Spiritual Malady Cont’d
“Maybe if quantum physics could come up with some force, or web, or string or something that tethers the mystery to something solid, something measurable, you’d think again but until then there’s nothing but an empty grave and a blank tombstone, chisel poised. So, no one’s going to blame you if you perch on a carousel of destructive relationships and unfulfilling work, whirling round, never still, never truly looking within, never really going home”. Recovery, Russel Brand p.3
The term “chemical addiction” suggests that first and foremost we are dealing with biology. This is true for the term, chemical. For the term addiction, we are dealing with both biological as well as individual subjective experiences of mind- and mood-altering chemicals. In a sense all biological creatures are addicted, say for example, to food and water. It is built in as a biological imperative. The imperative to survive. This can be overcome, however, as a work contra naturam. We will visit this term, contra naturam, later as this is a crucial idea in the work of recovery for the addict. As Thomas Aquinas said,
The will is not directed save to the good or the apparent good. Now when a passion draws the will to that which is really good, it does not influence the reason against its knowledge; and when it draws it to that which is good apparently, but not really, it draws it to that which appears good to the reason. But what appears to the reason is in the knowledge of the reason. Therefore, a passion never influences the reason against its knowledge. (Summa Theologica, p. 145)
Aquinas, not having access to knowledge of modern scientific neurological studies, attempts to explain how reason could choose what is not good, confusing it with good, and being influenced against its better judgment. Or rather, having its judgment changed due to passion. In neurological parlance we would see rather two independent systems in the brain, no longer working together but against each other. The seat of rational judgment, the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) against the part of the brain responsible for desire. In the center of the PFC is the ego-complex, or ego-consciousness if you will. The seat of rational judgment and subjective experience. The ego exerting ‘will’ or volitional control over behavior. In addiction, or any biological imperative, this will is faced against another power. The power of desire, with its seat of power rooted in the brain’s biochemistry. How long can the ego-complex resist desire? Some neuroscientists refer to ego fatigue occurring during prolonged periods of this dynamic. The will is overcome with desire and chooses behavior that is against its better judgment. Not a complicated scenario. A power struggle if you will. This is of course not exclusive to the addiction process but any behavior with choices of what is good versus bad. Not necessarily moral choices but healthy versus unhealthy in both the physical and psychological sense.
These are the initial conditions of addiction.