人生学校｜为什么我们都是成瘾者？

When we think of an 'addict', certain stock images come to mind: a homeless person in the park sniffing glue, a gaunt figure with a heroin needle in their arm, a breakfast-time vodka drinker…

But such gothic characterisations mask what is, in reality, a far more universal and less overtly dramatic – though still pernicious – phenomenon. Addiction doesn't have anything to do with what one is addicted to: it can't be neatly circumscribed to those who rely on hard drugs or alcohol. In its essence, addiction simply means leaning on something – it could be anything – because it prevents particular ideas from coming into our minds. The addict relies on their chosen pursuit to block unwelcome emotions from storming the theatre of their consciousness.

The particular object of their addiction might be whisky or marijuana, but it could just as well be their mobile phone or ever more copious buckets of fried chicken. One can be addicted to talking to one's mother or cleaning cupboards, doing the accounts, or tracking migrating birds.

What the addict fears above all is to be left alone, to have nothing to do other than to turn into themselves and to face unbearable sadness or regret, fear, or longing.

The popular misunderstanding of what addiction is lets too many of us off the hook. It allows people to claim that they are merely going to the office again or checking the news, toning at the gym or catching up on football results.


Yet addicts are not evil or weak. They are first and foremost scared. The solution shouldn't – therefore – involve censorship and lectures, rather love and reassurance. We should make moves to allow people to feel as safe as possible about opening more doors in their minds and confident that they can handle whatever might be skulking inside.

It is never really fried chicken or social media updates we like anyway: we are just at a loss as to how to begin to reflect without terror on the course of our lives.

词汇表
addict ['ædɪkt] 瘾君子，成瘾者；入迷的人
stock [stɒk] 老一套的，陈腐的，一成不变的
sniff glue [snɪf] 吸食胶水（指吸入胶水中的挥发性溶剂来获得致幻效果的行为）
gaunt [ɡɔːnt] 瘦削的，骨瘦如柴的；憔悴的
heroin needle [ˈherəʊɪn][ˈniːd(ə)l] 海洛因注射针
vodka [ˈvɒdkə] 伏特加酒
gothic characterisation [ˈɡɒθɪk][ˌkærəktəraɪ'zeɪʃn] 哥特式的刻画
overtly [əʊˈvɜːtli] 公然地，明显地
pernicious [pəˈnɪʃəs] 有害的，致命的
addiction [əˈdɪkʃ(ə)n] 成瘾，上瘾；嗜好，入迷
be addicted to [əˈdɪktɪd] 对……上瘾，沉迷于
be circumscribed to [ˈsɜːkəmskraɪb] 局限于，被限制在
lean on [liːn] 依靠，依赖，倚靠
pursuit [pә'sju:t] 嗜好，消遣，娱乐
storm 闯，突袭，猛攻
marijuana [ˌmærɪˈwɑːnə] 大麻
copious [ˈkəʊpiəs] 很多的，丰富的；多产的
a bucket of fried chicken [ˈbʌkɪt] 一桶炸鸡
cupboard [ˈkʌbəd] 橱柜，衣柜
do the accounts 记账，算账
migrating birds 候鸟，迁徙的鸟
left alone 独自一人，被单独留下
off the hook [hʊk] 逃脱困境，脱身
tone [təʊn] (通过锻炼）使强健，使结实
first and foremost [ˈfɔːməʊst]首先, 首要地
censorship ['sensәʃip] 审查，检查，审查制度
lecture [ˈlektʃə(r)] 说教，训斥，斥责
reassurance [ˌriːəˈʃʊərəns] 安慰，慰藉
skulk [skʌlk] 潜伏，躲藏，隐匿
at a loss 不知所措，困惑
terror [ˈterə(r)] 恐惧，惊恐

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