The Life Problem

The Life Problem is the largest and most complex piece of the puzzle:

"Simply put, the individual is not at peace with a life without the addictions. They serve a role that must be fulfilled, even at the expense of other factors."

Individuals with addiction problems are frequently unhappy and unfulfilled. Grasshopper Philosophy believes that they often recognize that something is inherently wrong with life, even if they are unaware of addiction, and its worsening of the situation.

Substance or behavior addiction serves as a means for these individuals to:

1. Achieve a desired mental state,

2. To express an emotion,

3. To divert attention from problems.

In turn, the substances and behaviors:

1. Provide relief from discomfort or stress,

2. Fill a void or emptiness,

3. Help cope with past, present, and future experiences (events).

Individuals pursue addictions because they lack a natural, healthy incorporation of these necessary aspects into their life. The addiction becomes a form of medication: akin to how people seek pills from a psychiatrist, although more problematic. Grasshopper Philosophy views this as the fundamental problem.

"Treating addiction as a chronic condition may be relevant or irrelevant to the recovery approach. Grasshopper Philosophy believes it depends on the individual, and what feels right to them over time."

Addiction is as much a multi-dimensional problem as it is a spectrum. People with addiction problems can be incredibly diverse, but often share some commonalities in terms of problems and mindset.

For family and friends, there is often only one question: "Why?"

The simple answer is that the exact nature may or may not ever be understood on a case-by-case basis.

"The focus is on being free from addiction. Everything else might not be our question to answer."

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Grasshopper Recovery is actively researching how factors such as life events and personality traits can help shape addiction and its recovery.