Monday, March 10, 2008

It's an ADDICTION

You know what I really love about living in America this day in age?

Our need to diagnose EVERYTHING.

My favorite is addiction.

Nowadays, you don't have a bad habit or a selfish streak...you are addicted.

Rather stay up all night with your friends doing drugs than live life as a responsible adult? You're a drug addict!

Rather spend time hunting down internet porn and haunting strip clubs than romancing your wife? You're a sex addict!

Rather eat 2 Big Macs, a super sized fry, 2 hot apple pies and a milk shake than a salad? You're a food addict!

Rather hang out online all day than clean your house? You're (read: I'm) an internet addict!

You can be a rageaholic instead of an asshole and an alcoholic instead of a drunk and suffer from social anxiety instead of being a dork.

Now I know, addiction is a real thing. It's a compulsion, some people are wired differently, blah blah blah. I definitely have an addictive streak myself.

HOWEVER, at some point it is a choice. Knowing myself as I do, I knew it would never be a good idea to even dabble in anything people sell their kids for (and I was all about the recreational drugs, I just kept an eye on that whole pesky addiction factor). Same thing with cigarettes, I knew that I'd most likely love them, so I made sure not to encourage myself.

At some point, when you really start liking something, you realize that it is taking up too much of your time and that it would be hard to quit. But you just don't REALLY want to and of course it sucks to quit, so you don't.

Then you get so used to doing what you like that for whatever reason, whether it be chemically or biologically or mentally or emotionally, you just want to do that all of the time and then you really feel like you can't quit.

And then it's addiction.

The other night I saw a documentary about Crystal Meth. Holy Cow. This is not the drug I'll experiment with in my quest to have lots of energy and want to clean the house. Look at this Faces of Meth gallery.

Whoa! That is some seriously crazy shit. What really struck me is how dead all of their eyes looked in the "after" photos. Also, lots of them had one squinty eye afterwards, I thought that was weird. That's some nasty shit right there.

But come on now...who doesn't know about your stereotypical meth head or crack head these days? What makes people think it won't happen to them? I know I'm smarter than a lot of people, but it seems like an easy choice.

I know it makes me heartless but I have a hard time finding sympathy for some of those people because the first time they chose to do it, they knew what could happen. And for some reason decided their families and lives and money and good (or at least not hideous) looks were worth the trade.

However, I will continue to embrace this "internet addiction" nonsense. I love having a certifiable excuse. One day though, there will probably be an Intervention and I'll have to go to Passages in Malibu to detox myself. Break this nasty addiction and all. It will probably take me 90 days. At least.

I wonder if they do boob jobs there?

18 comments:

Suzanne said...

Oh, man, that first lady in the Faces Of Meth thing would be enough to scare me straight! That should be the new "This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs...."

Renee said...

ITA with all of this. The other thing I notice is how people love to blame something from their past on everything that's wrong with their present. My parents were too strict, my parents were too lenient, we didn't have enough money when I was growing up, my parents didn't teach me to appreciate the value of a dollar, I had too my siblings, I was an only child, I was forced to go to church every week, my parents didn't cultivate any spirituality in my life, I had too many chores, I never learned how to separate laundry or boil pasta....I could go on and on. I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that my kids will blame me for their faults and flaws when they're older, so I might as well be a little selfish every once in a while and do what's right for ME and not always what's right for THEM. ME ME ME.

You can count on me when you're ready for an intervention or therapy. See, this is how you can tell a true friend versus a true FAN. Your fans will tell you to just keep on being addicted because they are feeding off of your addiction too....have you ever heard of a drug addict telling his dealer that it's time to get out of The Business? Of course not. As your friend, though, I'll be here to take away your modem cord if you ever need me to. (Lol)

-The Renee

Joy said...

I just hope no one steps in and does an intervention on me, I do have an addiction to certain internet sites insert Ashley's blog.

What I have always noticed when they show after pics of the meth addicts is all the Nasty sores on their face and mouth, GROSS.

Anonymous said...

I TOTALLY agree with The Renee. I get so sick of hearing people whine about how tough their upbringing was, how there dad wasn't there for them, yada yada yada. At some point in your life you need to realize that you are now an adult and you have the power to move forward rather than wallow in the past. Grow up and GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE!!

I kind of like Dr. Phil for that reason, he and I have a lot of the same ideas.

Ashley - if it gets that bad I'll come and scramble your wireless signal!!!

Renee said...

I think I have a crush on Tracey.

-The Renee

Melodie said...

My husband is plotting my intervention as I type. If they do have that rehab/boob job deal, let me know, and we can go together.

Renee said...

Please take me with you to Passages. That place looks A-mazing. (Do you think they have wireless, high-speed internet there?)

so tired said...

Man, I JUST finished watching an episode of "Intervention" on A&E when I click on your blog to see if you have posted your 11th post of the day yet and........ you post about addiction. You're good.

AFRo said...

Here in the Dirty D, meth is the drug of choice. I must point out that none of the folks on that site are smiling. You know why? Because meth rots your teeth right out of your head... THAT is some digusting shit to see.

And as far as "addictions." I prefer to call myself an overindulger. It sounds better.

Sally said...

Dear Big Kid,

Where do Easter eggs come from? My sister, Bear, told me that the Easter Bunny lays the eggs like chickens.

I think that means the Easter Bunny poops out eggs and that's just gross. And it's potty talk.

Your friend,
Bug

Multislacking Mama said...

Has Ashley been watching Intervention on A&E?

Holla!
Holly

Anonymous said...

If you go to rehab for your addiction, please make sure you update us on your progress in your blog. ;)

Unknown said...

Are you saying me checking your blog 10 times a day does not qualify me as an addict or that it does but you have no sympathy for me as I should have forseen your addictiveness from jump?

Melissa said...

The Faces of Meth were horrifying. If that doesn't scare one into not doing something like that, nothing will...

Anonymous said...

Well considering you don't know me, I could look like some crazy ass crack whore, however, I'm not. I'm actually a good looking person, believe it or not, considering my past.

When I was 16 I messed around with Crystal meth, for a year and a half, and pretty heavily. Luckily, a few of my morals stayed somewhere DEEP in my head, and I didn't get in trouble at all - just a scare of an arrest and a drop off at home. That scared me straight.

Anyway, the point in this was really to say that not EVERYONE knows the addiction factor that they're getting into when it comes to meth. I started smoking pot, then stole my brothers ritalin, and figured what the hell. NO IDEA what it would do to me or my family. Thank god its in my past, and I would never touch the stuff again - I was lucky. Unfortunately, I don't think people are educated enough at a young enough age.

Julie {Angry Julie Monday} said...

Yea..I'm addicted to blogs, and the internet. Well at least it's free.

I also have a new addiction to the gym, because I'm fat, and well it's free (prepaid membership).

And the meth thing, completely gross. I have to search the meth heads that they arrest at work, totally gross, and they usually smell like death.

Maddness of Me said...

Do you ever get a chance to rent movies and watch them at night when the kids are sleeping? Get 'Things We Lost In The Fire'. I love Benecio's character. It really makes you think. Just because somebody has an addiction doesn't mean they aren't a good person or any different than the average guy. Shit happens. Also, Benecio deserves an oscar for his kick-ass performance.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of addictions... I am TOTALLY addicted to your blog. I found it last week and started from the very first post you made and I have now made it to this post... not sure what date you posted this... They all sort of run together for me, but yes, I am totally addicted.

So addicted in fact, that I just started my own blog , because I know that soon I will be like everyone else... just sitting and waiting for Ashley to post something and knew I would have to find something to do to pass the time!

I have a question for you to go along with my praise for the Closet. How do you get the page viewer or whatever it is that tells you how many unique views and so forth?