The tragic death of the multi-talented American actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has given rise to another torrent of commentary about how and why such a gifted man could “succumb” to the temptations of hard drugs. Lugubrious commentary on the lifestyles of the rich and famous take us back to turf that is so familiar: drug addiction, we are told, is a moral failing, and the world of drugs is one inhabited by weak willed users and sleazy dealers.
The dealers are sleazy enough, but the users are not weak or moral cowards. Addiction is a disease, as real and physiological as cancer or a heart condition. Philip Seymour Hoffman was not a victim of his lifestyle. He contracted a disease as a young man, which is most dangerous as the brain is still not fully developed, and while the illness went into remission, he was never cured. When it came back it took him with a vengeance.
Medical practioners in the field tell us that while treatments for this terrible disease are improving, to talk of a “cure” is difficult. To fall back into addiction is not a “moral relapse”. It is simply a tragic sign that the illness has returned, and that the brain damage done in youth was simply too much.
The paradigm of the war on drugs has done untold damage. Trillions of dollars have been spent, and around the world addicts are thrown in jail for repeated use. Overdoses and suicides take tens of thousands away every year, and still we hear a call for hypocritical and failed policies that will throw people in jail but do practically nothing for treatment and rehabilitation.
There’s nothing romantic about drug addiction. But the moral scolding that is a substitute for thinking sensibly about drugs is doing costing lives and money, and it’s past time more joined the debate about what can and should be done. George Schultz and Henry Kissinger have joined many others in calling for an end to the wasteful policies that have completely failed. There should be Canadian voices not afraid to speak out and insist that addiction and mental health issues need to be treated, and not simply punished.
Mike Sloan 5 years ago
Thanks for the wise words Bob. If I can add something quite honest here, I’m an alcoholic. The reasons behind my alcoholism is mental health issues. 15 years ago, I was diagnosed with PTSD. People like myself are self-medicating, using drugs or alcohol.
I told my doctor six years ago that I was worried about my consumption of alcohol. He said, “given your diagnosis, it’s amazing it took you so long.” (I was 37 at the time.)
It’s so important for people to realize that many are just barely coping. They use alcohol and drugs to get (temporary) relief. Alas, the seduction of temporary relief can be deadly, as we’ve seen.
Bob Rae 5 years ago
Appreciate your sharing. It’s good of you to do it, and I hope can in some way contribute to recovery.
Sydney 5 years ago
Do you consider the quest for wealth an addiction to money?
Cathy Bolan 5 years ago
Thank you for raising the bar on the discussion. A wonderful and eloquent piece.
Ada Tompson 5 years ago
Thank you for helping to destigmatize addiction.
I am a mother who lost a beautiful son, my only child, in 2004 to an opioid (hydromorphone) prescribed by his doctor. Michael went to bed and never woke up. Often I hear people quoting the ‘false dichotomy’ i.e. the legitimate patient vs the abuser. Michael was started on percocet for kidney stones and within two years of that initial prescription was dead. He never crushed, snorted, injected. He swallowed his pills whole. The sad reality is that these types of drugs do not have to be abused to cause harm. Abuse is not a precursor to addiction and other adverse effects. However, by continuing to stigmatize the victims, the drugs are validated and the rewards and economics continue for the manufacturers and others who are lining their pockets from overdose deaths, the destruction of lives, their families, and society. I have been advocating for change to our provincial and federal laws that have been derailed by Pharma marketing, money and influence. Canada is the second per capita consumer of opioids worldwide and yet people are still in pain and we have an iatrogenic epidemic of addiction and overdose death. Many prescribers were given incorrect information regarding the potential for addiction, the benefits exaggerated and the risks downplayed. The pharmaceutical industry must be reigned in and regulated in a manner similar to the Tobacco industry and always in the interest of patient and public safety not economics.
Larry Campbell 5 years ago
Thank you Bob for your message. It is one that needs repeating not only to governments but also citizens.
With respect
Larry
Bob Rae 5 years ago
Very much appreciate the comments on this, and the honesty and openness. We need to keep sharing our thoughts and hopes about what is happening around us. I shall continue to learn more and speak out about it.