I will always be this and it's a constant battle

That's always bugged me too about so many addiction campaigns and activists. It's casting the addict as a perpetual victim, never really capable of rising above. What's mind-boggling is that so many poor people have been tricked into thinking this is a win, but you know, not a proper one, 'cause you're one shot away from fucking up. Yeah, well, who isn't?

Agree with what you said. 100%. Obviously, it's not you who's got to believe, but as long as you, the outsider, give up and don't believe in the addict's hopes and dreams, you're as good as pushing the needle in.

the establishment has perverted what actual empowerment and growth truly is because the establishment benefits from the backsliding and not the victory.

Unfortunately. It's also found wonderful ways to mutate addiction in all these new, exciting "non-harmful" ways. Porn is an addiction, particularly among young men. Shopping is an addiction, too, but instead of shake your head in despair, you just shrug it off -- oh well. Social media, also, is an addiction, largely because it weakens your self-confidence and leaves you hollow.

Point is, now, it's not just drugs or alcohol or nicotine. It's all these other "non-threatening" addictions that we've demoted to "bad habits" or "guilty pleasures". You wouldn't say Bill's guilty pleasure is heroin, would you?

Sorry, didn't mean to slip into a rant.