Dunno how to do links, sorry. Just googled ‘Is addiction classed as a mental illness’......and saw that it was classed as such in 2007.....if course if I’m wrong then I apologise. Braving ‘Kidzania’ right now so I feel im coming in with a mental illness myself
This was the first article (US in origin, I believe). It says that addiction is a mental illness because it effectively alters the brain in fundamental ways, thus influencing the subject’s decision making in favour of feeding one’s addiction in preference to perhaps feeding one’s family. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publicati...ental-illnesses/drug-addiction-mental-illness I cannot argue with the fact that an addicted subject may prioritise his addiction over other needs, but remain unconvinced that the addiction itself is a mental illness. Where I struggle is over my earlier point, ie that the subject has to work hard in order to develop the addiction. Is there a substance that is so immediately addictive that it destroys the subjects free will in one fell swoop, or do many (drug) addicts have to acquire certain drug apparatus and learn how to prepare and inject their chosen filth? Do they have to undertake some ‘industry’ in order to obtain the funds to feed their habit? Even though they may not priories the needs of their family, are they nevertheless aware of the impact they are having on them?
Agreed however fed up with the label of mental illness being used in cases that can be solved very easily with solid CBT The answers are inside us all for 80% of ALL mental based illnesses. It’s about teaching a person to become brave and strong enough to fight the monkey on their shoulder ... it’s that simple and that comes from a man sectioned twice looking bad on 2 or more years I will never get back. It’s getting your power back half the time and having the courage to take the responsibility for yourself.
Fine line between addiction and choice imo The question is who is actually making your decisions? If you fail to accept Monkey is then sadly no cure will be forthcoming
You called? As it happens I have some time on my hands sitting in the fracture clinic with the boy, where we were told ‘there is a 40 minute delay’ before ‘hello’. Of course excessive addiction to the extent that it changes your behaviour and body is both a mental and physical illness. But the definition of mental illness is now very broad. I think we all sit on a spectrum between clinical depression/suicidal (1) and out of control elated/hyper manic (10). The extremes of this scale are very serious illnesses. But variability of where you sit in the middle bit of the range is entirely normal, we all feel down sometimes. But now, thanks to my industry and doctors, people are encouraged to believe that they should never feel a bit down and that they are ‘ill’ and need treatment. And I do think that telling someone that they are ‘ill’ does, in some cases absolve them of personal accountability. Same with addiction. We are surrounded by addictive stuff. Sugar, fat and salt as well as nicotine, booze and ‘substances’. And now activities, like sex, exercise and gambling, are also deemed addictive. And sometimes it just a handy label to have, to absolve behaviour, and the responsibility for results of addiction. The obese are, by this reckoning, also mentally ill, because they are addicted to feeding. Truth is we are all addicted to something (nicotine, though no longer tobacco, is my thing, and I am sure there are others). We do things which release chemicals which make us feel good, though there are diminishing returns in feeding addictions. As long as it’s managed it’s no problem, like it’s no problem to be a bit down or anxious sometimes - entirely normal. I have no idea and no interest in what Caulker’s ‘problems’ are (though I remember he claimed to have kicked his booze and gambling in 2016). He might be at the extreme levels that are genuine mental illnesses. If branding him ‘mentally ill’ will help him, fine. If he uses the badge to put the onus on everyone else to help him, it won’t work. Right, boy seen, a ‘boxer’s fracture’ but still no recollection of how he acquired it. Leave in in brace for a couple of weeks, straight back to fitting a kitchen in Shipston in Stour. Annual Leamington pub crawl will kick off in a couple of hours with a Scotsman, a Leicester fan and our better halves. BUT I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM, HONEST. Might get a bit messy though.
My final thoughts: So many players seem to be having mental issues, I wonder whether sky high transfer fees and wages are an unseen curse as the players struggle to deal with a "lifestyle" and more money than many of us on here can ever imagine. I read somewhere the other day how Man Utd send staff around to get their players out of bed and into a training pitch. So youngsters can join a club and forget that they to have a responsibility to ensure that they get to work on time.
My heart bleeds for these poor kids trying to cope with £50k a week to live on and the terrible responsibility that comes with it.
you are missing the point completely. All this money, riches and fame at a very early age and yet no idea how to deal with it.
Still more of them seem to cope than not and maybe that's due to the people around them and their own outlook on life. Look at gazza, an amazing talent with demons but I always thought he had a lot of hangers on that probably didn't help matters. Sometimes you just need the right people to support and say don't be a twat you've got it good and if struggling we are here to support.
