Addiction is the second worst problem in healthcare.
Addiction for most people means some poor human being in the street ramming a dirty syringe of fentanyl mixed with “god knows what else” into a vein in his arm which then goes into the right side of his circulation with all sorts of cardiac and septic problems. This addiction is way down on the list of harmful addictions. Much more damaging to society (as measured by the money) are booze, and food, and cigarettes, and gambling and etcetera.
These things are all the same from a medical point of view. There is a trigger, then there is a behaviour, and then there is a reward. This is repeated despite adverse consequences for the patient. This is not a new phenomenon. The Buddha called it dependent origination. The behaviourist psychologists like Skinner called it operant conditioning.
When I ran a pain clinic at Mount Saint Joseph’s Hospital I used to wonder why all these patients had such terrible lives. My conclusion? It’s all trauma. I guess Gabor Mate (1) was right!
And the number one problem for healthcare you ask? Gotta be an unwanted pregnancy, no?
Can you brain understand a supermarket When it is pumping out adrenalin Can your body really handle addiction By just taking it on the chin There is gonna be no cure For the nasty dopamine rush Each time in a million that the dealer Hands me a straight flush But when he realizes that it is not easy After all the aerobic exercise A self inflicted bullet lands in his head It could have been otherwise
Cheers,
ME
1) I haven’t seen him for years since he used to come into the OR at MSJ Hospital to assist.Hi Gabor!