In response to my report on withdrawing from morphine, a friend sent me this link by e-mail. For anyone who cares about the problems with the war on drugs, the terrible effects of over-incarceration, the targeting of the vulnerable, this TED TAlK is worth the time.
By the way, my terrible withdrawal experience is over. Into the next phase of recovery.
monagustafsonaffinito 
Having had more than a little experience with addicts, I found this insightful and to connect with my growing thoughts about how the way we have evolved is separating people and creating the isolation he speaks of. From “latch key” children who are expected to stay locked in their homes until and adult comes home, kids who have so little opportunity to be bored and seek other kids to fill the void, these damn phones that take so many people way from the people who surround them, the feeling of panic when responses to us are not immediate. All these things that separate us from one another and leave us painfully wanting and less and less able to identify that want that is so deeply buried. The “addiction” so many of us have to the giving and acquiring of “things” to feel important and loved; and then that terrible inner sense that there is nothing for us. We are alone – and text more and play more video games and buy more and bigger things. When the time comes that we try to fill that void with the things he mentioned – gambling, pornography, extramarital affairs, shopping and substance addiction, we can then be identified as a person in desperate need and get a response from others. Sadly, that response is more and more punitive – but it is something. And then we are challenged to find a way out of that when no one really understands.
I thought wow! What a great response. Then I saw it was from you, Nancy. You are good! Thanks.
Thanks, Mona, for sharing this TED talk, and for connecting it publicly with your personal experience.