the foundations of personality-第14章
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ld themselves up as an example to the drunken had all the flavor of Phariseeism。 To some the taste is not pleasing； to others the immediate effects are so terrifying as automatically to shut off excess。 Many people become dizzy or nauseated almost at once and even lose the power of locomotion or speech。 In many countries and during many centuries most of those who became alcoholic were such largely through the social setting given to alcohol。 Because of the psychological effects of this drug in removing restraint； inhibition and formality； in its various forms it became the symbol of good…fellowship； and because it has an apparent stimulation and heat…producing effect there grew up the notion that it aided hard labor and helped resist hardship。 As the symbol of good…fellowship it grew into a tradition of the most binding kind； so that no good time； no coming together was complete without it； and its power is celebrated in picturesque songs and picturesque sayings the world over。 Hospitality； tolerance； good humor； kindliness and the pleasant breaking down of the barriers between man and man； and also between man and woman； all these lured generation after generation into the alcoholic habit。 There are relatively normal types of the heavy drinker；the socially minded and the hard manual worker。 But there is a large group of those who find in alcohol a relief from the burden of their moods； who find in its real effect； the release from inhibitions； a reason for drinking beyond the reach of reason。 Do you feel that the endless monotony of your existence can no longer be borne；drink deep and you color your life to suit yourself。 Do disappointment and despair gnaw at your love of life so that nothing seems worth while；some bottled 〃essence of sunshine〃 will give new； fresh value to existence。 Are you a victim of strange； uncaused fluctuations of mood so that periodically you descend to a bottomless pit of melancholy； well； then； why suffer； when over the bar a man will furnish you a release from agony？ And so men of certain types of temperament； or with unhappy experiences； form the alcoholic habit because it gives them surcease from pain； it deals out to them； temporarily； a new world with happier mood； lessened tension and greater success。 Seeking relief＇1＇ from distressing thoughts or moods is perhaps one of the main causes of the narcotic habit。 The feeling of inferiority； one of the most painful of mental conditions； is responsible for the use not only of alcohol but also of other drugs； such as cocaine； heroin； morphine； etc。 One of the most typical cases of this I have known is of a young man of twenty…five； a tall fellow with a very unattractive face who had this feeling of inferiority almost to the point of agony； especially in the presence of young women； but also in any situation where he would be noticed。 He was fast becoming a hermit when he discovered that a few drinks completely removed this feeling。 From that time on he became a steady drinker； with now and then a short period when he would try to stop drinking； only to resume when he found himself obsessed again by the dreaded inferiority complex。 ＇1＇ This is the main theme of De Quincey's 〃Confessions of an Opium Eater。〃
Similarly a shameful position； such as that of the prostitute or the chronic criminal； is 〃relieved〃 by alcohol and drugs； so that the majority of these types of unfortunates are either drunkards or 〃dopes。〃 Too often have reformers reversed the relationship； believing that alcohol caused prostitution and crime。 Of course that relationship exists； but more often； in my experience； the alcohol is used to keep up the 〃ego〃 feeling； without which few can bear life。 Curiously enough； one of the sex perversions； masturbation； has in a few cases a similar genesis。 I have known patients who； when under the influence of depression； or humiliated in some way or other； found a compensating pleasure in the act。 Here we come to a cardinal truth in the understanding of ourselves and our fellows and one we shall pursue in detail later；that face to face with mental pain； men seek relief or pleasure or both by alcohol； drugs； sensual pleasures of all kinds； and that the secret explanation of all such habits is that they offer compensation for some pain and are turned to at such times。 What one man seeks in work； another man seeks in religion； another finds in self…flagellation； and still others seek in alcohol； morphine； sexual excesses； etc。 With the increasing excitement and tension of our times there is a constant search for relief； and here is the origin of much of the smoking。 Most men find in the deliberate puff； in the slow inhalation and in the prolonged exhalation with the formation of the white cloud of smoke； a shifting of consciousness from the major businesses of their mind； from a constant tension to a minor business not requiring concentration and thereby breaking up in a pleasurable； rhythmic fashion the sense of effort。 When one is alone the fatigue and even the pain of one's thinking is relieved by shifting the attention to the smoking。 Keeping one's attention at a high and constant pitch is apt to produce a restless fatigue and this is often offset to the smoker by his habit。 Excessive smoking may cause 〃nervousness〃 but as a matter of fact it is more often a means by which the excessively nervous try to relieve themselves。 Of course it is not good therapeutics under such conditions； but I believe that in moderation smoking does no harm and is an innocent pleasure。 Some of the pathological motor habits； such as the tics； often have a curious background。 The most common tics are snuffing； blinking； shaking of the head； facial contortions of one kind or another。 These arise usually under exciting conditions or in the excitable； sometimes in the acutely self…conscious。 Frequently they represent a motor outlet for this excitement； they are the motor analogues of crying； shouting； laughing； etc。 （Indeed； a common habit is the one so frequently heard；a little laugh when there is no feeling of merriment and no occasion for it。） Motor activity discharges tension and is pleasurable and these tics furnish a momentary pleasure； they relieve a feeling that some of the victims compare to an itch and the habit thus is based on a seeking of relief； even though that relief is obtained in a way that distresses the more settled purposes of the individual。 In the establishment of good habits； those desirable from the point of view of the important issues of life； training is of course essential。 But in the training of children； certain things must be kept in mind： the usefulness； the practical value must be presented to the child's mind in a way he can understand； or else various ways of energizing him to help in the formation of the habit must be usedpraise and blame； reward and punishment。 Further； these habits are not to be held holy； cleanliness and method are desirable acquisitions but not so desirable as a feeling of freedom to play and experiment with life and things。 If the child is constantly worried lest he get too dirty； or fears to play in his room because he may disorder it； he is forming the good habits of cleanliness and method but also the worse one of worry。 In the breaking of a bad habit； its root in desire and difficulty must be discovered。 Often enough a man does not face the source of his trouble； preferring not to。 I am not at all sure that it is best in all cases for a man to know his own weakness； in fact； I feel convinced to the contrary in some cases。 But in the majority of difficulties； self…revelation is salutary and makes an intelligent coping with the situation possible。 Here is the value of the good friend； the respected pastor； the wise doctor。 The human being will always need a confessor and a confidante； and he who is struggling with a habit is in utmost need of such help。 Shall the struggler with a bad habit break it with its thralldom？ Shall he say to his chains； 〃From this time； nevermore！〃 To some men it is given to win the victory this way； to rise to the heights of a stubborn resolution and to be free。 But not to many is this possible。 To others there is a long history of repeated effort and repeated failures and thenone day ther
