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Well, crap...RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman (Read 289 times)

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

    My oldest friend posted on FB a link to really great blog piece about the fallacy of viewing addiction as selfish. I'd be inclined to include suicide with addiction, as well.

    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

         ~ Sarah Kay

      <deleted>

      Life Goals:

      #1: Do what I can do

      #2: Enjoy life

       

       

      NikoRosa


      Funky Kicks 2019

        My oldest friend posted on FB a link to really great blog piece about the fallacy of viewing addiction as selfish. I'd be inclined to include suicide with addiction, as well.

         

        Excellent link, thank you for posting this.

        Leah, mother of dogs


        No Talent Drips

           

          Excellent link, thank you for posting this.

           

          Yep.

           Dei Gratia

           

            My oldest friend posted on FB a link to really great blog piece about the fallacy of viewing addiction as selfish. I'd be inclined to include suicide with addiction, as well.

             

            I have absolutely no first hand experience in any of these situations, but if you read the comments on that article, even former addicts think that's a lie. There is a huge difference in being born with or developing a mental illness like depression or bi-polar disorder and being a heroin addict. You aren't addicted to heroin without having tried heroin. There isn't a person alive who hasn't heard the horror stories of people who die from this and yet celebrities seem to think, "I'm rich and can do whatever I want," so they try it anyways. And when they OD and die, we're supposed to feel sorry for them? Award shows want to honor them and talk about what great people they were and how they were role models for everyone? I'm sorry, but no. Voluntarily using a hard, illegal drug was in fact a selfish act, even if it was 10 years ago the first time they tried it.


            SheCan

              I was so sad to hear of his death.   He was such an excellent actor.  Even in films I didn't exactly enjoy, I thought he always did an outstanding job.

               

              Personally, I think anger is a common and natural reaction to addictions and tolls that they take on the abuser and family.  I've had my own demons as well as have too many members of my family.  I get the nature of these addictions and the wish to escape the pain, but when you see the innocent victims and children left behind, its easy to see how addictions make even the nicest people into self-absorbed pricks.  That's the nature of the illness.

              Cherie

              "We do not become the people who this world needs simply by turning our backs on anyone we don’t like, trust, or deem healthy enough to be in our presence. "  ---- Shasta Nelson


              Not dead. Yet.

                 I have absolutely no first hand experience in any of these situations, but if you read the comments on that article, even former addicts think that's a lie. There is a huge difference in being born with or developing a mental illness like depression or bi-polar disorder and being a heroin addict. You aren't addicted to heroin without having tried heroin. There isn't a person alive who hasn't heard the horror stories of people who die from this and yet celebrities seem to think, "I'm rich and can do whatever I want," so they try it anyways. And when they OD and die, we're supposed to feel sorry for them? Award shows want to honor them and talk about what great people they were and how they were role models for everyone? I'm sorry, but no. Voluntarily using a hard, illegal drug was in fact a selfish act, even if it was 10 years ago the first time they tried it.

                 

                I was thinking the same thing, but you said it so perfectly.  Agreed.

                How can we know our limits if we don't test them?


                SheCan

                   

                  I have absolutely no first hand experience in any of these situations, but if you read the comments on that article, even former addicts think that's a lie. There is a huge difference in being born with or developing a mental illness like depression or bi-polar disorder and being a heroin addict. You aren't addicted to heroin without having tried heroin. There isn't a person alive who hasn't heard the horror stories of people who die from this and yet celebrities seem to think, "I'm rich and can do whatever I want," so they try it anyways. And when they OD and die, we're supposed to feel sorry for them? Award shows want to honor them and talk about what great people they were and how they were role models for everyone? I'm sorry, but no. Voluntarily using a hard, illegal drug was in fact a selfish act, even if it was 10 years ago the first time they tried it.

                   

                  Just from what I've seen, the people that are already suffering are the ones that are most likely to become addicts.

                  Cherie

                  "We do not become the people who this world needs simply by turning our backs on anyone we don’t like, trust, or deem healthy enough to be in our presence. "  ---- Shasta Nelson

                    yeah... I'm not going to feel sorry for the loss of a person with almost unlimited financial means who has 3 children under age 12 and decides to start using heroin.  A former addict with money should have resources to stay out of that trouble.

                     

                    how much pity would you have for someone making $30,000 a year as a construction laborer with 3 kids who does the same thing?  less? more?

                     

                     

                     

                     

                    BeeRunB


                      Let he or she who is without selfish acts throw the first stone ( at a corpse). The man made some bad choices, for reasons that we'll never know, and now he's dead. Doesn't diminish his body of work (which is my only relationship with him), and there's nothing wrong with celebrating the good he left behind. To honor him and his work at an awards show, like they will, by including him in the RIP montage, is fine. It's no secret how he died, and I'm sure there's not one reasonable adult who thinks dying with a needle in your arm is role model behavior. In this crazy world that is full of land mines, some step on them and they don't survive. They take that first drink, never knowing that the veil that made them feel isolated from others would be lifted, and they experience connection for the first time. Then they're off and running and chasing it to an early grave. Many try heroin when they're already inebriated. It's not a clean, clinical choice all the time, where one weighs how selfish it is or not before partaking, a moment of clear judgment. Look at your own life, there will be someone you know who will come to an early death because they legally smoke or drink too much, or are hooked on legal pharmaceuticals originally prescribed to them by their doctor (another land mine some don't survive). Some pharmaceuticals can hook the cleanest-of-living person, and all because of an injury or a health condition. Several of my friends from high school, very creative and talented people, died from OD's in their twenties. I had a buddy kill himself with smoking, and another on the way. They know they should have quit, have tried many times, but couldn't shake it. Some can, some can't. Sure, not role models when it comes to healthy living, but both of those guys are, or were, kind, creative, generous, and funny. Hard workers. They made the mistake of trying that first cigarette. Perhaps, they tried the first one when they were 14 because they thought it was cool, or it helped them feel connected with the other guys. Or like a man (lot of that crap going on, especially with drinking). Weak? Maybe. But who isn't in some way? I don't know a soul who's perfect, nor one who is going to die a pretty death. Kudos to Phillip Seymour Hoffman for all the great entertainment and good cinema. It was always a selfish act on my part to turn on one of his movies. The man had acting chops.

                      Joann Y


                        Let he or she who is without selfish acts throw the first stone ( at a corpse). The man made some bad choices, for reasons that we'll never know, and now he's dead. Doesn't diminish his body of work (which is my only relationship with him), and there's nothing wrong with celebrating the good he left behind. To honor him and his work at an awards show, like they will, by including him in the RIP montage, is fine. It's no secret how he died, and I'm sure there's not one reasonable adult who thinks dying with a needle in your arm is role model behavior. In this crazy world that is full of land mines, some step on them and they don't survive. They take that first drink, never knowing that the veil that made them feel isolated from others would be lifted, and they experience connection for the first time. Then they're off and running and chasing it to an early grave. Many try heroin when they're already inebriated. It's not a clean, clinical choice all the time, where one weighs how selfish it is or not before partaking, a moment of clear judgment. Look at your own life, there will be someone you know who will come to an early death because they legally smoke or drink too much, or are hooked on legal pharmaceuticals originally prescribed to them by their doctor (another land mine some don't survive). Some pharmaceuticals can hook the cleanest-of-living person, and all because of an injury or a health condition. Several of my friends from high school, very creative and talented people, died from OD's in their twenties. I had a buddy kill himself with smoking, and another on the way. They know they should have quit, have tried many times, but couldn't shake it. Some can, some can't. Sure, not role models when it comes to healthy living, but both of those guys are, or were, kind, creative, generous, and funny. Hard workers. They made the mistake of trying that first cigarette. Perhaps, they tried the first one when they were 14 because they thought it was cool, or it helped them feel connected with the other guys. Or like a man (lot of that crap going on, especially with drinking). Weak? Maybe. But who isn't in some way? I don't know a soul who's perfect, nor one who is going to die a pretty death. Kudos to Phillip Seymour Hoffman for all the great entertainment and good cinema. It was always a selfish act on my part to turn on one of his movies. The man had acting chops.

                         

                        +1

                         

                        We're all a bundle of contradictions.


                        No Talent Drips

                           

                          I have absolutely no first hand experience in any of these situations, but if you read the comments on that article, even former addicts think that's a lie. There is a huge difference in being born with or developing a mental illness like depression or bi-polar disorder and being a heroin addict. You aren't addicted to heroin without having tried heroin. There isn't a person alive who hasn't heard the horror stories of people who die from this and yet celebrities seem to think, "I'm rich and can do whatever I want," so they try it anyways. And when they OD and die, we're supposed to feel sorry for them? Award shows want to honor them and talk about what great people they were and how they were role models for everyone? I'm sorry, but no. Voluntarily using a hard, illegal drug was in fact a selfish act, even if it was 10 years ago the first time they tried it.

                           

                          My personal belief is that how each of us reacts to these things says a lot more about us individually (the reactor) than it says about some fundmental truth about the nature of addiction.

                           

                          Forget about "supposed to". I do, in fact, have compassion for addicts. And I do not believe that suffering from addiction precludes one from being praisworthy in other aspects of thier life.

                           

                          And, voluntary schmoluntary.

                           Dei Gratia

                           


                          Kalsarikännit

                            I have never met a recovering substance abuser or one who recognized they had a problem that would say, "My actions were/are NOT selfish".  That is the sign of a person in denial, who is not ready to be clean. Only by taking responsibility for our actions, and admitting our behavior hurts others, are we ready to move forward (this involves more than addiction).  Two of the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonomyous involves making amends to others.

                             

                            I don't think anyone is unsympathetic to addiction, but just as an alcoholic that drives drunk and kills someone must be held accountable for his behavior, he is ultimately responsible for his actions.

                            I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

                             

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                            rectumdamnnearkilledem

                              I firmly believed if mental health issues were better diagnosed, treated, and less stigmatized that we would see FAR fewer addicts.  I'd be willing to bet that more than half of all addicts are self-medicating for chronic mental health struggles in some fashion.  When my dad was a smoker (before a stroke ~10 years ago scared him straight) he would go have a smoke whenever he was angry and/or stressed and come back like a new man.  It was clear that he was dealing with stressors by medicating with nicotine.  And when nicotine levels in his body would drop those stressors likely felt like much bigger deals than they really were.  Wicked catch-22.

                              Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                              remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                                   ~ Sarah Kay

                              NikoRosa


                              Funky Kicks 2019

                                I think that deeply creative people, like Mr. Hoffman, are often prone to substance addiction.  It seems like so often, creativity is linked to certain weaknesses.  I don't think everyone handles fame in the same way either.  How can we know how we might respond in his situation? I've never been prescribed painkillers, it's entirely possible that somewhere in my genetic blueprint, I am wired to become easily hooked on them.  Did he get hooked on painkillers first, then develop an addiction?  Did you know that the makers of OxyContin have re formulated it so that you can no longer wipe off the time release coating in order to crush and snort it?  This has led many people who were dependent on Oxy to resort to heroin (which, as it turns out is cheaper than Oxy anyway).

                                 

                                Bottom line for me anyway, is that he was human.  He screwed up (we all screw up) and it led to his death.  Heath Ledger screwed up too.  So did Chris Farley and countless others.  You can't know what his path in life was like.  I can't bring myself to vilify the man.  All I feel is sadness that he is no longer with us.

                                Leah, mother of dogs

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