There but for the Grace

Jesus Christ, recovering addicts are depressing. And talky.

The essence of rehabilitation is to replace one obsession with another. Hence, "born-again" 'tards where perfectly good criminals used to be; maniacal coffee drinkers at AA meetings; workaholic ex-smokers; Promise Keepers in the place of delinquents.

But, fuck all. Of the masses of pathetically addicted people out there--junkies, drunks, and all the rest--would you prefer them before or after the intervention? Post-cure, they turn serious. There are no longer any permitted jokes; no theoretics either. Everything is lived experience from then on, with a special emphasis on their needs and well-being, and since you ain't the recovered smack addict and therefore you don't have the experience, that makes them the expert on everything.

Really, it's insufferable. Try it sometime if you think I'm just saying it. Talking to them is a chore--no, actually it's more like torture. And they will attempt to turn the conversation into a rebuke of your bad habits, or else they will go on and on (and on) about the new hobby/psychosis that keeps their mind off the sweet, sweet poison they used to need to live.

So there you have the choice: likeable but dying OR repellant but alive.