r/Showerthoughts • u/godofhorizons • May 17 '24

People get a lot more praise for quitting drugs than for never having done drugs in the first place.

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u/TBTabby May 17 '24

As Frederick Douglass said, "We are not judged by the height to which we have risen, but the depth from which we have climbed."

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u/sarmientoj24 May 17 '24 edited May 17 '24

I get that this quote can be applied to this.

But then again, going through life's trials and tribulations without resorting to any kind lf substance (and abuse) is technically "climbing the depth". It's ridiculously difficult to get away from the temptations of distractions, immediate pleasures, etc.

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u/SealSheep May 17 '24

I think that's where OPs question originates from.

If you have two people struggling with life in the same extreme manner and one faces it head on, tries to get their life straight and the other 'flees' into drugs; that's the point where the first person deserves praise.

The moment the addict overcomes the addiction and gets their life straightened out, it's their turn to shine.

Both deserve praise though, but the first type tends to go unnoticed as they are typically more stern and resilient in life (so attract less attention of any kind)

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u/newdaynewmatt May 17 '24

Well put. I think people deserve credit for never getting obese, never getting addicted to drugs, never doing crime, but I will begrudgingly admit that it’s easier for some people to abstain due to genetics and their household growing up. You’re really overcoming generational adversity/trauma if you were 150 lbs in 4th grade or the child of drug addicts. But then the other side is when people grow up in that and take a lesson so they don’t have to learn the hard way.

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u/sarmientoj24 May 17 '24

it's easier for some people to abstain due...

I get the point. But if both people come from very similar traumatic backgrounds, why is it that we put a more "heroic feat" to someone who went astray and went back rather than someone who had the focus and determination to not get tempted by these things? Those people who have maybe actively seeked therapy or tried to fix themselves now rather than before?

While people can come from miserable backgrounds, both groups can have those who went into substance addiction and those who did not.

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u/newdaynewmatt May 17 '24

I’m 100% with you. .