REQUIEM FOR AMERICA –

Dec. 2, 2021 – The junkie narrative tends to reduce addiction to the substance or behavior the addiction revolves around, and/or the aims and griefs that drive it. For the junkies of “Requiem for a Dream,” the blame is put on heroin, amphetamines, and the characters’ eponymous pipe dreams for material gain and familial love. For the junkie of “Euphoria,” the blame is on polysubstance abuse and the character’s loss of her father.

What unifies these otherwise disparate excuses for addiction is a yearning for stabilization, particularly through a functioning family unit. Common models of addiction  — such as biological, psychological, and contextual — supported by studies demonstrate that a trait more common among addicts than non-addicts is the lack of a stable background in their relationships and families. A lack of stability leaves an underlying presence of uncertainty.

For the addict, the only stable relationship is with addiction itself. When you receive an unexpected promotion at work, addiction is always ready to share in your celebration. You run over a curb and bust a tire, and there she is, always ready to help. An exhausting day knocks you out to sleep on the sofa, and like a mother caring for a little kid, she carries you in your slumber and tucks you into bed. 

A family member dies, and you return home to her because she is the one who will kiss you while you weep. You miss work for her and she holds you in her warm, lazy, accepting embrace. Your friends, lovers and family all leave you, but she stays. You lose everything, but she’s still there.

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