Tweak: The Cycle Of Addiction

Addiction is very compelling, and those that suffer from it behave in ways that once sober, can cause enormous feelings of shame and regret. In the moment, when an addict is using, concerns over consequences of the future fade away in the euphoria of being high. As demonstrated by Nic Sheff in his 2007 memoir Tweak, the cycle of addiction is vicious, and there are many factors, biological, environmental, and social, that play a significant role in how an individual experiences addiction. The following quotes from Tweak explore some of those factors in Sheff’s life, as he describes it.

This quotation from Tweak demonstrates the biological impacts of addiction because I feel it exemplifies how when an addict is using, especially an intoxicating combination of meth and heroin, nothing

I chose this quote to exemplify the negative impact of addiction on relationships because even though there is tremendous love between Nic and his dad, when Nic calls for help, his dad refuses to help him. Although Nic’s dad wants what's best for his son, Nic’s actions hurt his father to the point where he would not help him become sober anymore. The cycle of addiction, while deeply painful, is also quite predictable, starting with binging and intoxication, relapsing, in Nic’s case, leading eventually to withdrawal, and after a decision to be sober, the negative symptoms accompanying it. Finally there is craving and anticipation, the step preceding relapse after a period of being sober, or the step that an addict must continually resist to stay sober (Administration (US) & General (US), 2016.) In Tweak, Nic experiences the cycle in its entirety several times, often hurting himself and those close to him in the process, but it is when he is connected to the world, not isolated and trying to run away from his insecurities and fears (Nic Sheff, 2007, pg. 302), that he stays sober the