you're kidding, right? amazing how when we have random dreams, it's a dream. when people have near death and their brain goes into a hyper state (google it), it's a trip to heaven with visits from loved ones 'on the other side'. granted, i envy you people. if i believed in such fantasy, life would be pretty care free: eternity with loved ones and playing fetch with rover...
I can't say when the dream happened, I was unconscious for several hours. I don't completely buy into the whole "after-life" thing either. But if it exists, apparently only my dog took the time to visit me!
Ok a couple of people asked my theory. I think most people with addictions will keep going until they suffer serious consequences - until then, it is just too easy to get the pleasure hit. People who get addictions tend to have a short time preference i.e. they prefer immediate gain to delayed bigger gain, they get bored easily, they are somewhat irresponsible and don't focus as much on consequences. Serious consequences are needed for them to get the willpower to try to stop. I also think addictions fulfil a need that is not being met in someone's "legitimate" life. If you can find a more healthy non-destructive way to get the same kind of buzz, then try that. If you just try to quit an addiction without replacing it with some other high-stimulus activity, you will get bored and probably relapse.
agree except you're giving a bit too much weight to the serious consequences. i'd say for the majority, the event never actually changes the behaviour. if you know many people like this, what was a very serious consequence 5 years ago is now a laugh. they just keep raising the bar. how many addicts die their 1st OD- most don't. THAT should be the one you speak of- but it isn't. they then start laughing off their # of OD's- well.... until they cross the line to go play with their dog...
Imo, an addiction is a chameleon. It's fluid, a liquid, ever changing throughout the course of the addiction. What might have worked last year won't work in the present (different excuses) to break the addiction. You have to seek out where in the phase of addiction one is. The addiction can/does morph into a life style. Imagine leaving the U.S. and waking up in France, You have to learn the language, the customs, the foods, etc. The addict is in a foreign land known as sobriety. This is an important consideration to end the addiction. I suppose if I would choose one target to focus on to break an addiction, it would be coping skills. The inability to cope would be the weakest link.