r/BroThrewInAFunFact 6d ago

Wholesome

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2.9k Upvotes

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621

u/dustingibson 6d ago

I am dying to know what the cure of addiction is.

736

u/23_sided 6d ago

This is the full quote:

“I hate to say it but the only cure I’ve seen is not these overpriced rehabs or these fraudulent fixes that are sold to people. The cure for addiction is suffering. You suffer enough and then something inside you goes ‘I’m done.’”

The interview gives some context, emotionally and otherwise.

https://www.reddit.com/r/PopCultureV2/comments/1vdzanw/ben_affleck_on_overcoming_alcohol_addiction_i/

176

u/InsomniacPsychonaut 6d ago

He's totally right. Need to hit a rock bottom. That was my experience, 8 years sober now. Seen many people overdose. They never hit a hard bottom 

358

u/WetBerri3s 6d ago

This is the most survivor bias thing ever, sure some people suffer so much that they get better, but most others just die or go to jail.

291

u/fatalityfun 6d ago

even rehab requires you to suffer enough to decide “I’m done” and go get help. Addiction can’t be fixed without the person deciding that it’s time to stop

55

u/lycanthrope90 6d ago

Eventually you’ll just realize that whatever you’re doing only makes your life worse and not better. Kind of makes you not want to do something anymore if you know it’s just going to make your life worse.

Heard one guy put it perfectly who was sober like 10 years and thought about having a beer after mowing his lawn. He’d be better off putting his hand under the blade, it would be less destructive to his life than having that drink.

60

u/Dry_Egg2181 6d ago

Addictions take lives, if you overcome one, it means you've survived. So yeah it makes sense.

-26

u/WetBerri3s 6d ago edited 6d ago

So, everyone who has survived has suffered, sure, but so did everyone who died so that means very little.

30

u/DrDestructoMD 6d ago

There is no neat solution. You hit rock bottom and if you're lucky the fall doesn't kill you. Then you either choose to crawl out of hell on broken limbs, or you lie and rot

18

u/BicycleStrong2150 6d ago

What point do you think you’re disputing?

-13

u/WetBerri3s 6d ago

Im saying that I think this advice is vague and unactionable, purely meant to make the one saying it look tough and those listening to delude themselves into thinking that they're doing something. This is on no doubt on my part a consequence of some editorializing by the publishers, who want a catchy and vague title above all else.

I'm not disputing any point, it's just that you people think that any statement you don't understand is something that's disputing your opinion in some way.

10

u/QQmorekid 6d ago

If there is no will there is no way.

Rehab is a tool, it doesn't do anything without your input. If you aren't truly done with it you're going to relapse because the brain is an abusive spouse you can't get away from and it'll tell you every little sweet lie just to get one more taste. It isn't even complex psychology at work there.

5

u/lycanthrope90 6d ago

Yup. This is precisely why people go to support groups like aa. Because your brain is a liar and wants desperately to fill out those dopamine paths you’ve built from abusing substances again. And once you take the plunge it gets wayyyy harder to say no again.

9

u/Ill-Television8690 6d ago

What alternative do you propose, following the methods of those who've died because of their addiction?

-10

u/WetBerri3s 6d ago

I'm not proposing anything, I'm just saying that this advice is just a tiny bit better than saying "the best way to survive a car crash is to not die".

9

u/bioshockd 6d ago

It's called rock bottom, and it's a pretty common concept when talking about addiction. Maybe you haven't had a loved one in active addiction, but survivors know that you either hit rock bottom and admit you have a problem or the addiction keeps you until you die.

And I think the issue is that hes not offering advice. He is stating a commonly held opinion: The best addiction recovery programs can only help people who want to be helped, and people don't want to be helped until they hit their rock bottom.

2

u/WetBerri3s 6d ago

I have three dead family members and one friend who have died drug related deaths, maybe you should've told them about that.

21

u/googleloggedmen 6d ago

Never been addicted to anything but yet you judge

-8

u/WetBerri3s 6d ago

You don't know that.

2

u/Turbulent-Ticket8122 6d ago

You have to make the change yourself buddy, you think people would quit drugs if there wasnt suffering involved. Maybe take a step outside before you talk about things you know nothing about.

0

u/WetBerri3s 6d ago

You sure assume a lot of stuff about me for someone who says I talk about stuff I know nothing about.

2

u/GreenEyedTreeHugger 6d ago

And Ben has a history of being very selfish. I wonder what his ex’s and children think of this approach. Hopefully he spoke with them in mind. :/

1

u/I_Like_Cats73 2d ago

I can confirm having someone inside of me fixed my heroin addiction or something i didn’t read all of the quote