ADDICTION: HOW IT RELATES TO POVERTY, HOPELESSNESS, AND CAPITALISM

Occasionally, I still read addiction journals or related literature. While I haven't seen a client in over a year, now, I subscribed to Counselor Magazine: The Magazine for Addiction Professionals, well over a year ago, and it still comes to my home. Since I went with the three year subscription in order to save money, I suspect the magazine will continue to remind me of employment past for quite a while.

While I was thumbing through the April, 2010 edition, I noticed an article written by William A Howatt, PhD, EdD, ICADC, titled Exploring the social Impact of Addictive Disorders in the Workplace. Reading Howatt's writing, I noted almost immediately he did not refer simply to addiction to alcohol or drugs, but to the many addictions common to our country and the world. Howatt related the present recession, and stress on the job, to escalating addiction in America, and made a few other points I found interesting, as well.

STRESS AND HOPELESSNESS TEND TO ESCALATE THE PRESENCE OF ADDICTION

According to Howatt, and my own experience treating clients, cumulative stress is common in addicted persons. Howatt refers to our country's present recession, and the fear of many that they can neither obtain, nor keep a job, as an example of ongoing stress. He writes that when conditions are unacceptable, and there appears to be no way of changing them for the better, many turn to physical, or emotional painkillers in order to endure the emotional stress of living in chronic insecurity. The painkillers or addictions, can be alcohol, drugs, food, sex, or gambling, and the list goes on. He also stresses that all addictions, not only alcohol or drug addiction, negatively impact job performance.

GREED

Howatt includes a rather long list of things employers can do to assist their workers with feeling less stressful in the workplace; however, of particular concern to me were the statements he made regarding the impact of unregulated capitalism on the morale of working class Americans. Indeed, those very Americans recently bailed out high level executives who make more in any given month than their staff earn in a full year's time. Never mind that it was necessary, because it wouldn't have been necessary without the same initial unregulated capitalism, and greed.

POVERTY

Many Americans today are living in poverty, at least relatively, when compared to those in our country who enjoy the highest incomes. While this has always been true to a point, it has not been true to the extent it is today. Once upon a time, those with higher education could expect to earn a reasonable income, and while it may not have been at the same level as that enjoyed by those high ranking executives to whom I referred earlier, it was enough to live comfortably, without fear of homelessness, having one's car repossessed, or one's utilities cut off. Today, there is little relationship between years of education received, and financial standard of living, and many well educated persons are working for minimum wage with no health insurance benefits or job security. Many, such as myself, do not know from week to week how many hours they will work, or what the amount of their next paycheck will be.

HOPELESSNESS

Keeping hope alive is the ultimate challenge for many of us, and watching others who do not seemingly work as hard, and certainly work no harder, live with so much more, makes us feel something is wrong with us. It does not help that our society and culture place so much value on monetary success and accomplishment, and tend to devalue those of us who do not measure up to its standards. Indeed, many expectations of our society and culture require money, and in some cases, lots of it. Some financial expense is mandated by law, such as paying auto insurance, or having your pets vaccinated for rabies.

Other expectations include a well manicured lawn, nice car, and neat clothes to wear to work. Clothes get old, as do cars, and grass and weeds grow. It requires more money than is necessary merely to pay one's utility bills to keep these appearances up, and negative judgement is passed on those who do not do so. Is it any wonder people feel resentful, depressed, and hopeless, and turn to the painkillers mentioned above. Addictive behaviors and substances may not solve the problem, but they do offer a distraction from the pain of not being able to do so.

CAPITALISM

There is no doubt that unregulated capitalism causes the rich to get richer, and the poor to get poorer. Why do religious groups in our country tend to treat capitalism as if it is God ordained? It appears to me that the average middle classed white person has more of a fear of socialism than of starvation, and perhaps this is true because most are not in danger of starvation, or at least not at the present time.

The solution to a failing economy in the minds of high ranking executives seems to be to lay more people off; however, people who are laid off cannot pay taxes or purchase products. The more companies cut staffing costs, the more they will have to cut staffing costs. Yet greed knows no boundaries, and rather than cut the fantastic salaries of those at the top, those at the bottom are left without employment, and in some cases shelter or food. I grew up fearing socialism as much as the next person, but a time comes when we must look at the reality of the situation we are living in. If our present system of capitalism is not regulated, many will be left homeless and starving to death, while others live like kings. Sorry, but capitalism is not my religion, and I don't see it as something to be worshipped. When greed becomes part of a culture's religious values, there is something very wrong with that culture's perceptions of God.

ADDICTION

Addiction of all sorts is not only more rampant, but the money to treat it is no longer available. The solution of the far right is to place drug addicts in jail; in that case they need to quickly get busy building more prisons, and larger ones. And what of those other addictions that are not even illegal, but diminish the quality of life, and decrease the length of the lifespan?

What of seemingly legal addictions that tend to grow into illegal and immoral ones such as sex addiction, pornography, and child pornography? Are we ready for the many problems that increased hopelessness, and the need to distract ourselves will create?

As Americans, it is time we look a little further into the horizon than the end of our own noses. Greed is not God ordained, nor is it the solution for our country. Christians, read your Bible! Jesus did not even concern himself with worldly wealth, and he certainly advocated sharing what little you have with your fellow man. In a country where so many have enjoyed so much, why do we fear that sharing our wealth with those less fortunate will somehow destroy our capacity for fulfillment? Perhaps we actually worship the God of materialism, and only pretend to worship the other one. At least that is how it appears to me. Perhaps the question should not be whether or not a socialistic society should be imposed on us, but whether or not one should be necessary.

PLEASE CLICK LINK BELOW FOR ADDICTION LYRICS AND ALL THINGS ADDICTION:

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