How addiction affects our judgment and the importance of changing perceptions

Recognizing that we live in a world of addictions, and that the negative framing of the word addiction can skew our judgment, we emphasize the importance of having the right perception of addiction.

 

We live with many “addictions. From work addiction to social media addictions such as Twitter and Facebook, to a book that describes South Koreans’ eating habits as “salt addiction,” we are surrounded by the word addiction. These addictions are not just individual problems, but are affecting society as a whole. Especially in the modern world, addictions are becoming more diverse and impactful. However, it’s important to consider whether the addictions that we see in our daily lives are causing us to make poor judgments.
The dictionary definition of addiction is “a dysfunction of the organism due to the toxicity of food or drugs,” “a morbid condition resulting from excessive consumption of alcohol or drugs, and the inability to do without them,” and “the inability to judge things normally because one has become imbued with certain ideas or objects. The meaning of addiction used today is probably the second or third. Given that both of these meanings have similarities to the first, they give the impression that the object of addiction is necessarily something negative, like ‘poison’, and that the addicted person is also not normal. This is the frame that the word ‘addiction’ has.
This frame can prevent us from making the right judgments about people, things, or phenomena. For example, “drug addiction”, “gaming addiction”, etc. Drugs certainly have the potential to cause addiction, but only when used incorrectly. In fact, the ability of drugs to affect the nervous system can be utilized in many ways, such as being used as a painkiller. However, due to the negative perception that has been created by several cases of drug addiction, it”s difficult to judge the use of narcotic substances as painkillers when you first encounter them. It’s difficult to do so if you focus too much on the impression of addiction. The same goes for gaming addiction. If we focus on the fact that games are potentially addictive, we’ll lose sight of their true function and the potential of the gaming industry. In particular, it ignores the fact that games can be used as educational tools. In fact, many educators argue that games can help students develop problem-solving skills and collaboration. However, these positive aspects are often overlooked because they are trapped in the addiction frame.
Next, there’s the frame of the addicted person. If we learn that student A is addicted to gaming, the judgment we make about A will inevitably be negative, and we won’t recognize other positive aspects of A, even if they exist. And we should be even more careful about framing someone as addicted because it can be abused. If someone wants to create a negative impression of a person, they can easily do so by using the word “addiction” to describe something that the person is addicted to. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of the frame.
This addiction frame is especially effective when the target is an unfamiliar one. When we hear the phrase “salt addiction,” we don’t immediately think negatively about salt. We know that salt contains nutrients that we need in our lives, so it’s hard for a negative frame to work. Similarly, when we hear the term “alcoholism,” we don’t immediately think of it in a negative light because we know the properties of alcohol and how it can be used to achieve positive effects. On the other hand, if someone who doesn’t know much about gaming is told that they are addicted to gaming, the frame will work well. The same is true for Student A. If we already know a lot about A, the frame won’t have much impact.
On the other hand, our perception of addiction needs to evolve with social change. For example, smoking used to be a socially acceptable behavior, but now, with increased health awareness, there is a strong negative perception of smoking. Similarly, perceptions of addiction can change. If we understand the different aspects of addiction and find the right way to deal with them, we can overcome the negative framing of addiction. For this to happen, we need to educate and raise awareness about addiction. It’s important to balance the dangers of addiction with the positives of what it can be.
In the end, if the word addiction isn’t going to disappear from society, it’s our attitudes towards it that need to change. There’s no right or wrong way to use the word addiction in everyday life because it’s subjective. Therefore, our attitude towards addiction is important. Instead of letting the word “addiction” shape your perspective on something you don’t understand, be aware of the framing it imposes and make judgments based on credible information and arguments. You can make better judgments when you take off your addiction glasses and look at the object again. Why not try to break out of the addiction frame?
Lastly, we need to have more social discussions about addiction. We need to recognize that addiction is not just an individual problem, but a phenomenon that affects society as a whole, and we need different approaches to address it. Examples include addiction prevention programs, strengthening addiction counseling and treatment systems, and providing accurate information about addiction. When these efforts come together, we can move beyond the frame of addiction and create a healthier society.