I read it but it seemed a bit psycho-babble. It talks about healthy sexual development but never defines what it means by that --- and if we are going to take what society calls the "norm" then that is a monogamous relationship and probably a family from that relationship ---- well, that calls for a whole lot more than simply sexual development, you have to be able to maintain an emotional relationship, a practical relationship, financial competence, a parenting relationship - these are all different skill sets and just as important in supporting the 'norm' of what we have as a monogamous relationship as the sexual development part.
So I kinda didn't grasp what point it was pushing for... the other side of the argument was can trauma lead to addiction. Well, my great-uncle was interned in a German POW at the age of seventeen until nineteen, I would think that was pretty traumatic but he held down a very responsible job, had a loving wife, had a great sense of humour, never deliberately hurt anyone as far as I know, had great kids .... one who is a top, top, top mathematician and physicist. He was a very kind, very grounded, very intelligent, responsible man. Can trauma lead to addiction well, yes if you are somewhat already pre-disposed to it but not necessarily if you are not. Equally there are those who have had no apparent trauma in their life who end up as addicts (if you see the story of Freddy, the son of Annie Tempest, who died of a heroin addiction aged 18), his life was everything set-out and not much struggle - so again not sure what point it is pushing for there, either....
Yes trauma doesn't always lead to addiction, your uncle is a prime example of that. Just like trauma doesn't always lead to PTSD what one person may be able to get over with not too much hardship another person may be traumatized for life. It's not just the traumatic situation which must be there but it's also how someone interprets it. A lower cortisol level has been show to make someone more prone to getting PTSD after a traumatic experience. I also don't know the exact circumstances of his life there may be no apparent trauma but again you only know him from the outside looking in. In may not be that in all cases it stems from trauma but maybe in like 90-95% of them I actually saw a show with doctor Drew on it. There is even love addiction for example this model that was on Oprah, her dad left her when she was a little girl and she would fall head over heels and go for guys who reminded or looked like her dad. She would basically love them after only one or two dates well before any real strong emotional connection could be had.
Addiction. It is people wanting to get a rush, a high, a lift. Everybody likes pleasure nobody (or very few) like pain. We are somewhat designed to respond positively to pleasure and to seek it and equally to avoid pain and respond negatively toward it. We can override that if we can see that the longterm benefit will be in our favour (going to exercise rather than sitting on the couch all day) we can also override/avoid addiction to pleasurable things if we can see that the longterm it will be harmful for us - taking heroin.
It is about seeking the high or pleasure in order to cope with life. Yes it's easier to override it if you can see the long term harm it will cause you. If you know to put off your short term pleasure for long term happiness. Some people have more addictive personalities possibly genetically and even influenced socially or situationaly. This however isn't something younger people adolescents, especially are good at. The decision making part of your brain isn't fully developed until your mid 20's. Kids are also more prone to being influenced at younger ages so you could become a total pot head at age 13-14 unaware of what you're doing to yourself and thus causing yourself brain damage. It's been show pot use at a young age causes anxiety, depression and makes someone more susceptible to stress.
Trauma seems to me something that produces longterm anxiety and addiction is just a negative coping mechanism to deal with that anxiety - regardless of whether that is sex-addiction or drugs... it is done to relieve anxiety (even temporarily) whereas they might be better off trying to relieve the anxiety in a more direct way? I don't know....
