Addiction

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See also: Miraculous catch of fish

Addiction is a compulsive, harmful activity. Addiction typically starts as a seemingly innocent pleasure, often seduced/initiated into by liberals, only to consume and even destroy its victim. Replace harmful habits with good alternatives. Conservative/Christian values are an excellent way to combat addiction.[1] Gambling, football watching, substance abuse, and video games can harm brain functions.[2] The Bible and prayer are the easiest ways to overcome every addiction - studying the Bible displaces addictive conduct. The New Testament can be viewed as a handbook for overcoming every addiction, mentioning the Greek word for addiction ("adikia") 25 times.

Virtually everyone faces addiction, including obesity, which renders 77% of Americans aged 17-24 today ineligible for the military.[3] "Two-thirds of U.S. adults have been impacted in some way by the nation’s substance use crisis."[4] Conservative principles and activities are highly effective in overcoming addiction.[5] Atheism, libertarianism, and Leftism, are unlikely to help conquer addiction. Romans 1:29 warns against all adikia, meaning addiction.[6] 1Corinthians 10:13 : "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

The root of addiction is spiritual starvation and liberal deceit; quenching the spiritual appetite and mocking liberal deceit can help. So can healthy activities (e.g., studying the Bible, attending religious services, mental and physical exercise, and conservative activism).

Addiction Comment Conservative help
obesity: overeating and poor diet prayer can delay eating and curtail an over-appetite; notice how obesity shortens lifespan and causes many diseases, such as diabetes and even Alzheimer's; more than 2 out of every 5 adults is obese, and 1 out of every 5 kids. notice the shorter lifespan of obese people; helpful approaches include portion control, frugality for food, self-control, not drinking the entire bottle or eating an entire dessert, and a "don't work, don't eat" work ethic. Fasting on Fridays in honor of Good Friday is a start. Corn (without additives) is praised in the New Testament (KJV) and is a good low-carb food for losing weight.[7] Eat less during Lent in honor of Christ, and avoid fatty foods produced by liberal companies like Ben and Jerry's, AB InBev (beer is fattening), or associated with liberal countries like Canadian Bacon. "Many studies show that drinking more water [but not in excess] may benefit weight loss and maintenance."[8] "And don’t stuff yourself; bridle your appetite." Proverbs 23:2-3 (MSG) Switching to a vegetable-based diet that attains the recommended dietary allowance of 3,000 IUs in Vitamin A can help reduce calories. Spiritual starvation can be at the root of over-eating and obesity. Crowd out bad foods (and other addictions) with good ones.
media wastes many hours weekly, or even daily; causes stress; distorts and misleads recognize the facade of it; notice how it is declining, and how few people (particularly in younger demographics) actually read newspapers or follow the media; the average age of Fox News Channel is 68 years old, and much older for its evening talk shows.[9]
Television, including watching many NFL games. causes dementia, according to at least one study; also wastes many hours each week in lost time, interferes with marriages, fosters emotional gambling, and can lead to obesity and time away from God unplug the NFL; mock how delusional some are in pretending that there is meaning in the outcome of senseless head-bashing NFL games; that many of its "fans" are actually gambling addicts who could be betting on any outcome of anything; recognize that the NFL is less honest and less merit-based than even professional wrestling; the NFL fleeces taxpayer of billions in subsidies; the NFL has become a Leftist tool to bully States against passing conservative legislation; and the NFL even discriminates against the best athletes (such as Herschel Walker) while over-hyping mediocre, unhealthy athletes. Many observe a demonic aspect to professional football, particularly the much-promoted Super Bowl. See also Beating NFL addiction.
depression reduces quality of life, severely afflicts at least 10% of the population and a much higher percentage at least marginally; depression increases four-fold the risk of a heart attack; according to the CDC, "More than 50% will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime. 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year."[10] recognize from the miraculous catch of fish that God's paradise is always very close with a small change in outlook; reject false atheistic theories like evolution by recognizing the many counterexamples to evolution, and break free of despondent habits like gambling; instead recognize the unlimited emotional and logical power of God; using the more precise translations of "paradise" for "Kingdom of God" and "infinite life" for "eternal life" in the Bible can help in outlook
anxiety wastes time, harms health, and hinders productivity; an estimated 40% of adults and 20% of teenagers suffer from anxiety recognition of infinite time overcomes most anxiety; as does faith and reason, including powerful concepts like falsifiability, the Miraculous catch of fish that is always available by changing one's perspective, the Coase theorem, pro-life principles, and recognition that God Has a Sense of Humor.
video games causes dropping out from school, violence, and health problems; this addiction is far worse than generally recognized, with the "Global Video Games Market to Reach $293.2 Billion by 2027."[11] liberals exploit teenagers with video games, turn them away from church and healthy relationships. The antidote is to recognize that by playing you lose no matter what the game tells you. Realize that video games are demonic in apparently inspiring and training many of the young mass murderers.
marijuana and other drugs, also prescription drugs undisclosed medical harms; deadly car crashes that kill innocent victims; entraps victims into the addiction; causes violent paranoia conservative concept of slippery slope cautioning against "just trying something"; also, reject peer pressure and self-indulgence. Some who have conquered drug addiction attribute developing a hobby such as chess, where the consequences of one's choices are repeatedly reinforced, as being very helpful.


Marijuana is more harmful than even cigarettes, such as being linked to brain tumors, and even more harmful to others in second-hand smoke.

pornography inherently fraudulent in concealing the deadly diseases and injuries caused; does to the mind what drugs do to the body, enslaving and destroying the mind; dehumanizing people to the level of dogs; degrades self-esteem; leads to horrific crimes three approaches vanquish this addiction: (1) recognize pornography as merely a disease-spreading charade on a fake movie set, (2) recognize the spiritual ecstasy in the Mark ending and elsewhere in the New Testament, and (3) use healthy images, such as competitive chess. Pornographic images in the mind can be erased by associating them with nausea and repulsive images. Pornographers are liberals who profit by exploiting weaker people, and by being deceitful in denying the actual pain and suffering they cause. Supporting pornography means endorsing the liberal media, and condoning exploitation by the media. Like drugs, gambling and other addictions, pornography incites a demand for increasingly extreme versions. There are also online communities like NoFap which helps people struggling with pornography addiction.
pharmaceutical addictions Pharmaceutical addictions to prescription medications such as oxycodone in most cases result from a blind faith in science, medical doctors and technicians, and a rejection of God. Many physicians as a result of incentives provided by Big Pharma have ceased treating illness and focus on "pain management" with pharmaceutical prescription drugs. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
gambling 1 in 6 Americans are addicted to some form of gambling, and an estimated 2-4% of adults and 4-6% of teenagers are severely addicted. Higher percentages, such as the 50% of Americans who buy lottery tickets, lose money from gambling.[12] Additional addictions, such as spectator football, are a form of emotional gambling. Gamblers have the highest suicide rate of all addictions.[13] gambling is inherently demonic, and was part of the Crucifixion as Romans gambled for Jesus's clothing;[14] State-run lotteries are government at its worst: expanding the revenue of government at the expense mostly of the poor; private gambling is often based on taxpayer subsidies or deceiving the public; the powerful concept of infinity helps put gambling into perspective as a meaningless waste of time.
alcohol destroys the liver and causes tens of thousands of deadly car crashes annually; about 14 million Americans are alcoholics[15] nearly all beer companies are supporters of the Left; recognize that a mere pint of beer wastes up to 10 gallons of scarce water, and dehydrates the drinker so that he needs more water too. See beer water use. Mickey Mantle, the greatest raw talent to play baseball, was diminished by his alcoholism.
smoking very difficult to stop once one starts; shortens lifespan, causes heart disease and numerous other problems second-hand smoke interferes with others' rights and well-being; also, tobacco companies are supporters of liberal projects
stock market wastes billions of hours each week, far more than the market is worth; also even professional stock traders advise against trying to "time the market" (i.e. trying to determine when the market has reached a new high or low, and investing or de-investing accordingly) as they admit even they—with all their powerful tools and understanding—cannot do so; recognize that much of the stock market is boosted by wasteful government spending, such as "stimulus" bills stock market addiction can be conquered by recognizing that amid infinite wealth, which is merely having more money than one needs to survive (which is not much), there is no significance to increasing investment wealth further. In addition, those who invest in the market typically make more money by spending less time following their investments. Also, an implication of the Coase theorem is that the amount of one's assets, in the stock market or otherwise, is irrelevant to his productivity in society.
regret unproductive waste of time, and can even harm one's physical health regret is caused by arrogance and pride, and ignorance about unrecognized or unknowable reasons for and benefits of the past; regret is not "falsifiable", which is a powerful concept useful to defeat this addition. Regret is also a tool of the Devil to detract from seeking Christ, and regret can be disobedience to God's plan. Luke 9:62 helps: And Jesus said to him, “No man who ploughs ahead but then looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God.”
guilt unproductive, but addictive for some people; false confessions to the police are more common than expected religious confession, pro-life work, penance, charity, reading the Bible, and faith
cutting harming one's own skin by cutting is a type of addiction, described as demonic in Mark 5:5 more than two dozen references to addiction are in the New Testament to help, but are often mistranslated as "unrighteous" or otherwise; the cutter in Mark 5:5 wanted help from God and overcame cutting through faith.

Other addictions

Other additions include the consumption of caffeine and excessive internet use. Excessive internet use now extends to social media and mobile phones, where people compulsively check for notifications.

  • There is growing concern that as well as addicting users, technology is contributing toward so-called “continuous partial attention”, severely limiting people’s ability to focus, and possibly lowering IQ. One recent study showed that the mere presence of smartphones damages cognitive capacity – even when the device is turned off. “Everyone is distracted,” Rosenstein says. “All of the time.” [1]

Addiction and denialism

See also: Addiction and denialism

Many addicts engage in denialism. For example, cigarette addicts and alcoholics commonly say, "I can quit anytime I want".

WebMD indicates about addiction and denialism:

An important first step in addressing addiction is to recognize and accept how alcohol and substance use are impacting your life. But if you’re in denial about whether your alcohol and substance use is actually unhealthy and causing you problems, it can prevent you from getting help...

Denial is when someone ignores, downplays, or distorts reality. You may use denial as a way to protect yourself from having to see, deal with, or accept the truth about what’s happening in your life.

People who overuse alcohol and drugs tend to have a hard time dealing with their emotions. You may rely on alcohol and drugs to help you escape from your feelings. Denial is another way to ignore problems.

When someone with a substance use or alcohol use disorder is in denial, it doesn’t mean they can’t see the way they’re using alcohol and drugs. They may instead see drugs and alcohol as an escape from their problems.

...staying in denial is harmful because it prevents you from seeking help or addressing a situation.

Addiction can be a never-ending cycle because addictive substances are both the comfort and the problem for the person who is addicted to them.

In most cases, someone who relies on alcohol and drugs will continue to be in denial about their addiction until their problems become impossible to ignore. This could happen in the form of an overdose or other major health event, legal trouble, or relationship strain or loss.[16]

Conservative/Christian values and overcoming addiction and denialism

In order to solve an addiction problem, one must admit one has a problem. Jesus said, "...the truth will set one free." (John 8:32).

Religion, conservatism power and over addiction

See also: Religion/irreligion, self-control and addiction

Many addictions are promoted through the media, but conservative principles promote a healthy skepticism of the liberal media. The media do not exist to help anyone, but exist to make money for themselves and to promote a harmful liberal agenda. Without the media, gambling in lotteries would almost disappear, for example. In addition, lotteries are run by the government and much of the proceeds go to the government, which is not something conservatives support. NFL games would require going to the stadiums, paying a fortune for tickets, and freezing in the stands before becoming addicted to them.

Many approaches to addiction are entirely defensive in trying to resist the tendencies. But as in chess, an offensive strategy is as important as a defensive one. Developing positive habits and hobbies can be very effective in overcoming negative ones.

For more information, please see: Religion/irreligion, self-control and addiction

History

Historically the term addiction was defined in terms of physically measurable symptoms of repeated drug use, such as tolerance (more drugs for the same effect) or withdrawal symptoms (illness caused by stopping use). Habituation referred to drug use that was psychologically habit-forming, but not necessarily physically addicting.

In the past 20 years, doctors have reversed the meaning of these words. Habituation now refers to using a drug that causes physical withdrawal symptoms. Addiction has become a term that refers to compulsive behavior that continues in spite of adverse consequences.

A consequence of these new definitions is that it is impossible to be addicted to a drug like Ritalin or Prozac if it is prescribed. It is not compulsive behavior if used as prescribed, and it is not adverse if a physician says that it is beneficial. It is also impossible to have a "crack baby" or a "meth-addicted baby."[17] It also means that a marijuana smoker is not necessarily addicted. If he likes what he is doing and is able to function, then these experts would say that he is not addicted no matter how much marijuana he consumes.

More recently the definition has been expanded to include almost any type of compulsive and potentially self-destructive activity.

Examples of addictive drugs include: Heroin, cocaine, alcohol, and nicotine.

Examples of addictive behaviors include: work - work addiction, using the internet - internet addiction, excessive interest in sex - sex addiction.

Psychiatric diagnosis

The American Psychiatric Association lists two related diagnoses: substance dependence and substance abuse. To meet the criteria for a diagnosis of substance dependence, at least three of the following symptoms must occur in the same 1-year period:

  • (a) tolerance (larger doses of the substance are needed to produce the same effect)
  • (b) withdrawal during periods of non-use
  • (c) using the substance more frequently or for longer periods than intended
  • (d) long-standing desire or unsuccessful attempts to stop or reduce use
  • (e) considerable time spent using the substance, making efforts to acquire the substance, and or recovering from its effects
  • (f) important activities are reduced or given up due to substance use
  • (g) continued use despite related negative physical or psychological effects.

A substance abuse diagnosis is given when one or more of the following symptoms occurs during a 1-year period:

  • (a) substance use leads to failure to fulfill important responsibilities
  • (b) substance use in situations where it is dangerous
  • (c) chronic legal problems stemming from substance use
  • (d) using despite related relationship problems[18]

Loneliness

Loneliness has been linked to many physical and mental health problems.[19]

See also: Loneliness

Addiction is often associated with loneliness or a lack of connection to others, which was illustrated in two experiments. In the first, it was found that a rat placed in a cage with normal water and drugged water (usually cocaine or heroin) would become obsessed with the drugged water. Professor Bruce Alexander, however, tried placing many rats in idyllic conditions with many other rats and, when given a choice of water, these rats would mostly choose the normal water. This showed that addiction is more related to the bonds around use rather than the substance itself. Thus loneliness coping is necessary for addiction recovery, and the path out of unhealthy bonds is to form healthy ones.

We must forget about ourselves and serve others, watch over others as a shepherd watches over sheep. Loneliness is caused in part by thinking only of ourselves.[20]

Atheism and loneliness

See: Atheism and loneliness

Atheism and drug addiction

See also: Atheism and drug addiction

Studies indicate that religious individuals are less likely to engage in illegal drug use than atheists/nonreligious.[21][22][23]

According to Science Daily:

Young Swiss men who say that they believe in God are less likely to smoke cigarettes or pot or take ecstasy pills than Swiss men of the same age group who describe themselves as atheists. Belief is a protective factor against addictive behaviour. This is the conclusion reached by a study funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Karl Marx said that religion was the opium of the people. New figures now suggest that religion plays a role in preventing substance misuse. A research team led by Gerhard Gmel from Lausanne University Hospital has shown in the journal Substance Use & Misuse that, in Switzerland, fewer religious young men consume addictive substances than men of their age group who are agnostics or atheists.

At the army recruitment centre For their study on substance use in Switzerland, Gmel and his colleagues interviewed almost twenty-year-old men at army recruitment centres in Lausanne, Windisch and Mels between August 2010 and November 2011. The researchers have now evaluated the 5387 questionnaires completed by the young men. Based on the responses, the scientists split the young men into five groups: the "religious" believe in God and attend church services, the "spiritual" believe in a higher power, but do not practice any religion, the "unsure" do not know what to believe about God, the "agnostics" assume that no-one can know whether there is a God or not, and the "atheists" do not believe in God.[24]

See also

References

  1. See, e.g., Atheism and alcoholism and Atheism and drug addiction,
  2. American Psychiatric Association
  3. https://www.ktsm.com/local/el-paso-news/only-23-of-americans-17-24-qualify-for-military-service/#:~:text=EL%20PASO%2C%20Texas%20(KTSM),to%20serve%20in%20the%20military.
  4. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/majority-of-us-adults-say-addiction-has-affected-their-family-in-some-way-poll/ar-AA1fj74y
  5. For example, the conservative game of chess can be effective in overcoming pornography and substance abuse.
  6. https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Lexicon.show/ID/G93/adikia.htm
  7. Learning of the existence of corn in Egypt is even referenced by the Acts of the Apostles for why Jacob went there, see Acts 7:12 , and American Indians attributed corn to God.
  8. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/drinking-water-helps-with-weight-loss
  9. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2550377/The-average-age-Fox-Viewers-68-majority-politically-conservative-white.html
  10. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm#:~:text=Mental%20illnesses%20are%20among%20the,some%20point%20in%20their%20lifetime.&text=1%20in%205%20Americans%20will,illness%20in%20a%20given%20year.
  11. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/global-video-games-market-reach-104400018.html
  12. http://www.optumanswers.com/research/articles/gambling.shtml
  13. http://www.knoxnews.com/story/life/2017/10/06/gambling-addiction-psychological-root-las-vegas-killings/739059001/
  14. " And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take." (Mark 15:24 , ESV)
  15. http://www.alcoholics-info.com/Statistics_on_Alcoholics.html
  16. Addiction: What Is Denial?
  17. http://www.jointogether.org/news/yourturn/commentary/2005/meth-science-not-stigma-open.html
  18. American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
  19. Multiple references:
    • Gammon, Katherine (March 2, 2012). "Why loneliness can be deadly". Live Science website.
    • Booth, Robert (October 12, 2014). "Number of severely lonely men over 50 set to rise to 1m in 15 years", The Guardian.
  20. http://newlifehabits.com/2007/08/13/using-prisoner-of-war-methods-to-cope-with-addiction-captivity/
  21. Believers Consume Fewer Drugs Than Atheists, Christian Post, By Jim Denison, Christian Post Columnist, October 9, 2013|9:47 am
  22. Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists, Science Daily, Date:October 3, 2013, Source: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung]
  23. Multiple references:
  24. Believers consume fewer drugs than atheists, Science Daily, Date:October 3, 2013, Source: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Foerderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung]