Steven

Okay, so it's not.

And how big is the problem? So if you were to frame, like, why should we care? Why should the person listening to this care? Because I imagine it's the case that many people here don't have an addiction that fits into the category of having severe consequence for their life. I also imagine some people are under the impression that addiction is something that happens to other people.

And how big is the problem? So if you were to frame, like, why should we care? Why should the person listening to this care? Because I imagine it's the case that many people here don't have an addiction that fits into the category of having severe consequence for their life. I also imagine some people are under the impression that addiction is something that happens to other people.

So can you frame the situation for me and explain to me why we should all care about this and I guess the scale of the impact it's having?

So can you frame the situation for me and explain to me why we should all care about this and I guess the scale of the impact it's having?

In which direction are we going in as a society? Are we getting better or are we getting more addicted?

In which direction are we going in as a society? Are we getting better or are we getting more addicted?

I was looking at some of the life expectancy graphs and this one in particular I found quite shocking. I'll throw it up on the screen. But it shows that obviously, you know, we would expect that there was a drop in life expectancy during the pandemic. But even when you compare it to other countries, it's not as significant.

I was looking at some of the life expectancy graphs and this one in particular I found quite shocking. I'll throw it up on the screen. But it shows that obviously, you know, we would expect that there was a drop in life expectancy during the pandemic. But even when you compare it to other countries, it's not as significant.

So I'm wondering why, in your view, there was such a significant decline in life expectancy during the pandemic.

So I'm wondering why, in your view, there was such a significant decline in life expectancy during the pandemic.

At the essence of what's actually going on there, because, you know, addiction is downstream from something else. What is actually going on?

At the essence of what's actually going on there, because, you know, addiction is downstream from something else. What is actually going on?

What is going on in the brain? You referenced it a little bit there. You referenced that dopamine makes you feel good. So, you know, very naively, I would assume in case if you feel bad, dopamine makes you feel good, you want more dopamine. But is it more complicated and nuanced than that?

What is going on in the brain? You referenced it a little bit there. You referenced that dopamine makes you feel good. So, you know, very naively, I would assume in case if you feel bad, dopamine makes you feel good, you want more dopamine. But is it more complicated and nuanced than that?

Ah, okay. So if I'm having a stressful time at work and work is making me anxious and is crippling me, then I'm more likely to want to have a big blowout on the weekend because that's effectively a pain medication.

Ah, okay. So if I'm having a stressful time at work and work is making me anxious and is crippling me, then I'm more likely to want to have a big blowout on the weekend because that's effectively a pain medication.

You know, I was thinking about a friend of mine who is fairly well known, passed away from cancer. issues related to his addiction. He had a lot of pressure on him when he was fairly young. He wasn't necessarily a young child when he had a lot of pressure put on him, but he was young. And I was wondering, as you said, childhood experiences... What age that is. Yeah.

You know, I was thinking about a friend of mine who is fairly well known, passed away from cancer. issues related to his addiction. He had a lot of pressure on him when he was fairly young. He wasn't necessarily a young child when he had a lot of pressure put on him, but he was young. And I was wondering, as you said, childhood experiences... What age that is. Yeah.

Is there like a certain age where those experiences, you know, if you experience a certain level of trauma at a certain age, it's harder to recover from that and you're more likely to be addicted?