Ah, addiction. That timeless human affliction that we—enlightened society—continue to treat with all the compassion of a parking violation. In a world where you can DoorDash antidepressants and binge-watch 37 hours of trauma content without blinking, we still collectively clutch our pearls when someone gets addicted to something a little more chemically aggressive than caffeine and self-loathing.
Let’s be clear: addiction is a disease. But that doesn’t stop us from treating it like it’s a character flaw, a bad personality trait, or a lifestyle choice that ranks somewhere between “does CrossFit” and “owns six cats but tells people they’re ‘dog energy.’”
We’ve mastered the art of pretending we care while structurally ensuring that addicts are punished, impoverished, and imprisoned. Because nothing says “healing and recovery” quite like a mandatory minimum sentence and a GoFundMe for a treatment center that costs more than your annual salary.
The Rules of Society’s Game:
- Stigma First, Science Later
Why bother with neuroscience when you can rely on moral superiority and a bumper sticker that says “Just Say No”? Remember, it’s not a neurochemical dependency—it’s “bad choices.” You chose to have trauma, Becky. Just un-choose it. - Rehab for Celebrities, Jail for Everyone Else
If you’re rich and famous, addiction is a brave, vulnerable story arc. For everyone else? It’s a rap sheet. We applaud Robert Downey Jr. for his comeback but send Jamal to prison for possession and call it “justice.” - Mental Health Awareness (With Conditions)
We’ll slap “Mental Health Matters” on a hoodie while defunding services and closing detox beds. Because awareness is only fashionable when it fits into a curated Instagram grid—preferably with lavender lighting and no visible withdrawal symptoms. - Recovery Must Be Linear and Insta-Worthy
If your sobriety journey doesn’t come with a before-and-after photo and a TED Talk, are you even trying? Relapse? Gross. You better relapse privately, then quietly disappear. We only like stories that end in triumph, not maintenance. - Medication-Assisted Treatment? That’s Just Cheating.
Why would we support science-backed solutions like Suboxone or methadone when we can make people detox in a church basement while being lectured by a guy who thinks shame is a treatment plan? - Homelessness Is the Addict’s Fault
Forget that most people living on the street are there due to untreated addiction, mental illness, or both. We’ll keep calling them “lazy” and banning tents instead of, you know, offering help. Empathy is expensive. Ordinances are free. - Trauma? We Don’t Know Her.
Addiction is so often rooted in trauma, but we prefer to pretend that addicts just woke up one day and thought, “You know what would really spice up my life? Ruining it.” We ignore their childhood abuse, combat experience, or system-inflicted harm, because if we acknowledged it, we might have to do something.
But hey, it’s fine.
We’ll keep throwing pennies at the opioid crisis while slashing healthcare budgets. We’ll keep passing laws that criminalize symptoms. We’ll keep letting addicts die and calling it “accountability.” Because when it comes to addiction, we love a good redemption story—as long as it doesn’t cost us anything, doesn’t take too long, and definitely doesn’t involve someone who makes us uncomfortable.
So here’s to the addicts: the over-medicated, under-supported, legally haunted humans still out here trying to survive a world that calls them broken while breaking them.
And here’s to the rest of us—masters of hypocrisy, handing out judgments like Halloween candy while mistaking cruelty for consequence.
Now go ahead. Light a scented candle. Post about “self-care.” And scroll right past the overdose report. Nothing to see here.