Playing the Blame Game

In a country where permissiveness has become an art form, it is no wonder that this country and its people are turning to dependence and addiction for the answers. The people have each become doctors, self-medicating in various ways. They have thrown off honesty and healthy correction for tolerance and inoffensiveness. Professional athletes have to have drugs to enhance their performance and the people are no longer worried about the purity of the game. Drugs are an obvious hiding place, but when athletes can rely on society in order to champion them and humor their excuses, that is the worst case of dependency. Who is ultimately responsible for the performance enhancing drug epidemic? Society please step up, these addictions begin with you.

Is America addicted to addiction? Survey says, "Absolutely." Not only have addictions to the known drugs, some of which are marijuana, cocaine, etc., continued and increased over the years, now addictions have taken a turn for the insane. They now consist of mixing dangerous household chemicals, which people are using as inhalants, death-defying stunts that somehow add life to the nations bored and/or privileged, or video games that mimic the murder of the US's previous presidents. Are all of these activities truly addictions one asks? The Noah Webster Dictionary defines addiction as such; "Addiction is the condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something." And the answer is a resounding "Yes." These video games, stunts, television shows, etc., are all addictions. One must look around and see that the children of this nation are learning that not only are addictions enjoyable but that they are good for them. If the reader cannot believe this author, one just needs to ask Steve Johnson (2005) who says, "Want to make your kid smarter? Tell him to put down that book and pick up a joystick. Playing video games is actually more of an intellectual challenge than reading." (2005) Did Mr. Johnson actually tell parents to replace books with video games? Of course, he did and he is not the only one.

As one understands the depravity of our society, and addictions on a whole, one begins to see that this places the performance enhancing drug epidemic, not in its own spotlight, but in a shared spotlight, with all of society's addictions. It is just one more addiction in, what is turning out to be, a long list, that society has become involved in. The United States has become a feel good nation. People are given praise when they do not deserve it and when they deserve a spanking, they are excused. This is the crux of the addiction problem. Teachers praise and hand out good grades whether one deserves it or not, parents let children raise themselves so the children feel safe and free, and coaches push their children to get bigger and rougher instead of practiced and better. All of this results in a people who believe they deserve what they want when they want it, a people who think only with their emotions and not with their brains. Imagine a world full of people who get everything they want without any work. This author shudders in fear. How can everyone have what he or she wants? Doesn't that, in itself, upset the balance of the world?

What do drugs, and other addictions, give these bored, under-stimulated people? Drugs give them what they are looking for, definite results and no work. As Ingram (2004) says, "Teens trying to buff up might figure that adding steroids to their natural supply of testosterone will "super size" their muscles during bodybuilding workouts." Buff Enough. So steroids are used to help build up a person's body. Heroine gives them a break from their lives in the drug induced fog that it is known for. Video games enhance a person's adrenaline. This creates a type of euphoria very similar to the "high" caused by drugs, and so on. These children do what feels good and what could feel better then being on top of the world with no limitations? Some defend the sports enhancement drugs as an adult's privilege and choice. They say if a man can take a Viagra in bed why shouldn't he take steroids at work? If one cannot answer that question then the US quite likely will never get better as a people or a nation. The free people of this United States have become dependent on substances, activities, and people for their own performance enhancement. As such, they have to come up with excuses to continue to have these addictions. Sadly, the fabricating of these excuses are not the worst of the drug problem. The worst of it is that those around them accept the excuses, thereby creating a detrimental codependent relationship between the addict and society.

According to Robert Todd Carol, "Codependency is a term used to describe a kind of addiction, a relationship addiction. A person is said to be suffering from codependency when they exhibit caring for a loved one who is suffering from a real addiction...." 1(1). This nation is currently in the throws of becoming a codependent society. A sports professional does drugs, the nation asks why one cares. The sports professional beats on his wife and sports fans say, "That doesn't affect his game." How deluded is this nation? Is it important to know what that means to the children who idolize these sports icons, or the victims of the spousal abuse, or how about the sports professional him or herself? What the people are saying is "We love you when you play good, even if you are taking drugs and hurting yourself and/or hurting others to do it." Should they not be saying "We love you and you are a great player but we think you need some help? You are benched until you get this habit kicked and we will be behind you 100%." Maybe this solution is hard, but simply put, it told the player he had a problem, explained he needed to fix it, and gave him motivation to get help and kick his habit, for the last time. One asks, "What if he ends up losing a season." The better question is "What if he ends up losing his life or taking someone else's?" Dr. Goerges Titchy tells us the signs of becoming a codependent; "You become codependent when: - You accept what is unacceptable - You tolerate what is intolerable - you negotiate what is non-negotiable." 6(2) According to this definition, it definitely applies to the relationship between the professional athlete user and society. This country cannot accept the excuses they hear for these addictions. These athletes are important to the games and the peoples' outlook on sports, as a whole, and the people show it by allowing the professionals to harm themselves for the money, prestige, and power. This is a horrible example of how this society has formed such a dysfunctional relationship with those they emulate and admire. This has to stop. The compromising has to stop, along with the nonchalant way people look at addictions. These professionals need the help of the people to give them motivation to stop their addiction. Some call it tough love; this author just calls it love. Some are unaware of the dangers codependency presents, but the main danger is in allowing an action, even an action one knows is terribly detrimental to a person's health, to go on unchecked and undisciplined. This does not just encourage the terrible action; it validates it.

Society's validation of the performance drug epidemic has hit an all time high. As retired professional baseball player, Chad Curtis said, "Fans will likely turn a blind eye to the problem, too. If you polled the fans, I think they would tell you, 'I don't care about illegal steroids. I'd rather see the guy hit the ball a mile or throw it 105 miles an hour.'" 1(1.) As a professional athlete, Chad Curtis, as are many other athletes, is very reliant on the sports fan's approval or lack of concern regarding the drug problem. Mr. Curtis's statement explains society's contribution to the continued enhancement drug epidemic very simply. He and most other sports professionals believe that the public "has their back," so to speak. This, to them, is all that matters. The fans are what protect their jobs, their performance incites the public backing, and as society has the attitude that the sports professional should play for the fans enjoyment regardless of how the professional has to do it, the professional user is home free. The statement Curtis made also shows the self-esteem of him and other players. They know what the public is saying. They realize that the public is only behind them if they perform well. So in order to please the public and keep their jobs (money), they find ways to enhance their performance. Drugs are an easy out. Fans, sports professionals, coaches, etc., may well deny such an accusation but what takes place on the field is all that matters to the fans. This very realization leaves these professionals struggling to find a way to do better; so long, as the public approves.

The saying "What goes around comes around," seems an adequate phrase now. How do the professional athletes using performance drugs affect the children's aspirations? How does the peoples lack of reality, affect their own children's performance and does it include drug use? These are scary questions. The sports professional that one watches on television is on drugs but what about the lanky junior high student who the coach says is not aggressive enough or isn't big enough? Are drugs all right for him? No, of course, drugs are not right for a young child. The problem then becomes a double standard. It is good enough for the athletes that entertain, but not the child one loves. If someone's child is on drugs, do the parents just accept excuses and allow it to continue? No. They realize that the child needs help and whether the child thinks so or not is not an issue. A parent seeks help for the child he knows is on drugs because he has a "vested interest" in the child. Parents do allow the codependent relationship to exist in other areas. Such as, they do not think it should be mandatory for a child to have good grades to play football. They feel that the studies are taking too long and the teachers are too hard. This is actually the same tool that the Sports professionals use the public for, to validate their addictions and behavior. Coach Ken Carter found all this out the hard way when he explained to the board of education his reasons for keeping his basketball team off the court and in the classroom. Mr. Carter found out that some of the boys on his team were not making the grade, so to speak. He had the basketball players sign a contract when he took over the coaching job, which committed the boys to a certain grade point average. When he found out that some of the boys had not remained committed to the contract, he locked the gym doors with a chain and they all met at the library. The boys that had good grades helped the boys that did not. The basketball players were torn. They did not agree at first, but as they started bringing up their grades and seeing Mr. Carter's motivation for this act, they began to respect, not only him, but also themselves. The parents,

however; felt it was wrong and brought him up before the school board. In response to their accusations Mr. Carter (2005) eloquently stated, "You really need to consider the message you're sending these boys by ending this lockout. It's the same message that we, as a culture, send to our professional athletes; and that is that they are above the law. If these boys cannot honor the simple rules of a basketball contract, how long do you think it will be before they're out there breaking the law?" IMDB (2005). This author could not have said it better.

Therefore, the answer to the sports enhanced drug epidemic is not in the realm of sports. It is in the realm of society. Society has to have some limitations and demand that people uphold them. Society should not encourage professionals of any kind to depend upon a substance or unhealthy relationship to get ahead. As a whole, society should be encouraging their sports professionals, and their own children, to face whatever their weaknesses and become stronger for them. As Mr. Carter asked his players constantly, "What are you afraid of?" After the year Timo Cruz (2005) was able to answer Mr. Carter "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." IMDB (2005)This is a fabulously insightful answer, from a teenaged boy, who realized his value and worth after 17 years, and it is all due to a man who took time out to tell this boy the truth and demand greatness from him. This is what this country needs: the truth in love. References

Carol, Robert Todd (2005). Codependency. Retrieved: March 27 2006, from the Skeptics Dictionary, Web Site: http://www.skepdic.com/codepend.html.

Robbins, Brian, Tollin, Mike, Gale, David (Producers), & Schwahn, Mark, Gatins, John

and Carter, Thomas (Writers and Director). (2005). Coach Carter[Motion picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures

Robbins, Brian, Tollin, Mike, Gale, David (Producers), & Schwahn, Mark, Gatins, John

and Carter, Thomas (Writers and Director). (2005). Coach Carter[Motion picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures

Curtis, Chad (2002). Half of Pro Baseball Players Using Steroids, Former MVP says.

Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 12, 2006, from

http://www.globalethics.org/newsline/member/issue.tmpl?articleid=060302141548

Ingram, Scott (2004). Buff Enough. Current Science, 90(2), page 4. Retrieved:

March 30, 2006

Johnson, Steve (2005) Everything Bad is Good.

Titchy, Goerges M.D. (Unknown) Are you Codependent? The Dangers of Codependency Clinical

Psychology. Retrieved: April 12, 2006, from www.members.aol.co/drtichy/codependency.html

Webster, Noah (1993) American Dictionary of the English Language. San Fransisco,

CA: Foundation for American Christian Education.