This Animated Video Says "Everything We Think We Know About Addiction Is Wrong"

This animated video suggests "everything we think we know about addiction is wrong." What say you?

Some experts claim a difficult life is the cause of drug addiction, along with the pleasure the users receive from the ‘hook’ to the euphoria the drugs provide.

Most people agree with this theory, but what if it’s more specific than that? A video created by the team behind YouTube channel Kurzgesagt (In a Nutshell) suggests drug addiction is actually linked to a lack of human connection.

The theory is based on Johann Hari’s own, presented in his book Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs. He also discussed this in a TED Talk in June of 2015.

When presenting his theory, Hari refers to an experiment performed on a rat. This rat was in a cage with two water bottles; one with regular water and the other with heroin-laced water. The rat, due to being alone, drank the heroin-laced water until it died.

However, when multiple rats were placed in a cage with toys and equipment, they didn’t touch the tainted water. Hari’s theory suggests that when isolated, one becomes self-destructive. To further support this theory, the video presents a study that has found soldiers in war would take drugs in order to pass time and escape reality, but upon returning home, wouldn’t touch the drug again. It was concluded by these researchers that drug addiction stems from a lack of human communication.

It’s likely that the causes of addiction are much more complex than that. Does Hari's theory disregard the roles our genetic makeup and bodily chemistry play? Are the experts missing something? Could both theories be right… or wrong? Can people function and have normal lives while also being addicted to drugs?

Check out the video below and share your thoughts. Are we looking at the wrong end of addiction?

(This video has been removed by the user.)