The Culture of AddictionThe Culture of Addiction

Supposition (Key Theme)

The culture of addiction and process of immersion into the the culture of addiction serves to disengage the individual from society into a self-sequestered tribe of addicts.

Supposition (Key Theme)

The culture of addiction and process of immersion into the the culture of addiction serves to disengage the individual from society into a self-sequestered tribe of addicts.

Core Elements in the Culture of

Addiction

Core Elements in the Culture of

Addiction

Tribes Tribes Seek out and build relationships with other people whose drug use or recovery mirrors their own

Create small groups within which they can nurture the rituals of drug use or recovery

Tribes can overlap, creating a broader social network of drug users who share common goals and attributes

Then again, tribes will also form based on particular drugs of abuse / drawing war-lines so to speak

Seek out and build relationships with other people whose drug use or recovery mirrors their own

Create small groups within which they can nurture the rituals of drug use or recovery

Tribes can overlap, creating a broader social network of drug users who share common goals and attributes

Then again, tribes will also form based on particular drugs of abuse / drawing war-lines so to speak

Drug Tribes Drug Tribes Celebrated (alcoholic / tobacco)

Tolerated (Marijuana)

Instrumental (prescribed drugs)

Prohibited (heroin, cocaine, club drugs)

Celebrated (alcoholic / tobacco)

Tolerated (Marijuana)

Instrumental (prescribed drugs)

Prohibited (heroin, cocaine, club drugs)

LanguageLanguage

The culturally enmeshed addict experiences a transformation in language that parallels their progression of addiction.

Language changes reflect transition into and confirmation of one’s new identity.

The culturally enmeshed addict experiences a transformation in language that parallels their progression of addiction.

Language changes reflect transition into and confirmation of one’s new identity.

LanguageLanguageMastery of language confirms membership, and separates us from them

Language shift includes use of more slangs, profanity, symbolic words for drugs, folktales, stories of hustling, euphoric recall of intoxication episodes, stories of wanting to clean-up, but when cleaning wanting to get high)

Mastery of language confirms membership, and separates us from them

Language shift includes use of more slangs, profanity, symbolic words for drugs, folktales, stories of hustling, euphoric recall of intoxication episodes, stories of wanting to clean-up, but when cleaning wanting to get high)

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Language (contd).

Language (contd).

Clinical Implications

Clinical ImplicationsLanguage provides the pathway back to and

away from addiction

Thus according to White (1996) Addicts must relearn how to communicate

Teach language skills / cognitive and affective

Change the addict role

Clinician must be careful of what language they use (avoid the hustle)

Language provides the pathway back to and away from addiction

Thus according to White (1996) Addicts must relearn how to communicate

Teach language skills / cognitive and affective

Change the addict role

Clinician must be careful of what language they use (avoid the hustle)

Religion, Morality, and ValuesReligion, Morality, and Values

When an individual begins a relationship with a psychoactive drug he or she brings to that relationship a set of pr-existing values and beliefs.

For some individuals the immersion into the culture of addiction strips former values and beliefs apart

Dr. Jekyll - Mr. Hyde

When an individual begins a relationship with a psychoactive drug he or she brings to that relationship a set of pr-existing values and beliefs.

For some individuals the immersion into the culture of addiction strips former values and beliefs apart

Dr. Jekyll - Mr. Hyde

Religion, Morality, and Values (cont.)

Religion, Morality, and Values (cont.)Commit acts the former pre-addict personality would never dream of

Our former values become insignificant

Sometimes in the late stages the addiction that created the spiritual void may lead the addict to surrender

This doesn’t happen to everyone

Commit acts the former pre-addict personality would never dream of

Our former values become insignificant

Sometimes in the late stages the addiction that created the spiritual void may lead the addict to surrender

This doesn’t happen to everyone

The Addict Personality in the Web of the Culture of Addiction

The Drug comes first Everyone’s on the make

Don’t trust anyone Don’t feel

Avoid responsibilityEvery Interaction is Potential Hustle Cultivate Excitement through Risk

Violate taboos The Image is the MessageCunning over Conscience

The Addict Personality in the Web of the Culture of Addiction

The Drug comes first Everyone’s on the make

Don’t trust anyone Don’t feel

Avoid responsibilityEvery Interaction is Potential Hustle Cultivate Excitement through Risk

Violate taboos The Image is the MessageCunning over Conscience

Collection of physical trappings

Reinforce identification with the culture proclaiming identity and allegiance

Addict become oblivious of their presence and more importantly downplays excessive drug use

Individuals may also unconsciously downplay the danger of particular symbols and symbolic play within their culture

Collection of physical trappings

Reinforce identification with the culture proclaiming identity and allegiance

Addict become oblivious of their presence and more importantly downplays excessive drug use

Individuals may also unconsciously downplay the danger of particular symbols and symbolic play within their culture

SymbolsSymbols

Symbols

Symbols and Treatment

•Symbols reinforce or recall behaviour promoting drug use

•This is frequently ignored in treatment

•White (1996) suggests that a role for treatment is to remove symbols that reflect addiction and replace them with symbols of recovery

Tribe RitualsTribe RitualsWhen does drug use begin?

Understanding patterns of use can help treatment providers mitigate relaspe potential

When does craving hit - around what activities

Making the addict conscious of these

When does drug use begin?

Understanding patterns of use can help treatment providers mitigate relaspe potential

When does craving hit - around what activities

Making the addict conscious of these

Rituals and Treatment Rituals and Treatment

Identify

Understand significance

Extinguish rituals / replace with healthy rituals

New meaning / purpose

Identify

Understand significance

Extinguish rituals / replace with healthy rituals

New meaning / purpose

History and MythologyHistory and Mythology

Tribes establish a history and folklore and pass it down

Stories include heroism, fall from grace, how to use, how not to, tribal wars, etc.

Every famous personality who is arrested, who dies, provides confirmation of addicts participation in an elite society.

Straight cultural folklore against addiction confirms elitism

Tribes establish a history and folklore and pass it down

Stories include heroism, fall from grace, how to use, how not to, tribal wars, etc.

Every famous personality who is arrested, who dies, provides confirmation of addicts participation in an elite society.

Straight cultural folklore against addiction confirms elitism

Institutions (Places)Institutions (Places)

Geographic places (tribe dependent)

Brings forth memories that bind cultures and serve as triggers

Treatment (clinician task is to root out these triggers)

Geographic places (tribe dependent)

Brings forth memories that bind cultures and serve as triggers

Treatment (clinician task is to root out these triggers)

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Dress and AppearanceDress and Appearance

Change of dress change of 1) identity or 2) denial / hiding reality

Most often change and dress and appearance relates to to decline in self-care, hygiene and health

Late stages of addiction - no one home to care how one appears or presents oneself

Change of dress change of 1) identity or 2) denial / hiding reality

Most often change and dress and appearance relates to to decline in self-care, hygiene and health

Late stages of addiction - no one home to care how one appears or presents oneself

Diet and FoodDiet and Food

Addiction

No fruits or vegetables

Junk food

Increase of fats & carbs

Barely any food at all

Addiction

No fruits or vegetables

Junk food

Increase of fats & carbs

Barely any food at all

Recovery •Regulating food and moods

•Sugar control

•Increase of fats & carbs

•Manage drug hunger through diet and exercise

Recovery •Regulating food and moods

•Sugar control

•Increase of fats & carbs

•Manage drug hunger through diet and exercise

MusicMusic

Addiction

Songs about using, hustling, or pimping

Social distortion story - linking two unrelated events together (musical stimuli to the experiences of intoxication

Addiction

Songs about using, hustling, or pimping

Social distortion story - linking two unrelated events together (musical stimuli to the experiences of intoxication

Recovery

•Establish links between certain types of music or songs and euphoric recall of drug intoxication

•Explore different types

Recovery

•Establish links between certain types of music or songs and euphoric recall of drug intoxication

•Explore different types

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Work and LeisureWork and Leisure

The world of work and leisure are transformed by the culture of addiction

Meaning and Value Change

One’s job is only seen as a continued access to drug supply

Job last link to mainstream sobriety

The real task of work each day - “getting by”

Elders in the culture of addiction teach how to “get by”

The world of work and leisure are transformed by the culture of addiction

Meaning and Value Change

One’s job is only seen as a continued access to drug supply

Job last link to mainstream sobriety

The real task of work each day - “getting by”

Elders in the culture of addiction teach how to “get by”

“Elders Teach Getting By”“Elders Teach Getting By”Occupations and jobs roles especially suited for addicts

Learn stories to justify absenteeism and tardiness

How to use at work without getting caught

Avoiding detection to not get caught

Engineered stories of previous firing / job loss

Method of beating company’s drug testing system http://livesafely.org/personal-freedom/how-to-beat-a-urine-test/

Creative use of accidents / medical benefits / disability / WCB

Occupations and jobs roles especially suited for addicts

Learn stories to justify absenteeism and tardiness

How to use at work without getting caught

Avoiding detection to not get caught

Engineered stories of previous firing / job loss

Method of beating company’s drug testing system http://livesafely.org/personal-freedom/how-to-beat-a-urine-test/

Creative use of accidents / medical benefits / disability / WCB

With the final loss of

legitimate job roles, the

major umbilical cord to society is severed

Leisure Time: A Three Stage Transformation

Leisure Activities

Based on Personal Interests

Drug use maybe

Leisure Activities

Personal vested interests continue

But drugs and alcohol almost always present

Drug use becomes the activity

Leisure activities disappear / rituals and

habits surrounding culture of addiction become deeply embedded

Literature Addiction

•First-person accounts of addiction

•Technical books on drugs and their effects

•Law books (provide detailed information on drug control laws, one’s rights if arrested

Recovery

•Introduction to recovery literature

•Spiritual literature

•Literature offering different ideas for treatment

FamilyAddiction

•Initially a safety net

•Family distances themselves due to destructiveness

•Street family adopted

Recovery

•Reunited with family (if possible)

•Re-integration (trust building)

Sexual Trauma •Predatory nature of the culture of

addiction can further objectify and exploit those already sexually traumatized

•Clinician must determine route of treatment - concurrently or after stabilizing?

Sexual Identity • Diffuse sexual orientation

• Culture of addiction accept, promote, further confuse sexual orientation

• Sexual shame / guilt

• How are we to treat?

• What does recovering person return to ‘how’

Summary: Culture of Addiction