I simply cannot accept that there are, on every story, two equal and logical sides to an argument.
The hallmark of addiction is that it changes your brain chemistry. It actually affects that part of your brain that's responsible for judgment.
We can't arrest and incarcerate addiction out of people. Not only do I think it's really inhumane, but it's ineffective and it cost us billions upon billions of dollars to keep doing this.
Addiction is such an isolating incident in your life. You feel alone. And when you admit, when you come into a fellowship and people just surround you and say, "We will help you, that you're not alone, that we've been through it before, and you will get through it," just gives you such great hope.
I think it's overly simplistic to say that any one single strategy is going to really change the focus and change the trajectory of drug use.
If I, in some small way can help people to see that there is this huge, incredible life on the other side of addiction, you know, I will feel accomplished in my job.
Addiction is a brain disease. This is not a moral failing. This is not about bad people who are choosing to continue to use drugs because they lack willpower.
Oh, I can't help quoting you, because everything that you said rings true.
I wanted to support things that are helpful to people and maybe bash what I think is dangerous. So I switched from being everybody to being myself.
The first mistake is believing that transformational initiatives can be accomplished through normal channels and means. This cannot be done because there are too many conflicting interests that are competing to impede. The second is mistaking incubation for transformation and concluding that failure to achieve escape velocity is due to lack of innovation. It never is. It is always do to lack of leadership focus and, especially, fortitude.
It is not worth while to strain one's self to tell the truth to people who habitually discount everything you tell them, whether it is true or isn't.