Addiction

The concept of addiction is usually associated with a life-altering and punishing condition. If you attempt to strike a more positive cord, say, “I am addicted to love,” it is still not considered a positive statement. Recently, one of my students asked me how he would be able to overcome cell phone addiction. Now, at first blush, it appears that it is impossible to become addicted to a simple device – a gadget – but it is, sadly, self-evident that this is not the case.

A pause at any traffic light will present the extent of this scourge: young people immediately gravitate to their phones in the short seconds of a light. To begin, we must ponder two basic questions: firstly, what is an addiction, (1) and secondly how do we rein in its behavior? An addiction is an impulse behavior that we cannot control. At its most concise, it has two streams: the one physical and the other psychological. An addiction to the cell phone would fall into the latter camp. I would hope that one would not get physically ill if access to the phone was denied.

This is certainly not the case with heroin or substances of its ilk. In this case, withdrawal is of serious concern. (2) The problem, therefore to intelligently remove cell phone addiction sits with the mind. One additional piece of uniqueness, however, is that if you are addicted to a drug or alcohol — or even smoking — you must totally cease its usage to be cleansed from its curse. This is not the case with the phone. Its usage is so ubiquitous in modern society that to speak of never using it again is nigh on impossible. The phone must move away from being an intimate object — my best friend — to something simply interactive and physical: I can then begin to overcome its allure and attraction.

Speaking of addiction: how time does change! When I was young, drinking alcohol was considered a manly pursuit. If you met someone who did not drink, they were weak, effeminate, or both. Today we know that spirits are the most pernicious drugs of all. They kill many more people than all the other drugs combined. (3) Smoking was another historical addition that has come to have a health revision in contemporary society. Smoking was one of the first signs of maturity – a cigarette gradually lending itself to a beer: You do have two hands, after all.

In the 1970s, in my province of British Columbia, (4) young people were quitting school en masse. The logging and fishing industries were just paying too much money. Why stay in school when you made less salary after finishing university – another six-year time trek? The Ministry of Education, now doesn’t that sound Orwellian, (5) came up with a radical plan. They threw out the British boarding- school-inspired curriculum with its adherence to order and respect and introduced a type of misplaced liberal chaos – or at least that is what it became. And, the graduation rates continued to decline.

If we can conclude anything from this lesson in regards to cell phone addiction, it would appear that removal or radical change in behavior will not result in the desired effect. Just taking the phone away in class, for example, will not increase a student’s power of concentration. It will accomplish nothing. In my observation, as with all addictions, the addict must be cured on a case-by-case basis. The student must personally acknowledge the dependence and seek help. Why am I addicted and not my friend? I would advocate for the creation of a 12-step program similar to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA). (6) In this way, the phone will become a useful implement and not a simple distraction. We are all owed the right to think clearly and lucidly about life and avoid the diversion of any addiction. Confucius (551-479 BC) leaves us with a thought: It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

A closing thought: In human beings, there is a quite obvious race to the bottom. The appetitive, gluttonous self, as documented by Plato, (7) is far more attractive and easily acquired than the esoteric Philosopher King. It is only by turning an educational system inward, figuratively, through meditation and self-reflection, can we hope to change behavioral patterns. If we continue to promote a world based on capitalistic values of success – the more income, the more happiness – young people will continue to be bewildered and suffer the confusion of life that afflicts so many adults at all age levels. The choice is up to us. The journey must simply begin with the self.

To sum up: This week, we spoke about cell phone addiction and how it can be overcome.

To be noted: From Benjamin Disraeli (8) – Justice is truth in action.

Just for fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdFcAH7BdWc&ab_channel=NorbertKaiser

For reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COAAvcpocU4&ab_channel=RedFrostMotivation

This week on your meditative walk, please ponder your own thoughts on addiction.

Every day look for something magical and beautiful.

Quote: Mystical life: I welcome you today!

Footnotes:

1) https://www.asam.org/Quality-Science/definition-of-addiction

2) https://adf.org.au/reducing-risk/withdrawal/

3) https://skywoodrecovery.com/alcohol/mortality-rates/)

4) https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/home