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Comment by rabidrat | Hacker News Reader

How is it so obviously not heroin? I, a fully-formed and functioning adult, feel the pull in my brain. I was addicted to cigarettes in my 20s and I've had unhealthy relationships with numerous other drugs and video games that I've (mostly) managed to pull myself away from, after years. The feeling of "checking your notifications" and "scrolling through twitter" on your phone are remarkably similar to the compulsion for drugs. This is my personal subjective experience and I believe objective research confirms it as well.

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> How is it so obviously not heroin

Its quite obviously literally not-heroin.

If you want to make an argument that it should be treated like heroin because it is in some relevant sense more like heroin or other things that it is broadly accepted should be treated like heroin than it is like other things that it is broadly accepted should not be treated like heroin then...some evidence besides simply stating your belief for the relevant similarity would be a good thing to present.

Sufficient evidence was presented for the metaphor, it seems apt and you seem to be overly obtuse. You seem unwilling to look beyond the obvious "its quite obviously literally not heroin". My god you sound insufferable.

It is really not sufficient evidence for the metaphor, though.

The point may be that it is akin to "drugs" but not all drugs are like heroin and what he is describing is nothing like heroin cravings and withdrawal.

Why not go with something that invokes less emotions in the reader like "caffeine" or "nicotine"?

Because the itch to check on a notification or scroll through the news feed is surely closer to the itch for a cigarette or your vaporizer than... heroin. That's a big jump there just to describe "compulsive desire".

The point you're making may be that it is akin to "drugs" but not all drugs are like heroin and what you are describing is nothing like heroin cravings and withdrawal.

Why not go with something that invokes less emotions in the reader like "caffeine" or "nicotine"?

I'm wondering where it does lie on the spectrum. Do you know? Citation please.

That's my point. Maybe not heroin; maybe cocaine? Personality changes, treasure wasted pursing new highs, panic and hysteria when its denied...

From my personal experiences and according to the subjective experiences of my friends I've had chatted on this topic with... certainly a closer feeling to the reward seeking behavior (itch) that can be conditioned with simultaneous application of nicotine + a monoamine oxidase inhibitor.

When I was a kid the compulsion to put plastic zoo animals in little enclosures, and build all 151 pokemon out of lego was remarkably similar to the compulsion for drugs. I don't think there's anything inherently bad about this.

Feeding it could be harmful? We don't have to make the object of obsession instantly accessible and available 24-7.

Each particular video game gets old and boring really quick. You need a constant supply of new games to stay "addicted" your entire life, which is exactly the opposite of how an addiction for a physical substance works. You never stop taking drugs unless you somehow can taper off the dosage. This is one of the reasons why switching from smoking to vaping and quitting vaping is easier than quitting smoking. You have control over your dosage and a lot of unclean crap is taken out.

Edit:

Not getting access to clean drugs is one of the biggest reasons why addicts suffer from health problems and have trouble reducing their dosage. Small portions of harder drugs and random substances that are optically identical are mixed into drugs and strengthen the addiction beyond what the primary ingredient can do.

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