Monthly Archives: April 2023

ΔFosB: The genetic addiction risk factor

Dependency, Science, Thursday posts, ,

I only this week became aware of this.

Wikipedia:  FOSB

The article is extremely technical, but makes clear in no uncertain terms that Delta FosB is the genetic risk factor for addiction.  All addicts have it, regardless whether the addiction is chemical or behavioral.

It also helps me understand how, without having been born with the specific genes for alcoholism, they came to be present for me in middle age; how, after decades of consuming alcohol no differently than any normal person, I abruptly became a “drunk” at about age 32.

Related: Alcoholism basics

Originally posted 2016-02-23.

Missing children

Media, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As I said in perhaps my first-ever post about missing children, “These events seem most often to occur when adults have rendered total chaos in the home.”

I may not be able to provide the conclusions to some of these stories here.  There have been several reports in October ’22 of the finding of remains of adults who disappeared decades before; and the same may prove true as to some of these children.

It’s a puzzle that these are all girls, not boys.

Bookmarks:

Continue reading Missing children →

The pain pills saga

Bible, Homelessness, Justice, Poverty, The Way of Peace, Thursday posts, , , , , , , ,

The dentist prescribed ibuprofen 800s and, for me to take at night if the toothache became severe, Hydrocodon-Acetaminoph 7.5-325.  This is a narcotic.  “Pain pills.”

I have a large zipper bag with four compartments.  There is a main compartment, which I can lock; a front compartment; a left side compartment; and a right side compartment.

Every afternoon when I sit on my bunk, I empty my pockets and put my phone, debit card, and cash in the main compartment.  I take my afternoon meds, which are already in there, and lock it all back up.

Related:  Giving it all away

Continue reading The pain pills saga →

It pays to be grateful.

Get on your feet, Homelessness, Poverty, Thursday posts, , , , ,

I meant to discuss how privileged you are if you can choose your food.

An event Thursday night changed that. Sometimes you’re privileged even when you can’t.

That same guy happened to be right behind me in the dinner line. As we approached the serving window, he got all put out because they’d run out of the chicken and French fries. What we had to accept instead:

Four thick slices of hot, tender, juicy, turkey breast with gravy, and this fantastic stuffing.

And mixed vegetables.

Related: I stay at the best shelter on the East Coast
Related: Learning curve
Continue reading It pays to be grateful. →