MEMPHIS, Tenn. — I am a fan of National Public Radio. It is the only radio I listen to for news because I trust it to give both sides of a story, which is not the case with a lot of the “talk radio” stations whose primary objective is spread propaganda according to their point of view.
Anyway, one of my favorite shows is a weekend show called “Freakonomics.” On Father’s Day, they were reporting on the opioid addiction epidemic and interviewing Dr. Stephen Lloyd, a medical doctor who specialized in addiction.
As I have mentioned in columns before, hate groups such as the KKK, Proud Boys, the Bloods, etc. are great examples of rebels. But so are addicts. Why? Because they are all extremists. Extremists are poor at compromise and no successful relationship can exist without compromise. Compromise acknowledges the other side should be listened to. Extremists are rarely good listeners.
I seriously doubt that Dr. Lloyd would disagree with me, but he gives what could be a deeper explanation for such irrational behavior. Lloyd points out that addiction blocks the “frontal lobe,” the most powerful part of the brain from doing its job: providing insight, judgment and empathy.
Instead, addicts, at least while actively using, are dominated by the “pleasure center” of the brain (which is composed by the amygdala, basil ganglia and other parts of the limbic system).
To be mentally healthy, the frontal lobe needs to be in control. When the pleasure center is in control, we make dumb and selfish decisions.
A week ago, I attended a downtown Memphis church that works hard to help the homeless, many of which suffer from addiction.
They were in the middle of a five-part series on addiction. When it came time for the minister to speak, he did not speak the words extremist, rebellion, frontal lobe or the “pleasure center” of the brain.
Instead, he said addicts were seeking “freedom.” But freedom WITHOUT responsibility comes across as rebellion, much like the teenager who is challenging boundaries. However, his version has a more positive and loving quality than using the word, rebellious, as I have done.
He had my attention.
The minister goes on to state an addict’s search for freedom is not helping because they are being led by a false God, an idol. Idolatry is the worship of someone or something other than God as if it were God. It could be money, power, a golden statue, a politician, a movie star, etc.
OR, in the case of an addict, their false God is their addictive drug/s, which is not a God anyone should follow.
This is the bad news.
The good news is the addict is “searching for God” — they just found the wrong one. Thus, he says, there is hope!
It is a mistake we have all made, just maybe not to the extent of someone with a serious mental illness, or in this case, an addict.
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has a 12-step program of recovery. Step 1, you admit you have a problem. Steps 2-12 are designed to develop a new way of dealing with problems — one in which the frontal lobe dominates, not the pleasure center.
Or stated another way, one in which false Gods (addictive substances) are replaced by a “Higher Power” that involves love, honesty and responsibility.
What separates humans from all other plants and animals is the advanced nature of our frontal lobe.
Use the frontal lobe to prevent addiction.
Rebuild the frontal lobe to recover from addiction.