Addiction's Congregation

Addiction must be an extraordinary rollercoaster.

The high and lows of dependence just to get by -- the euphoria and the despair.

And the turning upside down, topsy-turvy nature of struggles for those addicted and their family and friends, if they are even able to maintain contact and support.

Alcohol addiction is not foreign to my family.

One uncle could not quench his thirst and drank vodka like water, while another brewed his beer supply in a 44 gallon drum.

One of the world's most famous abusers of liquid, Ernest Hemingway described the pitfalls of addiction and his belligerent arrogance and unwillingness to make change, "An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools." And, "I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know?" he said.

From the troubles of alcohol and gambling to the dangers of painkillers and recreational drugs, the temptations that young people encounter are now far more complex.

The latest statistics highlight the impact.

In 2021, the cost of addiction to Australian health budgets was estimated at $80.3 billion.

It is often said that nicotine addiction remains one of the strongest dependencies. It increases the processing speed between the brain and the body, creating pleasant feelings including relaxation and happiness, which urges you to reach for another tobacco product to maintain the high.

Of the $80.3 billion dollars, "Tobacco related harm was the largest contributor to costs ($35.8 billion, 45%)".

Nicotine, which is found in tobacco plants, can be as addictive as heroin and cocaine with the calmness rush almost instant.

And although cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic devices like vapes and e-cigarettes are not viewed like recreational drugs because they have a level of acceptance, the harm can be just as debilitating.

Worryingly for those who find themselves addicted to nicotine before the age of 21, detoxing and quitting for good is most difficult.

That's why so much effort, resources, education, and punitive legislation are invested in attempting to prevent the young from beginning their addiction journey.

In an accidental observance of addiction, I had occasion to visit Melbourne.

Melbourne in winter is much like Launceston - cold, damp, and regularly cloudy.

The streets remain wet much of the day as the evening rain or the morning dew struggles to dissipate until well after the time for lunch. The autumn leaves lay on the footpaths clogging the gutters.

When a big downpour arrives, the result is flooded streets as storm water drains are forced to demonstrate restraint, unable to drink the required volume.

Petrol and battery powered leaf blowers' drone to keep buildings free of litter, but the deciduous remnants are simply relocated from the front door to the gutters nearby.

Continuously driven over, trampled, and dissected by trams, clumps of wet leaves create a natural tessellation of rotting materials.

They loiter in an oddly organised manner, just waiting to wreak havoc when the inevitable deluge begins.

Tragically, the Royal Melbourne Hospital is Australia's capital of illness.

And while many experience a full recovery because of the world leading techniques and research of health professionals, there are plenty of patients who make wellness far more difficult.

Observing addiction is unavoidable when visiting a health care facility.

Nurses, orderlies, and volunteers are called upon to push often wheelchair bound patients out the front door so they can inhale a toxic and noxious pleasure. It is one of life's great ironies, but I refrain from judging because I do not understand.

Of course, there have been moments in my life where work has overtaken my rational decision making along with sporting targets that I strived to achieve, but it was not an addiction.

It is a long walk or roll from the ward to the front of a hospital to provide patients with a sense of relief, a craving satisfied for now.

There are those who are terribly ill, suffering common health ailments like diabetes and cancer and those who have received life saving transplants who, I am sure, are aware of the consequences yet cannot control the urge nor break the habit.

There are even those who have endured amputation, resplendent in dressing gowns to shield and repel the cold and the wind, 'enjoying' a drag, it is a desperate situation, and, in a big city, it is not just one or two, it is a congregation of addiction.

They sit amongst a whirlpool of dry brown leaves whipped up by the breeze. Leaves that find their home in the giant concrete buildings, sodden and sticking to the entrance tiles and pathways.

The cost of addiction will continue to rise across Australia as the hardships experienced due to an ageing population, the cost-of-living crisis, and the struggles of living with mental health conditions ensure that both the vulnerable and the well-healed look for an out, an escape from the challenges that have taken and continue to destroy lives.

Preventative health initiatives matter, and they don't receive the attention nor the funding they deserve because we are focused on the pointy end of treatment, which is impossible to ignore.

The leaves of autumn will eventually move on, but addiction will not.