What is your explanation for U.S. Americans' dependence on drugs & alcohol?

I tend to use food as a drug.

Historical Americans have been using alcohol in various ways: cider, wine, beef. They use to drink the stuff all day long. John Adam’s first drink in the morning was hard cider. During the founding of this country they drank throughout the day in hot hot Philly. Bad water was of course one of the reasons. As for drugs it’s my understanding that after the Civil War many soldiers to ease wounds of various type started using opioids of some nature. The Irish use to demand beer for lunch when working. So American have a long history with drugs.

Look at what we have to deal with every day - jobs, bills, spouses, kids, properties, cars. On top of that the current political climate. Plus the fact that no one asked to be on this planet. People need a stress reliever and problem forgetter. It's a worldwide thing.

The world sucks, man

I'm medicated so I don't have to self-medicate. Also parents' attitude was that this was a stupid thing to do

As for the rise of drug and alcohol abuse in rural America:

1. End of the family farm

2. Death of downtown due to Walmart

3. Meth

Big Pharma wanting to increase profits by getting more and more people hooked on psychotropic drugs.

Just turn on the TV. "Is your antidepressant not working? Try this, which acts as a booster and supplement to your current antidepressant. "

Does Geritol count?

Love is my drug

But we live in the greatest country in the world. Where we are free, safe, healthy, well-fed... and dreams can still come true. Why all the need to be constantly under the influence of something?

If your parents kicked the shit out of you, antidepressants are helpful adjuncts for getting out of bed and having a life. You're not escaping reality, you'r gaining the armor to cope with it.

R1, me, too. 🍿🥐🌰🥮🍩🍪🎂🍰🧁🥧🍫🍬🍭

Toughest one to beat.

OP, americans in general get fewer paid days off from their jobs than any other country. even if paid time off is offered many people don't feel they can take it.

THUS, the use of cannabinoids and alcohol to help ultimo the limited time off american citizens get is understandable

Native Americans have notoriously high rates of alcoholism because they have a genetic predisposition to it (and also because they tend to live on poor reservations with few employment opportunities and don't want to leave for cultural reasons).

I don't know why OP is talking about Americans as a whole when this article is obviously focused on rural New Mexico.

I don't know why OP brings up pot when the problem stated in the article he linked was alcohol and FENTANYL.

I'm not gonna cast too many stones. I realized over time that I don't have the addiction genes/chemistry but I've done the same intro shit drugs-wise as friends who do have that addiction wiring, and it was hell watching two of them spiral downward.

Stay humble if you've not struggled to stay clean.

I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, um, some people out there in our nation don't have maps and, uh, I believe that our, uh, education like such as, uh, South Africa and, uh, the Iraq and everywhere like such as, and I believe that they should, uh, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S., uh, should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian countries, so we will be able to build up our future.

[quote]Look at what we have to deal with every day - jobs, bills, spouses, kids, properties, cars. On top of that the current political climate. Plus the fact that no one asked to be on this planet.

Drugs and alcohol have always seemed to me a very poor way to deal with any of those challenges, but to each their own.

U.S. American United Statesians?

The root cause is mental illness and trauma. Most untreated mental illness and trauma leads to self-medicating with drugs and alcohol. The US is not alone in facing addiction crisis. It is much more prevalent now because the drugs are worse and cause psychosis and vuolence at an alarming rate. Above all, the crisis is a reflection of societal self-centredness and myopia. No one cares about the homeless, addicts, mentally ill. What does it say on the Statue of Liberty? "Give us your downtrodden..." yeah right.

Addiction is a major flaw in human development. Many are weak and succumb. Our existence on this planet is one huge experiment on whether the evolution of our species can overcome the concepts of good vs evil.

Since we'll destroy much of the planet that provides our nutrition (via multiple ways of poisoning it), that experiment will be greatly altered by forcing us back to the core of evolutionary design: Survival of the Fittest. And the Fittest will need the JUST SAY NO gene to ultimately survive.

Same r5.

I smoked pot on occasion when I was in my 20's and 30's. never with any regularity. I was a smoker for 25 years so I guess nicotine was my addiction. I was not much of a drinker. It made me sick. When you get so sick you want to die and you're puking your guts out, it's not fun any more. I will have a celebratory glass of wine maybe 5 times a year?

Our pace of life is way too fast, stressful, competitive and unhealthy. Compare our pace of life to Western Europe. Can you imagine if we had siesta here in the states? Universal healthcare? A minimum living wage? I bet substance abuse would drop

Because there are so many assholes like R21 around

OP to your original question, the media is sautrated with stuff that creates tension and fear. The pace of life in the USA is terrible compared to other countries. YOu work your ass off trying to keep ar oof over your head so you can go on vacation for two weeks? Life here sucks people a re stressed out.

People just want to feel good.

Americans know that their current president doesn't give a shit about any of them.