Cure-all pill to kill the feelings

It's not a laughing matter, but, I have to laugh.

In North America alone it is estimated that close to 18 million people suffer from alcohol abuse (defined as binge or chronic drinking). And this number doesn't take into consideration the drug-abusers, gambling addicts, sex addicts, and overeaters -- all behaviour defined as addictive.

Now, it is quite obvious that the sheer number of people afflicted with addiction is no laughing matter; what is, is the medical and/or science community's obsession with finding the cure-all pill to 'fix' addiction.

The fact is there is no monopoly in dealing with addiction. There are many treatments that deal with millions of addicts -- some more successfully than others. However, the one recurrent obsession in North America is to find a drug that could instantly cure addiction. No harm, no foul. The pill would ensure that the problems caused by addiction (such as prolonged and recurring medical attention, court and police interference, lost productivity and familial break-ups, among others) could be reduced, allowing these people to become productive members of society.

Sounds noble and fascinating and given the testimonial from current medical and scientific practitioners, it also sounds feasible. For example, a new treatment is being touted out of America that appears to curb the craving for alcohol in alcoholics. Fantastic! According to Bankole Johnson, M.D. chief of the University of Virginia's Department of Psychiatric Medicine, this new drug reduces the amount of recitivism in alcoholics. In fact, according to Johnson's psychiatric department, this drug curbs the annual relapse rate of 40% to 70%, a relapse rate that is found among alcoholics that do not take an inhibiting drug, and simply rely on psychiatric counselling.

And herein lies the problem. I love the notion that addicts are medical or psychiatric guinea-pigs. Rather than deal with the shame, fear and sense of ineptitude that almost all addicts carry with them, the medical/science community would rather re-hash the real or imagined hurts through counselling or take a pill to help us forget it all. Rather a catastrophic-do-or-die way of looking at healing, don't you think?

And it's not just addicts that are now being targetted by the pharmaceutical cure. In the Globe over the weekend, an article ran that touted the possibilities of a drug that could erase the pain of traumatic memories. That's right -- if you get raped, don't worry, take a pill and you'll wipe out the FEELINGS of the rape. Abused? Don't worry, the pill can sweep away the agony and fear and shame. Essentially the science community is excited because this pill could alter memories of traumatic events "with the use of drugs."

Ummm, been done.
No seriously, remember the estimated 18-million people in North America who abuse alcohol -- well those 18-million figured out a long time ago that feelings can be erased through drugs. That's why they drink (drug/eat/gamble/shop/f*$k). To kill feelings of fear, shame, uselessness, inadequacy, you name it, it's gone.

But like any good medical breakthrough, only a real cure can only come in a bubble-pack with a big price tag if it's really going to work.

I guess good ol' fashioned work for reward is just so passe.
Too bad, millions of people around the world are living proof that this tried and true method of working for a solution really can and does work. Of course, that precludes the fact that you have to feel your emotions (like the rest of the 6 billion people living in reality do) and that your choices are not limited to talk therapy and cure-all drug. It precludes a little hard work, a bit of emotional angst and the freedom to not rely on any form of drug (prescribed or illicit) to deal with reality. Now that, that is true freedom.

More information on the "new" drug for craving go to: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=edell&id=4376542
For an American perspective on addiction go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-07-19-addiction-family_x.htm
For a twist, try this article where a woman claims a drug prompted an addiction (take that medical community!) go to: http://cbs2chicago.com/seenon/local_story_200204911.html