Same with me. Now when I went through a serious bout of sciatic nerve & back spasms - drugs yes please. Or kidney stones - drugs yes please.

We're talking about addiction. I believe most everyone is prone to addictive behavior in some manner. Drugs, eating, internet, texting, sex, tv, shopping, car ownership... ;)

As for PSH - I can empathize with his surviving family. I don't really have much opinion on him - never met him.

I'm sure my stomach hates me, but I stick with ibuprofen for sciatic nerve back pain as well. When I declined the codeine, the nurse told me that she could prescribe me 800 mg ibuprofen or I could just take four 200 mg standard pills. Fortunately it doesn't get that bad anymore, I know long term heavy consumption of ibuprofen is linked to ulcers and other nasty stomach issues.

I think that you are confusing sympathy and empathy here. For one thing, you do not need to know someone to empathize or sympathize with them.

That Russell whoever pirate guy video was great.

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Yes, yes, yes!!!!!!
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What makes an addict an addict is that they CAN'T say "No"!!!
That's how the recovery community defines an addict.
To think and say that addicts have choices is to not understand the psychological hell of what prompts full-blown addictions.
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The addict, in order to recover, MUST find the gateway to their own recovery. It's an inside job.
To recover, they have to find some sense of personal dignity deep within themselves...a loving authority, if you will.
For some addicts, it's just not there.
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Go back and read post #54.

Hoffman ultimately committed suicide by playing Russian Roulette with H. As much as one can empathize with the emptiness or pain that he felt in life, he is NO HERO to anybody. As there is nothing hopeful, uplifting or inspiring about him as his end was nothing but a bummer. what I need to hear are stories about people who made it out of the abyss, because that gives hope and inspiration that one can make it to.
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We are all born somewhat defective and although we will all end up dead in the end, the nature problems we are born with, which create a propensity to follow/engage in, are not all equally distributed. A minority of us possess an addictive personality that creates a zero tolerance for certain things the majority of people can take in moderation.

I don't think H is one of those moderation things, but it is not likely the first drug people use.

I would consider that a mental health issue. And spiritual issue as well. If the addict is simply filling their void, that problem is not unique only to the addict. Like I said, we are born defective. Missing something we're supposed have, but didn't get.

The long question is what is that missing piece and who are those who are best adjusted to our human condition?

If H is anything like Trainspotting, that film would deter most.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/v6uBkJSbQO0?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Well just WHO THE HELL SAID HE WAS? :rolleyes:

I feel what this thread is missing the point...

He wasn't an example... or supposed to be an example...

What we should take away from this is being rich and famous is not the golden ticket... not the answer...

Rich and famous people off themselves every day, as has been said here many times so do regular people... just that ordinary people don't make the news.

I know that I am (very) guilty of thinking/feeling if I just had more money, had that really nice house and car and didn't have to put up with my a-hole boss I would be happy.

But would I?

We tend to exalt celebrities

Of course we do; for their ACCOMPLISHMENTS that made them celebrities - NOT for their addictions or other shortcomings.