Comment · Tue, November 27, 2012
Is there any association between intelligence and drug use/abuse and addiction?
Original post in this thread
[deleted] · 14 points
I have seen some studies stating that children with high IQs are more likely to experiment with illicit drugs and I have noticed a great deal of very intelligent people who are chronic drug users and addicts. Maybe it has some evolutionary advantage or maybe smart people don't believe all the bullshit they are fed about drugs being 'bad'.
Also, as I can see from this subreddit, many people that have a genuine interest in drugs and their effects are often very smart and also drug users themselves. Not to pat myself on the back but I am a fairly intelligent person who has always been fascinated by drugs. I am about to go to medical school but was almost derailed completely by my drug use. I have seen many people smarter than I become totally crippled by drug use. Let me know if you have any insight or studies about this.
What they were answering
Direct reply to the original post — see the thread post above.
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb
Regarding trying drugs, that result makes total sense, if you really think about it. Intelligence breeds curiosity. That curiosity is what leads to branching out of your comfort zone. However, curiosity and self control do not necessarily go hand in hand. They are not mutually exclusive either.
In my opinion, there are two paths that lead to addiction.
* Arrogance gets the better of the person, which leads them to believe they are above the possibility of losing control.
* Life gets the better of the person, and they want to escape from the burden of reality.
One is an unintentional route, while the other is purposely set in motion.
I feel as though our current measure and definition of intelligence is flawed. It does not take into account introspection, confidence, emotional awareness, or control. All of which completely dictate the path we choose in life. It all leads back to the quintessential question. What defines who we are? Does intelligence define us? Does self control define us? Does emotional maturity define us? And what factors lead us to that end?
Anyone can become addicted. To think otherwise is to already prove one's lack of intelligence. Given the right set of circumstances, every single person on this planet has the physical ability to become addicted. Nobody is above it. The only thing that stops that transition is choice. Your choices are what set you above it. Will "intelligent" people make the correct choice more often? I do not believe there is a correlation. It's not about intelligence in the traditional sense. It's about introspection, awareness, confidence, and self control. You have to be able to evaluate who you want to be as a person, and how your brain functions. You have to be aware of your actions, and the potential problems they could lead to. You have to have confidence that you can pull yourself through whatever life throws at you. And you have to have the self control to make sure you follow through. From our current perspective, that is not intelligence, it's wisdom.
So I kind of went off on a philosophical tangent there, but it's crucial to my point. Intelligence breeds curiosity, which can lead to drug use. It's wisdom, or the lack thereof, that determines if it turns to abuse.