Hypocrisy: The Ultimate Cry for Help? The Limbaugh story s/b covered by psychs, not reporters

Fox News ^ | October 17, 2003 | Eric Burns

[wallcrawlr]

This is not an insult. To the contrary; it is an acknowledgement of what seems to me the story

[Mind-numbed Robot]

Excellent article. Thanks.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Psychopharmacology ping.

[Conservababe]

Nice try...but no cigar.

[alnick]

First he says, "But all of the quotes, except for one about Ted Kennedy’s thirst for scotch, are from 1993---and no one has yet suggested that Limbaugh’s dependency goes that far back.

Then he says, "In Limbaugh’s case, by practicing hypocrisy himself, which is to say, by blasting drug addicts either on or off the air while simultaneously swallowing a virtual drug store every few days, he might have been blasting himself. He might have been punishing himself. He might have been trying to save himself."

How could he be trying to out himself before the addiction even happened?

[merry10]

We dont really know when the addiction happened (although he is the purveyor of truth). He could have been addicted before 1993.

[ladyinred]

He said it was about 5 years ago.

[wallcrawlr]

I think the unsuccessful surgery happened in 97 so I would guess thats when it started

[Hildy]

Truly ridiculous.

[blastdad51]

If we wait another 22 days or so Rush will be back and he might have something to say about all of this.

[xzins]

Limbaugh's most recent thoughts on the subject were very libertarian.

He was advocating legalization with heavy taxation.

[foolscap]

Having been down the addiction road myself I think I can understand what was going through Rush's mind. When one realizes they are under the control of a drug the first course of action is usually to try and conquer the problem alone. One feels embarrassed,ashamed and extremely remorseful. Usually what follows is a series of firm resolves to quit only to fall back. With each failed attempt the addict is driven further and further into the problem they are seeking to free themselves from. I think Rush has a mind set much like mine. He believes in self reliance and has a strong force of will. This may well be the first thing he had encountered something that he could not over come on his own. For me at least it was like this "thing" that was not the true me had taken control of ever aspect of my life. As the process continues one reaches a level of self loathing that can not be described. The whole time this is going on the addict is trying to hid this terrible secret from every one they know. That is where the lies and the hiding comes into play. The greatest fear is that the terrible secret will be revealed. If others find out what a loathsome human being I am then what will happen? Rush's situation was much worse considering the things he stands for and the 20 million listeners who hold him in high esteem. Add to that the fear that if he was ever outed he would run the risk of destroying the accomplishments he had made of bring droves of people to the conservative movement. His entire life time work could be ruined. The pressure must have been enormous!

I am sure that never in a million years did he believe that he would fall prey to an unbreakable addiction. But once he was in he was in. It was what appeared to be a living hell with no means of escape. "Just say no to drug" sounds good on paper but is not the reality for an active addict. Some people are fortunate and can stop on their own, They are the exception not the rule. If it was that simple he would have done it.The man's not stupid for heavens sake! There is no "just say no" after a certain point. It controls you not vise versa. The fact that he managed to hid it for so long says something about his strength of will.

He sought detox two times prior to this episode and no doubt believed that he had somehow gotten the upper hand in the battle. Imagine his dismay to discover that the problem had not gone away but was only in hiding waiting to assert control again. I believe Rush like many conservatives believed that addiction is a moral issue rather than a health issue. When finally the problem came to a head and the secret could no longer be kept in a bitter sweet way I think he may have found it a relief. At last a freedom from the lies and the hiding. Now he was free to deal with the problem in the light of day. I am not making excuses for him but I surly have walked a mile in his shoes. Someone who has never been trapped in this living hell will never understand nor appreciate the anguish involved.

[CyberAnt]

Obviously you didn't see the psych who Cavuto had on his show to discuss Rush. The person was so biased, Cavuto called her on it, "you don't like Rush very much do you". After he said that a couple of times, she finally acknowledged she did not like Rush.

Psych's comments are okay, as long as they treat him like any other person .. and not a conservative they don't like.

[mcgiver38]

Very well said foolscap, this is one of those things that the only thing that qualifies you to speak about it is if you have been through it yourself, anyone else is just blowing smoke, which is what we see in the press.
Mcgiver...

[Zeroisanumber]

So Rush is a hypocrite, but hypocrisy is understandable, possibly even laudable?

Christ, the gymnastics that went into this one.

[Rytwyng]

Hypocrisy might have been Rush Limbaugh’s cry for a virtue that, for reasons so far known only to him, he could not attain.

Virtue? Utterly ridiculous. This isn't a question of virtue, it's simply a medical accident. He didn't do this to himself deliberately.

Wake up and smell the decaf, folks -- there is a substantial moral difference between
(a) losers who deliberately go out and become drug addicts for recreational purposes, and
(b) decent citizens who ACCIDENTALLY get hooked as a result of what was initally a MEDICALLY LEGITIMATE drug usage.

Rush is obviously in the second category and all the liberals (and conservatives) currently baying for his blood are completely wrong in equating him with a stoner.

Alas, if he broke the law to access the drugs, he still has to pay the price. But maybe this will wake up some folks to the fact that the War on Drugs, however well intentioned, has been a mistake all along. As much as I despise the drug culture, I see no way of getting rid of it short of mass executions -- which America will never do -- and so it's clear to me that the best mode of damage control is the "legalize/regulate/tax" position... or just about anything else other than what we're currently doing.

[driftless]

Bret Favre admitted to prescription drug addiction and all Packer fans understood that it was only because of the operations Bret had undertaken. No one in Wisconsin considered him a criminal because his drug habit got way from him. Why Limbaugh had to go to the black market to get more is not yet understood. But I guarantee you if I was in severe pain, I'd buy drugs from Satan if he was selling them. The only person Rush hurt was himself. His maid was already a criminal and was probably eager to procure them for Rush. The attacks from the left are to be expected. It will all pass over. Rush will be back.

[k2blader]

[Rush] was advocating legalization with heavy taxation.

Would you have any sources on this?

[Ready4Freddy]

"Wake up and smell the decaf, folks -- there is a substantial moral difference between
(a) losers who deliberately go out and become drug addicts for recreational purposes, and
(b) decent citizens who ACCIDENTALLY get hooked as a result of what was initally a MEDICALLY LEGITIMATE drug usage. "

Truly a distinction w/o a difference for someone who wishes to get clean & stay clean.