Why don't people understand me?

So, I was at work today talking to some of the people here about why addiction is so abundant and easily traversed. As my counselor explained it the way that addiction works is like a freeway that has tons of on ramps and almost no off ramps. Along with all these on ramps the freeway itself feels like it is constantly moving faster and faster and you feel that if you don't keep up with it you will lose yourself. You feel yourself constantly pushing the limits further and further, looking for the "greater high". Adrenaline junkies know the feeling all to well. So why is this so hard to understand from the outside perspective. Well for the simple fact that people are different. What arouses one person is meaningless to another. That is why there are so many different types of drugs out there. Marijuana is just fine for some people, while speed and cocaine is needed for other people. That is why there are so many pornographic websites. What does it for someone will have no effect for the other person. Often the initial thrill is enough to get someone hooked, but not enough to keep them satisfied. They then will go out and begin to push the boundaries and redefine what gives them that same thrill. Pretty soon it is no longer about the thrill any more, but has become a necessity for them. They cannot function without it. So, what can we do to provide these people with off ramps from their freeway. First thing is first there needs to be an intervention as early as possible. Often times people are drawn to addiction because it is taboo. When confronting someone do not tell them to stop simply because it is wrong. In their mind they are thinking "if it so wrong then why does it feel so good?" You have to identify why they enjoy the addiction. For me dealing with pornography the rush of possibly being caught started me on my addiction, then it moved into I enjoyed looking at women, and then enjoyed the movies. Had someone explained to me what it would eventually lead to when I first started I possibly would have weighed the consequences and decided I can get my thrill another way. But by people simply telling me it was wrong it fueled my thrill even more. Explain in depth why something is bad, and possibly offer and alternative. Once someone is stuck on the freeway it is harder to get them off. It usually takes a drastic change in order to help them. Relapse doesn't help the fact either, often times because a person isn't entirely off the freeway when they do relapse. You need to look at these people with understanding. I have a brother-in-law who was recently charged with drug possession. He had been doing so good for so long, but was caught by a moment of weakness. The worst thing we could have done to him at that point was to criticize, but we didn't. He freely chose to go to rehab and is doing a lot better now. When we allow addicts to choose their own fate and stand by them with understanding, love and guilt steer them to a good choice. It may not be a huge significant choice but they choose the right path and start working towards it. If you are someone who is dealing with addiction and you feel alone it isn't cause people hate you or don't want to be with you. They don't understand exactly what you are going through. It's hard for them to see from the sidelines that you are making bad decisions and are unwilling to change them. From your perspective it feels like you have no other option. My advise: Be patient with each other and the rest will follow.