base) but I'd bet this guy has never been hooked on opiates.

I watched this years ago to support family. Now I’m with a partner who has also revealed he’s an addict. He says he has never been in such a loving relationship yet things are so dysfunctional. Sure he gave up the booze, but upped his prescription morphine and the abuse. So love isn’t helping for us.

It’s the Great Escape.

i'm sorry but people become addicts after receiving prescription opioids during legitimate treatment for a medical injury/illness ALL the time. i have been to rehab and actually, that was EVERY heroin addict's story of how they first tried the drug and discovered that they loved it.

I ADMIT That I Have The Problem

So true, I am an addict, I have close connection with nobody, I have no family or friends, I do not care about my life, every person that crossed my life betrayed me so I just let myself go into abyss of not being present, now I am lost beyond repair and have almost non motivation to change my situation, I often think about if I had just one person that would accept and love me everything would be so different. So sad. I had a lot of potential but growing up without parents, having abusive partner, and not knowing how to built relationships with people threw me in deep black hole of depression and misery. Just waiting to end this pain that lives inside me.