Paul Merson

[B-more Mag]

Ok there is a difference between mental and physical addictions.

When you are physically addicted your body needs the s*** as it is used to functioning with say a certain level of alcohol or benzo or whatever in it. That is why you go through withdrawal when you stop. That is the definition of an addiction.

 

A mental addiction is just giving into your cravings. If you dont do it, nothuing bad physically will happen, unlike with heroin where you will start to vomit, halucinate etc. When you are addicted mentally it is simply you not being a strong enough person to resist your urges to get a rush from gambling. People call it an addiction because they want to justify their habit and physiologically it helps them live with themselves when you can say. oh wtever im addicted, ther is nothing I can do.

 

Zoinks!

[Chris_R]

Ok there is a difference between mental and physical addictions.

When you are physically addicted your body needs the s*** as it is used to functioning with say a certain level of alcohol or benzo or whatever in it. That is why you go through withdrawal when you stop. That is the definition of an addiction.

 

A mental addiction is just giving into your cravings. If you dont do it, nothuing bad physically will happen, unlike with heroin where you will start to vomit, halucinate etc. When you are addicted mentally it is simply you not being a strong enough person to resist your urges to get a rush from gambling. People call it an addiction because they want to justify their habit and physiologically it helps them live with themselves when you can say. oh wtever im addicted, ther is nothing I can do.

 

I agree that there are differences between mental and physical addictions, but I think you're being too dismissive of mental addictions by saying people are just too weak willed not to resist their urge. I could say the same about alcohol addiction (Which you labeled a physical addiction) - Just don't drink. Nothing bad will happen if you don't. OK, you'll feel shitty for a good while but you'll come to no long term harm through not drinking. Just don't go to the pub and don't buy a pint. Easy, addiction cured!

 

The same could be said about heroin. OK, the withdrawl from heroin is (So I hear) pretty horrid, but ultimately nothing bad will happen if you go cold turkey. Just don't buy any more and don't inject it. Again, piece of cake.

 

But it's not like that. So why do smokers / alcoholics / heroin addicts take their drugs? To relieve their symptoms they get through not having them. It's the same for mental addictions. If you're addicted to online gaming then you do it because it gives you a high when things go well. When you're not doing it, you want and crave that hight. Likewise for gambling, I imagine the high of winning is immense (I've won at casinos before and it's a fantastic feeling) and when you're not doing it you're desperate to recreate it. Nobody gambles thinking they're going to lose, they are all convinced that the next time will generate a win that will pay back all they owe. If they are lucky and get that win, they chase a bigger one. If they don't get it, then they are even more convinced that next time will be the time.

 

I think you're underestimating how powerful the mind is and how when things go wrong in your head and your brain makes the wrong connections how hard it can be to get better.

 

For example, do you think mental illness is less serious than physical illness? That people with clinical depression should just get on with things and cheer the hell up? That schizophrenics can magically stop hearing those voices, or that pedophiles can just stop fancying kids? It just doesn't work like that.

[Decky]

It's a psychological addiction. The mind's more powerful than the body.

 

The mind is just a reaction of chemicals, and addicts are addicted to the chemicals produced by gambling.

 

The mind is not just a reaction of chemicals. If it is, how would you explain 'consciousness', or even something like simpler like the placebo effect?

 

Exactly, but this deserves a thread of its own in Gen Chat to get some real debate going Infact i think ill start one as i find this kind of thing quite interesting

[UV]

It's one thing to have sympathy for an addict, it's quite another thing to have sympathy for the consequences of doing nothing to try and overcome those addictions, especially when you have the means and contacts to do so easily. He's not on the street and he still has an income in excess of most of us. He gets not sympathy for his situation from me.

[Guest ObaStar]

Except alcohol is addicting physically and you can die from withdrawl. So even if you say ok Im going to stop right now. If you are an alcoholic and you manage to do this, there are chances you will die from the withdrawl process.

[Chris_R]

OK, fair point. Using alcoholism as an example was not the best idea. But I'm sure alcoholics don't drink in order not to die. They drink because they, like smokers or heroin users, get a craving for it that they can't resist.

 

It's still a mental choice to smoke that next cigarette to get your high though, the same as it is to log onto a gambling website to get a different high.

[Guest taff2727]

i'm now addicted to reading some of the crap on this thread

some of you have wasted talents.the mental health sector needs you.

i was once of the same opinion,but you never know what is around the corner,regardless of wealth or fame.just be thankful you live in a happy ship (or do you?)

[junkhead]

loving all the purity and high morals in here, keep it up, lads!

[Northern Monkey]

The only thing needed in the first post was "is a fucking eejit".

[Northern Monkey]

Except alcohol is addicting physically and you can die from withdrawl. So even if you say ok Im going to stop right now. If you are an alcoholic and you manage to do this, there are chances you will die from the withdrawl process.

 

So if you're an alcocholic, and you stop, you die.

 

THAT is an absolute crock of shit.

[Jackie Broon]

 

No it isn't. If you have become chemically dependent on alcohol and quit cold turkey your brain goes into overdrive which can cause seizures, your blood pressure also increases which can cause heart attacks or strokes. People can and do die from alcohol withdrawal.

[Doug]

So he decided to spend a load of his money on booze, women and gambling did he.

What did he do with the rest of it ? 

Just wasted it I suppose.

 

Doug.

 

[Chris_R]

Except alcohol is addicting physically and you can die from withdrawl. So even if you say ok Im going to stop right now. If you are an alcoholic and you manage to do this, there are chances you will die from the withdrawl process.

 

So if you're an alcocholic, and you stop, you die.

 

THAT is an absolute crock of s***.

 

To be fair, he's right. But it's not as cut and dry as that. Have a read:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholic#Alcohol_withdrawal

[Quailman]

I only live down the road to the four oaks estate where he 'used' to live - seen him once or twice walking around aimlessly. Sad to hear though... I'm sure he will make enough to pay off the debts with his pundit job and random things - providing he quits all the gambling!