the foundations of personality-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ld　themselves　up　as　an　example　to　the　drunken　had　all　the　flavor　of　Phariseeism。　To　some　the　taste　is　not　pleasing；　to　others　the　immediate　effects　are　so　terrifying　as　automatically　to　shut　off　excess。　Many　people　become　dizzy　or　nauseated　almost　at　once　and　even　lose　the　power　of　locomotion　or　speech。　In　many　countries　and　during　many　centuries　most　of　those　who　became　alcoholic　were　such　largely　through　the　social　setting　given　to　alcohol。　Because　of　the　psychological　effects　of　this　drug　in　removing　restraint；　inhibition　and　formality；　in　its　various　forms　it　became　the　symbol　of　good…fellowship；　and　because　it　has　an　apparent　stimulation　and　heat…producing　effect　there　grew　up　the　notion　that　it　aided　hard　labor　and　helped　resist　hardship。　As　the　symbol　of　good…fellowship　it　grew　into　a　tradition　of　the　most　binding　kind；　so　that　no　good　time；　no　coming　together　was　complete　without　it；　and　its　power　is　celebrated　in　picturesque　songs　and　picturesque　sayings　the　world　over。　Hospitality；　tolerance；　good　humor；　kindliness　and　the　pleasant　breaking　down　of　the　barriers　between　man　and　man；　and　also　between　man　and　woman；　all　these　lured　generation　after　generation　into　the　alcoholic　habit。　There　are　relatively　normal　types　of　the　heavy　drinker；the　socially　minded　and　the　hard　manual　worker。　But　there　is　a　large　group　of　those　who　find　in　alcohol　a　relief　from　the　burden　of　their　moods；　who　find　in　its　real　effect；　the　release　from　inhibitions；　a　reason　for　drinking　beyond　the　reach　of　reason。　Do　you　feel　that　the　endless　monotony　of　your　existence　can　no　longer　be　borne；drink　deep　and　you　color　your　life　to　suit　yourself。　Do　disappointment　and　despair　gnaw　at　your　love　of　life　so　that　nothing　seems　worth　while；some　bottled　〃essence　of　sunshine〃　will　give　new；　fresh　value　to　existence。　Are　you　a　victim　of　strange；　uncaused　fluctuations　of　mood　so　that　periodically　you　descend　to　a　bottomless　pit　of　melancholy；　well；　then；　why　suffer；　when　over　the　bar　a　man　will　furnish　you　a　release　from　agony？　And　so　men　of　certain　types　of　temperament；　or　with　unhappy　experiences；　form　the　alcoholic　habit　because　it　gives　them　surcease　from　pain；　it　deals　out　to　them；　temporarily；　a　new　world　with　happier　mood；　lessened　tension　and　greater　success。　Seeking　relief＇1＇　from　distressing　thoughts　or　moods　is　perhaps　one　of　the　main　causes　of　the　narcotic　habit。　The　feeling　of　inferiority；　one　of　the　most　painful　of　mental　conditions；　is　responsible　for　the　use　not　only　of　alcohol　but　also　of　other　drugs；　such　as　cocaine；　heroin；　morphine；　etc。　One　of　the　most　typical　cases　of　this　I　have　known　is　of　a　young　man　of　twenty…five；　a　tall　fellow　with　a　very　unattractive　face　who　had　this　feeling　of　inferiority　almost　to　the　point　of　agony；　especially　in　the　presence　of　young　women；　but　also　in　any　situation　where　he　would　be　noticed。　He　was　fast　becoming　a　hermit　when　he　discovered　that　a　few　drinks　completely　removed　this　feeling。　From　that　time　on　he　became　a　steady　drinker；　with　now　and　then　a　short　period　when　he　would　try　to　stop　drinking；　only　to　resume　when　he　found　himself　obsessed　again　by　the　dreaded　inferiority　complex。　＇1＇　This　is　the　main　theme　of　De　Quincey's　〃Confessions　of　an　Opium　Eater。〃

Similarly　a　shameful　position；　such　as　that　of　the　prostitute　or　the　chronic　criminal；　is　〃relieved〃　by　alcohol　and　drugs；　so　that　the　majority　of　these　types　of　unfortunates　are　either　drunkards　or　〃dopes。〃　Too　often　have　reformers　reversed　the　relationship；　believing　that　alcohol　caused　prostitution　and　crime。　Of　course　that　relationship　exists；　but　more　often；　in　my　experience；　the　alcohol　is　used　to　keep　up　the　〃ego〃　feeling；　without　which　few　can　bear　life。　Curiously　enough；　one　of　the　sex　perversions；　masturbation；　has　in　a　few　cases　a　similar　genesis。　I　have　known　patients　who；　when　under　the　influence　of　depression；　or　humiliated　in　some　way　or　other；　found　a　compensating　pleasure　in　the　act。　Here　we　come　to　a　cardinal　truth　in　the　understanding　of　ourselves　and　our　fellows　and　one　we　shall　pursue　in　detail　later；that　face　to　face　with　mental　pain；　men　seek　relief　or　pleasure　or　both　by　alcohol；　drugs；　sensual　pleasures　of　all　kinds；　and　that　the　secret　explanation　of　all　such　habits　is　that　they　offer　compensation　for　some　pain　and　are　turned　to　at　such　times。　What　one　man　seeks　in　work；　another　man　seeks　in　religion；　another　finds　in　self…flagellation；　and　still　others　seek　in　alcohol；　morphine；　sexual　excesses；　etc。　With　the　increasing　excitement　and　tension　of　our　times　there　is　a　constant　search　for　relief；　and　here　is　the　origin　of　much　of　the　smoking。　Most　men　find　in　the　deliberate　puff；　in　the　slow　inhalation　and　in　the　prolonged　exhalation　with　the　formation　of　the　white　cloud　of　smoke；　a　shifting　of　consciousness　from　the　major　businesses　of　their　mind；　from　a　constant　tension　to　a　minor　business　not　requiring　concentration　and　thereby　breaking　up　in　a　pleasurable；　rhythmic　fashion　the　sense　of　effort。　When　one　is　alone　the　fatigue　and　even　the　pain　of　one's　thinking　is　relieved　by　shifting　the　attention　to　the　smoking。　Keeping　one's　attention　at　a　high　and　constant　pitch　is　apt　to　produce　a　restless　fatigue　and　this　is　often　offset　to　the　smoker　by　his　habit。　Excessive　smoking　may　cause　〃nervousness〃　but　as　a　matter　of　fact　it　is　more　often　a　means　by　which　the　excessively　nervous　try　to　relieve　themselves。　Of　course　it　is　not　good　therapeutics　under　such　conditions；　but　I　believe　that　in　moderation　smoking　does　no　harm　and　is　an　innocent　pleasure。　Some　of　the　pathological　motor　habits；　such　as　the　tics；　often　have　a　curious　background。　The　most　common　tics　are　snuffing；　blinking；　shaking　of　the　head；　facial　contortions　of　one　kind　or　another。　These　arise　usually　under　exciting　conditions　or　in　the　excitable；　sometimes　in　the　acutely　self…conscious。　Frequently　they　represent　a　motor　outlet　for　this　excitement；　they　are　the　motor　analogues　of　crying；　shouting；　laughing；　etc。　（Indeed；　a　common　habit　is　the　one　so　frequently　heard；a　little　laugh　when　there　is　no　feeling　of　merriment　and　no　occasion　for　it。）　Motor　activity　discharges　tension　and　is　pleasurable　and　these　tics　furnish　a　momentary　pleasure；　they　relieve　a　feeling　that　some　of　the　victims　compare　to　an　itch　and　the　habit　thus　is　based　on　a　seeking　of　relief；　even　though　that　relief　is　obtained　in　a　way　that　distresses　the　more　settled　purposes　of　the　individual。　In　the　establishment　of　good　habits；　those　desirable　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　important　issues　of　life；　training　is　of　course　essential。　But　in　the　training　of　children；　certain　things　must　be　kept　in　mind：　the　usefulness；　the　practical　value　must　be　presented　to　the　child's　mind　in　a　way　he　can　understand；　or　else　various　ways　of　energizing　him　to　help　in　the　formation　of　the　habit　must　be　usedpraise　and　blame；　reward　and　punishment。　Further；　these　habits　are　not　to　be　held　holy；　cleanliness　and　method　are　desirable　acquisitions　but　not　so　desirable　as　a　feeling　of　freedom　to　play　and　experiment　with　life　and　things。　If　the　child　is　constantly　worried　lest　he　get　too　dirty；　or　fears　to　play　in　his　room　because　he　may　disorder　it；　he　is　forming　the　good　habits　of　cleanliness　and　method　but　also　the　worse　one　of　worry。　In　the　breaking　of　a　bad　habit；　its　root　in　desire　and　difficulty　must　be　discovered。　Often　enough　a　man　does　not　face　the　source　of　his　trouble；　preferring　not　to。　I　am　not　at　all　sure　that　it　is　best　in　all　cases　for　a　man　to　know　his　own　weakness；　in　fact；　I　feel　convinced　to　the　contrary　in　some　cases。　But　in　the　majority　of　difficulties；　self…revelation　is　salutary　and　makes　an　intelligent　coping　with　the　situation　possible。　Here　is　the　value　of　the　good　friend；　the　respected　pastor；　the　wise　doctor。　The　human　being　will　always　need　a　confessor　and　a　confidante；　and　he　who　is　struggling　with　a　habit　is　in　utmost　need　of　such　help。　Shall　the　struggler　with　a　bad　habit　break　it　with　its　thralldom？　Shall　he　say　to　his　chains；　〃From　this　time；　nevermore！〃　To　some　men　it　is　given　to　win　the　victory　this　way；　to　rise　to　the　heights　of　a　stubborn　resolution　and　to　be　free。　But　not　to　many　is　this　possible。　To　others　there　is　a　long　history　of　repeated　effort　and　repeated　failures　and　thenone　day　ther