Autogenous Drug Addiction: The Reality -Part I
The world into which we bear our gospel is filled with irrational, self-destructive behavior. Christians often find this reality difficult to see from the pew of Bible-Believing Churches. We become naive to such trouble by fidelity to God’s word and repeated warnings from honest pulpits.
The burden of choice:
Yet, individuals of this world are not so fortunate, their destructive behavior is often encouraged, not corrected. Without watchmen warning them of danger ahead, they’re ravaged by sin and tossed by every whim. Their own free-will and its resulting freedom of choice are the worst of enemies. A life of revelry along with indulgence in every seasonal, yet sinful, pleasure feeds their desire to awake and seek it yet again.
People need the Lord!
One distinct characteristic of man, further proving separation from animals, is with full conscious aptitude choosing to harm himself. One example is the autogenous (self-produced and self-generated) nature of drug use. When difficulties arise, with no friend that sticketh closer than a brother, man deceives himself into thinking substance abuse is the escape. They know not the Great Physician, they seek not his assistance. The choice is made to obscure difficulties through alcohol or drug use. Rather than bringing bodies into subjection, they give themselves over to a life dominated by uncontrolled feelings and addiction.
The disease and its cause:
Labeling addiction a “disease” has become the catch-all counterfeit explanation. How profound, an illness whose cause is snorting, smoking or injecting the object thereof. Just as ludicrous is the modern approach to treatment. Rehabilitation created a world in which addicts are coddled. Continued contraction of this unfortunate disease motivates money making facilities to help subjects of this infirmity through their doors. The addicts and the rehab facilities alike work to help us understand addiction is just as incurable as cancer or GRID. Effectively expressing this idea relieves the addict from responsibility and fuels the rehab industries greatest need: patients. Rough city streets and rehab centers are the perpetual ditch that addicts find themselves repeatedly falling into.
Addicts have mastered the art of manipulation and enjoy successfully practicing its methods of deceit. Sadly, societies and doctors have become the manipulated. This creates a vicious circle of revolving doors at treatment centers where the same faces pass through repeatedly, but rarely gain victory. Thousands of dollars are charged by these facilities to bring addicts in and diagnose them unfortunate victims of a deadly disease. The price to receive this diagnosis is so high only federal, state and local governments would be silly enough to cover the cost.
Predator vs Prey:
The choice to use drugs (the “use” of drugs is the “abuse” of drugs) is an explosive epidemic. Never have we been more rich and comfortable, yet something is clearly missing. Cities and towns once known for their people of strength and character are now encroached upon by tent cities. Lewd fellows of the baser sort inhabit these areas seeking whom they may devour. These individuals chose to abandon all responsibility but one, awake and seek it yet again. They lurk at night because their deeds are evil. Incapable of finding the help they need, somehow they are capable of committing violations necessary to obtain their next fix. Citizens are preyed upon by the drug user, the drug user is preyed upon by the dealer, and the rehab center benefits from the existence of them all.
Cheap manufacture of crack and heroin once satisfied the profit margins of zealous drug dealers. Being good stewards of their chosen craft, it’s only natural they should seek to improve business outlook. Cheap production of crack and heroin no longer suffice, not if something easier and cheaper to manufacture comes along. Effortless production along with dealers “fortune 500” mentalities produced the explosion of fentanyl. America broke into a frenzy when the new “disease of addiction” related to fentanyl caused the death of an estimated 70,000 people in 2017. While I understand the concern for such large numbers of deaths, I’m confused by the lack of alarm over 88,000 people dying consistently each year from alcohol use. But of course this particular drug (alcohol) is legal and the highest members of government are users. So this disease will be allowed to linger. Why let epic death tolls rid social butterflies of their substance of choice?
Furthermore, cities see the influx of alcohol to their communities in the form of bars, clubs and liquor stores, as great ways to increase revenue. I wonder, does this make local mayors and city councils dealers? Or addicts using their position of power to facilitate their “disease”? Whatever the chosen substance of abuse the demand is ultimately what facilitates its continued existence. The broad spectrum of users is scary, it seems its reach is nearly boundless.
Rebellious teens and preteens leave good homes and troubled homes in large number for the streets. Their minds have been ideally prepared for addiction. Subjected to the ideologies of this world they are encouraged to abdicate responsibility. They have been taught freedom is the lack of responsibility, therefore forsaking responsibility is equal to gaining freedom. Character has never been required of them, over-indulged satisfaction and self-defined happiness are their life objectives. With this mental conditioning, they hit the streets often never to be seen again (if they are seen again, a few months of street life and drug abuse render them unrecognizable).
The hope of these young hearts is to escape the bondage of a home with rules and expectations. Others are escaping a home where they are subject to abuse (the array of possible abuses is mind-numbing). These prefer a choice in their abuse running to the drug-addicted streets and entering a world of manipulation and vice. Drug dealers sell them a dream, one they know not to be true but dissatisfaction with their current situation makes the deception seem possible.
This phenomenon is not harming teens only, adults from a wide array of our society find themselves under this same deception. I once preached to a NASA engineer that was passing through the Orlando Union Rescue Mission in Orlando, Florida. A man of great potential whose only hindrance was his noncompliance to personal responsibility; save those required to stay at the rescue mission of course. He exchanged fortitude to face life’s problems with an escape into the obscurity of city streets. This choice produces lives ravaged by addiction, criminal activity, routine violence, odd sexual perversion, and frequent trips to jail. It’s a continual spiral downward.
Help will not be sought until years of destructive behavior have taken their toll. When the cry for help finally comes, it will be heard by a rehab facility that will inform them they are simply victims of a disease. They can provide a sense of rehabilitation, but there is no cure. Once there, they will need thousands of dollars to cover the costs or insurance that will pay for rehabilitation, or they will need to have gotten in enough trouble that a government body will pay for their “treatment.” If sufficient means of payment is produced, they stay long enough to recover their bodies strength then return back to the streets to start the cycle all over again.
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Source: Assisted Living | Gardenia Care
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article(s) are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of An Enchanted Assisted Living LLC. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or legal advice.
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