Question

Szasz quotes two different definitions of addiction. What are they? What is Szasz’s commentary regarding these definitions?

Answer 1

Dr Thomas Szasz was a professor of psychiatry at State University. His thinking was not stereotypical regarding psychological issues. He pointed out at some of the political agendas that were applied on those so-called treatment of addicted patients, Back then the term "drug addiction"  was famous and it is often told to people that they are unable to control themselves, they need psychiatric help. During explaining this in an interview he used the "Cui bono?" which was asked by Romans which means, "you poor people, you can't control yourself?". According to him, it's one kind of strategy by giving us an idea of certain temptations by which we, from our childhood, get attracted and fall into the trap of addiction. He about addiction said- "Addiction is a form of behavior. Behavior is not caused; it has reasons." For him, one chooses to do such things because they like the feeling, what they get from it every time. It is not some drugs that cause addiction but we are fond of doing the same thing, again and again, to get a certain pleasure from it. He is also that "Addiction is not a descriptive term, it is a stigmatizing term which is culturally conditioned." Nowadays everything that we find hard to get rid off we call it an addiction, but according to Dr. Szasz if one believes drug is the reason then he/she is psychotic and how is it possible that the same person can drive his car, is controlling other things except this addiction. Its a habit, it can be related to a person, it can be related to self-abuse but things that should not be categorized as diseases are called diseases, which is not correct. For him these treatments are like we are fooling people they are not capable of controlling themselves and therefore we are kind of playing with their minds.