the End of Relationships…

Death by Substitution

When you add up all the ‘alternative’ solutions to life problems, do we end up with a number that describes the distance away from health?

All of us are utilizing some form of cope. Sometimes we use philosophy. “It is what it is” or “can’t change it, so why complain?” That last one seems to be ‘all discussions equal complaints.’ We have salt substitutes. We have sugar substitutes. Is sweet a problem, or just processed sugars, which is the alternative to natural? We have emotional support animals as a substitute for healthy human interaction. What is the most significant trauma of our times is not what we do to each other, but the sheer absence of meaningful human interaction?

Talk therapy is probably not a substitute for touch starvation, but in a world where any touch is suspicious, we all go sideways. Pets, though lovely and needed, are no substitute for human affection. We’ve known this for a long time. Remember the poor monkey that had to choose between a wire or cloth substitute for the absence of another living entity?

We know about attachment issues. We know about depression and anxiety. More often than not these issues are self induced through substitution, as opposed to doing what’s best…