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Comment on Not disparaging the dead or anything. But why does it seem in the US we are expected to feel sorry for a person who overdoses on illegal drugs? Didn't they make the choice knowing the outcome?

pearsaltchocolatebar@discuss.online ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

Addiction is an illness. Some people don’t choose to be drug addicts, and it’s incredibly difficult to stop once you’re hooked.

Not everyone addicted to drugs chose to do them in the first place. Parents shoot up their kids, and abusive partners shoot up their abusee.

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BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
The second part of your statement is pretty weak, those are very rare situations.

Far more useful to point out that a lot of people do it out of despair, peer pressure, or even just for fun. Someone who’s massively depressed, being pressured by “friends”, or trying opioids for the first time at a party while already drunk are not in their right mind in terms of making an informed decision.

However, the first part is spot on.

We don’t usually blame people who become addicted to things, because it often isn’t as intentional as the OP is making it out to be in their question.

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- pearsaltchocolatebar@discuss.online ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago
  It’s not as rare as you think it is. My SO worked in addiction counseling, and it wasn’t rate by any means.
  
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