Day 59, Finding Happiness in Rat Park: A Journey from Addiction to Connection
Today, I'd like to dive into one of my favorite YouTube short videos, the phenomenal "Rat Park" video created by the folks at Kurzgesagt. Now, if you haven't seen it already, stop reading, and watch the video in my media section. It's about six minutes long, and surely you have that short time to spare. It's a true account on a study—yes, you read that right—on addiction done by a professor in the 1970's. It contrasts poor, lonely rats succumbing to addiction versus their rat pals who live in a social paradise, aptly named "Rat Park."
In Rat Park, these fortunate rodents are socializing, playing rat-minton, running around, having as much sex as they want, and living their best rat lives. The conclusion might just blow your mind, and give you a new perspective on addiction and alcoholism. It's a must-watch, folks.
So why am I sharing this? Because today's been tough. It's not like I woke up and exclaimed, "You know what? Today I'm going to be f*cking depressed." But here we are. Lots of bad shit happening since I got back from my rehab stints in Indiana; don't have a car, bills are piling up, pending court date for my OWI, money's been tighter than a drum, living in a drafty home in the middle of winter, the list goes on, so I know what's causing it, and acknowledging it is half the battle, right?
But here’s where Rat Park comes in. These rats show us that with the right environment and connections, even the toughest challenges can be managed. So, while I'm navigating through my own Rat Park—or rather, trying to build one—it’s comforting to know that social bonds and supportive surroundings such as the connections we find with our fellow recovering drunks and addicts in AA and NA can make all the difference.
If you stayed tuned to the conclusion of the video give yourself a gold star. I hope you find at how a change in perspective can be a steppingstone toward feeling lighter, even on the darkest days.
Until next time, my fellow misfits, let's try to find our own little bits of happiness in the park of life. 🐭✨ Gabriel
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