My response to the recent documentary of Ben Cousin’s journey into drug addiction was probably not a common one, because it led me to contemplating the hunting habits of the Spiny Spider of north-eastern Australia.
This species is unique in the otherwise dark, creepy-crawly world of arachnids as it glitters with bright colours, which it uses to attract and lure its prey. It is a mirror image of the world of drugs.
The majority of society, particularly the older generations, live at a safe distance from this insidious culture and cannot fathom what motivates young people to delve into such a blatantly destructive environment. After all, illicit drug use rarely gets good press. It is usually doom and gloom, often identified as the catalyst for personal, family and social collapse. Yet, despite its overwhelmingly negative public image, the number of people indulging continues to rise. Why?
One of the recent criticisms of Ben Cousins’ documentary was that it glamorised the lifestyle associated with drug use. Some viewers believed that there was too much footage of the highs and the party-life that Cousins indulged in and were concerned that this perception would entice young people. But what Cousins wanted to portray was the complete picture of this treacherous world.
I regularly interact with people addicted to drugs and they are all painfully aware of the risks associated with their choices – everything from death to rotten teeth – but these factors do not prevent them from entering into this dangerous lifestyle.
What Cousins’ documentary portrayed was a reality that is known to all users – and is usually ignored by those outside it – that it does indeed provide them with access to a world of self-absorbed euphoria. That is what reminded me of the Spiny Spider – because the path that leads to this living hell is paved with sparkle and glitter.
The culture of illicit drug use is the ultimate lie. This is what makes it so difficult to protect our children from it.
They exist in a society that equates self-satisfaction with success and endorses everything from sex to food with an attitude of “if it feels good, do it”, yet we expect them to put aside these attitudes when it comes to drugs, despite the fact that increasing numbers perceive them to be the gateway to the ultimate feeling of immediate gratification?
The answer obviously isn’t found in increasing the amount of information we provide or even by flooding our children with the devastating long-term impact that drugs can inflict. These have been tried, yet the numbers continue to grow. The fact is, that the seductive nature of drugs appeals to the selfish instincts that characterise our human condition.
These instincts may serve a purpose when small children are exploring and finding their place in the world, but if we, as guardians, do not teach them ways to counter this egocentric drive by the time they are able to reason for themselves, then they will continue to be guided by them during their journey into adulthood.
Our Christian faith holds the key. Jesus’ demonstration of self-sacrifice is the very antithesis of the nature of addiction. A person is drawn into the world of drugs by their own desires, whether that be for personal pleasure or to escape a harsh reality, and then once entrapped by these counterfeit feelings they become prisoners to them.
Their entanglement in this web of deceit is in direct contrast to the selflessness of the cross as they become increasingly focused on their own existence. All of us in some way are enslaved by our desires, but the intensity of this entrapment is at its most extreme with those addicted to drugs.
That is why it is essential that, from an early age, we instil in our children, through prayer, discipline and example, sacrificial virtues such as self-denial, sharing and self-control. These need to become the cornerstones of a fortress that will one day protect them from the inevitable temptations of adolescence.
But, most importantly, we must nurture in them an understanding that the freedom provided by this fortress was born from an act of sacrificial love on a cross two thousand years ago.