Addiction - The Example of Fortunato
In Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado," we see Fortunato, a seemingly carefree character, ruined, literally, by alcohol addiction. His arch enemy, Montresor comes to him and tells him that he acquired a cask of Amontillado but he is not sure if it's real; he should probably ask Luchesi since Luchesi knows something about wines. Fortunato greedily says, “Oh, Luchesi knows nothing about wines,” and decides that he wants to go with him to go and check if the Amontillado was the original.
And so he left with Montresor, they entered into his family's catacombs. As they walked deeper into the catacombs, Fortunato began to get cold and started coughing but all the while Montresor just gave him more and more wine to drink. At some point, Montresor would ask Fortunato if he wanted to go back, but he would say, "Oh no, let's move on," because he was a sucker for that Amontillado. They got to a small cellar and Fortunato was too drunk to move, he leaned against the wall, then Montresor started laying bricks at the entrance of the cellar and closed him up. Now, the story was recounted fifty years later by Montresor himself without feeling any remorse. We may say that Montresor killed Fortunato, but actually, it is Fortunato’s addiction to alcohol that kills him. If all of us are feeding our addiction today, we may regret it later, because addiction kills, sometimes in subtle ways.
In 2021, it was reported by Statista that an estimated 39.5 million people are affected by drug abuse disorder. 128,100 people suffered death from drug abuse disorders, while a whopping 18.1 million people suffer disability-adjusted life years. 400 million people suffer from alcohol use disorder, with 209 million people becoming totally dependent on alcohol to carry out basic life functions. These are not just mere numbers, they are numbers pointing to the devastating consequence of addiction to drug and alcohol, as well as behavioural addictions like gambling and compulsive sexual behaviour disorder.
Compulsive behaviour of being goofy.
A lot has been said about drug and alcohol addiction, with some campaigns by non-governmental organisations and government agencies urging the public to say no to drugs, but there is a silent addiction that is slipping by unnoticed: social media addiction! This comes in the form of endless scrolling on the phone and FOMO (fear of missing out). Social media addiction has far-reaching consequences and impacts on mental health. It can lead to psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, distorted self-image, etc.
According to WHO, excessive gaming can lead to neglect of real-life responsibilities, sleep deprivation, and social isolation. Both gaming and social media addictions start as coping mechanisms or entertainment but quickly degenerates into habits that disrupt productivity, relationships, and well-being.
You may want to ask why people get addicted. The answer is quite simple: dopamine! Dopamine reward pathways drive all addictions enabling the synaptic plasticity that allows for habit formation; drugs/behaviors cause 10x natural dopamine surges, leading to tolerance (reduced receptors) and cravings. Another cause of addiction is human vulnerability. Drugs,
Natural addiction. I shot it.
As I've mentioned earlier, the consequences of these addictions can be terrible. It has led to deaths and permanent disabilities, as well as reduced mental capabilities. It's not even a long shot any more, addiction is most likely going to change the course of your life. If all of us are feeding our addiction today, we may regret it later, because addiction kills, sometimes in subtle ways. Kill it before it kills you.