Expanding addiction rules

[PalladiumBrony]

Hi

So, I noticed that in all the books that cover it, there's the chance that your character may become addicted to some substance of choice (alcohol, cocaine, meth, etc) as a result of particularly horrific trauma, or just be already an addict when they start. This is cool, but I've got some ideas I wanted to run by you all:

Getting the shakes/"I need a fix!"

I notice that there's guidelines for the penalties to impose when a character is trying to get clean, but I haven't seen anything for when they just haven't had a fix/drink in a couple of days. Maybe something similar to the earliest penalties for trying to get clean would work? Also, on the subject of "getting clean", what about if the character is using prescribed drugs to help them get clean (using methodone to kick a Heroin habit for example) as opposed to just going cold-turkey off the stuff; I feel like that should give some relief from the penalties of trying to quit (though whether partial or complete, I don't know).

Getting hooked through casual use.

I feel like it should be possible to get addicted to drugs/alcohol through casual/incidental use, not just as a consequence of a horrific trauma. I was thinking like; If a drug is deemed addictive by the GM, then every time the character takes a drink/shoots up/smokes a pipe, they have to roll a save (vs insanity, maybe?) to avoid becoming addicted. At first, they'd just make a straight save (with any modifiers that would normally apply), but after X number of uses/months of heavy use, they start accruing penalties to the save, thus making it more likely each time that they'll become addicted (this mirrors real life, where drugs do actually become "more addictive" each time you use them, until you finally get a bad roll of the cosmic dice and end up hooked). But I'm not sure what seems like a reasonable penalty and penalty period (every shot, every month etc) for some of the more well-known drugs, any advice would be appreciated; I know it often takes some fairly concerted effort - getting absolutely blasted every night of the week for weeks or months on end - to become a chemically dependent alcoholic (most people can drink socially one or two nights a week without fear of addiction), but some of the really hard drugs like crack cocaine you can end up addicted after the first or second time you use it - nasty stuff! Also some ideas about fictional drugs from across the Megaverse would be cool if anyone knows where to look.

Note: For the purposes of the game, as per the original rules, I'm making no distinction between chemical dependence and psychological dependence - that is, "I really like the buzz I get off this stuff" vs "my body physically needs this substance at the cellular level in order to function properly". I'm simply treating "addiction" as a catch-all term to mean "feels lousy if he doesn't get a regular intake of [substance], and will go to unreasonable and/or illegal lengths to get it as often as possible".

[malaclypse]

I don't really pay attention to the addiction rules, since they are based on outdated concepts of addiction in the first place, IMO. I don't think they model 'real life' very well at all.

[PalladiumBrony]

I don't really pay attention to the addiction rules, since they are based on outdated concepts of addiction in the first place, IMO. I don't think they model 'real life' very well at all.

I sort of agree and disagree at the same time: I like how they allow you to become an addict, and the consequences of trying to quit the thing you're addicted to (be it meth, cocaine, alcohol or some fantastical or futuristic drug), but I'm not a fan of how the ONLY way to get addicted is suffering some horrific mental or emotional trauma, or that the only way you ever suffer penalties is if you're trying to kick the drug (Not if you're just jonesing for a hit). Apart from those two things (which I already offered suggestions for fixing), what else is it that you're not a fan of?

[malaclypse]

I don't really pay attention to the addiction rules, since they are based on outdated concepts of addiction in the first place, IMO. I don't think they model 'real life' very well at all.

I sort of agree and disagree at the same time: I like how they allow you to become an addict, and the consequences of trying to quit the thing you're addicted to (be it meth, cocaine, alcohol or some fantastical or futuristic drug), but I'm not a fan of how the ONLY way to get addicted is suffering some horrific mental or emotional trauma, or that the only way you ever suffer penalties is if you're trying to kick the drug (Not if you're just jonesing for a hit). Apart from those two things (which I already offered suggestions for fixing), what else is it that you're not a fan of?

The entire concept of a chemical/physical hook is flawed and based on way outdated, and flawed, research. Addiction is the result of escapism and bonding with the drug(s).

[Captain_Nibbz]

I don't really pay attention to the addiction rules, since they are based on outdated concepts of addiction in the first place, IMO. I don't think they model 'real life' very well at all.

I sort of agree and disagree at the same time: I like how they allow you to become an addict, and the consequences of trying to quit the thing you're addicted to (be it meth, cocaine, alcohol or some fantastical or futuristic drug), but I'm not a fan of how the ONLY way to get addicted is suffering some horrific mental or emotional trauma, or that the only way you ever suffer penalties is if you're trying to kick the drug (Not if you're just jonesing for a hit). Apart from those two things (which I already offered suggestions for fixing), what else is it that you're not a fan of?

The entire concept of a chemical/physical hook is flawed and based on way outdated, and flawed, research. Addiction is the result of escapism and bonding with the drug(s).

Can you back that up with any scientific articles? I'm not calling you a liar or anything, but last time I knew most drugs did cause a chemical addiction in the body based on the fact that it replaced certain chemicals in your brain that eventually your body stops (or slows down) on production, with the addictive substance forming a substitute for said chemicals.

Or are you simply referring to the act of wanting to use the drug in the first place?

Either way, curiosity has the best of me here

[malaclypse]

I don't really pay attention to the addiction rules, since they are based on outdated concepts of addiction in the first place, IMO. I don't think they model 'real life' very well at all.

I sort of agree and disagree at the same time: I like how they allow you to become an addict, and the consequences of trying to quit the thing you're addicted to (be it meth, cocaine, alcohol or some fantastical or futuristic drug), but I'm not a fan of how the ONLY way to get addicted is suffering some horrific mental or emotional trauma, or that the only way you ever suffer penalties is if you're trying to kick the drug (Not if you're just jonesing for a hit). Apart from those two things (which I already offered suggestions for fixing), what else is it that you're not a fan of?

The entire concept of a chemical/physical hook is flawed and based on way outdated, and flawed, research. Addiction is the result of escapism and bonding with the drug(s).

Can you back that up with any scientific articles? I'm not calling you a liar or anything, but last time I knew most drugs did cause a chemical addiction in the body based on the fact that it replaced certain chemicals in your brain that eventually your body stops (or slows down) on production, with the addictive substance forming a substitute for said chemicals.

Or are you simply referring to the act of wanting to use the drug in the first place?

Either way, curiosity has the best of me here

This is a good starting point (and has some sources of research) : https://www.ted.com/talks/johann_hari_e ... anguage=en