OPINION:
As a youth counselor, I know many people with some form of addiction. I am a former drug addict myself. I have a relative whose food addiction is the reason for his obesity. It appears that Nick Reiner was suffering from drug addiction.
I recently spoke with a mother in Texas about her 14-year-old son’s erratic behavior, which began after the school district implemented cellphone use restrictions during school hours. The therapist concluded that his behavior resulted from technology addiction. I’m currently working with several college students with sports betting addictions. Maybe we need to start looking into the many reasons that so many forms of addiction exist at all ages.
Addiction has traditionally been thought of as an uncontrollable pull toward alcohol, food, drugs or tobacco. However, technology addiction has emerged as a significant concern, especially for children. This shift raises essential questions about the impact these new forms of addiction have on emotional and cognitive development.
I believe the rise in addiction is driven by corporate interests seeking profit. Companies use celebrities and athletes to market addictive products as sources of happiness and emotional fulfillment. Busy parents may not have the time to address these risks with their children. This cycle fuels the spread of addictive behavior across different groups.
I’m sure most parents never anticipated this addiction, but, unfortunately, it has occurred. It has become a new burden for parents, and there is no way to reverse it. We seem to ignore the unintended consequences of addiction. Legalizing marijuana to reduce tobacco addictions created more teenage marijuana addicts.
As our country falls behind in addressing addiction, the rapid growth of addictive products and behaviors continues. It is critical for society and corporations to recognize the serious consequences of addiction, which can be fatal and drive harmful actions.
Although all addictions can be reversed, the profit motives of corporations make it unlikely they will stop encouraging such habits. My encounter with a fast-food marketing expert, who described their sales model as “from cradle to grave,” indicates how easy addictions are nurtured.
GREG RALEIGH
Washington
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