TED, or Technology, Entertainment and Design, Talks have been popular around the world for spreading ideas and inspiration by holding conferences around the world and making these ideas available through the Internet.
Many personalities have become popular for shedding light on various issues that many people can relate with–and one of these issues, of course, is addiction, which many people all over the world struggle with.
Addiction does not choose a social status, a gender; it is not selective whether you are healthy or not, educated or not, straight or not, have a good family background or not…it just doesn’t. Anyone can be addicted to anything. But instead of the various social stigmas that make the problem and the disease worse, information and awareness must be shed.
And this is what these TED talks are for. Be sure to watch them to give you insight on your or your loved one’s addiction journey.
‘Transcending Addiction and Redefining Recovery’
This talk by Jacquelyn Hillios tackles the problem of why some people are able to overcome their addictions, while others cannot or are finding it utterly difficult.
Here, Hillios answers questions such as, “Do people really need to escape their shame of their addiction?” and “How do people achieve sustained recovery?” She clearly and convincingly discusses how the resilience and will of the human spirit merges with social contexts to drive addicts to the road to recovery.
‘Addiction and Trust’
In this talk, former drug addict Marc Lewis takes us into the mind of the addict. He shares the journey of how he changed his life from selfishness to a life dedicated to helping others, especially in the field of addiction research.
He explains that in order to get over one’s addiction, trusting one’s self is crucial. However, self-trust is difficult: lack of self control and inability to put off reward. He says that an addict wants his fix and he wants it now, regardless of the risk of missing out on a happier, more fulfilling future.
According to him, the way to build self-trust is to have an internal dialogue with one’s future self, to convince the present self that he can truly live without his addiction.
‘The Power of Addiction’
This compelling talk by Gabor Mate, a Canadian physician specializing in terminal illnesses, creates a roadmap of how society is helping perpetuate addictive and destructive behaviors. As a doctor who works with patients with chemical dependencies, HIV positive conditions, and terminal illnesses, he delivers a science-backed yet socially relevant talk on how we can all transform our lives to escape one thing: the grips of addiction.
He says, “Find your nature and be nice to yourself.” Mate brings a sincere yet confident message that applies not only to those struggling with addiction, but to society in general.
If you need more help when it comes to your or a loved one’s addiction, text or call us:
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