Asynchronous Academy

Addiction

Suggested Duration: 1 Hour

"The question is not why the addiction, but why the pain."

Dr. Gabor Maté, Canadian Physician & Author

To understand addiction, we must look beyond the substance or behaviour and look at the "why." Dr. Gabor Maté, a world-renowned expert who spent years working in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side, challenges the traditional view of addiction. He suggests that addiction is not a choice or a moral failure, but rather a response to pain.

Watch and Reflect:

  • Listen to Dr. Maté’s explanation of the nature of addiction.
  • Note his perspective on how environment and past experiences shape our brain's reward systems.

Self-Reflection & Decision-Making

Dr. Maté defines addiction as: "Any behavior that a person finds temporary pleasure or relief in, but suffers negative consequences as a result of, and cannot give up."

Using that broad definition, consider your own habits. This is for your personal growth—no one else will see these answers.

Consider the following:

  • Is there anything you use to temporarily escape your life that you sometimes have a hard time controlling? (This could be social media, gaming, shopping, or specific substances).
  • Identify Patterns: What are the specific times or feelings (stress, boredom, loneliness) when you feel a "need" for this escape? Conversely, when do you feel most in control and least likely to need it?

Proactive Planning

The goal of understanding these patterns is to regain the power of choice. When we understand our "triggers," we can build alternatives.

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Reflection Tip: When developing your proactive plan, focus on small, actionable changes. If your trigger is stress from schoolwork leading to compulsive phone scrolling, your alternative could be taking a 5-minute walk outside or doing a breathing exercise before starting your work. Small habits are easier to maintain than big, sudden changes.

Task:

Write a personal action plan (150-250 words) to manage a habit or compulsive inclination you would like to adjust. Your plan should address:

  1. The Triggers & Situations: Identify specific situations, emotions, or environments that tend to trigger this habit or compulsion.
  2. The Alternatives: List at least two specific, healthy alternative behaviors you will perform instead when these triggers arise.
  3. The Support & Accountability: Identify who or what resources (trusted people, apps, strategies) can help you stay on track during difficult moments.

Deliverable:

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Compulsive Inclinations Management Plan

Submit your completed plan as a Markdown (.md) file using the course app submission portal.

Assessment

Pre-Submission

Before you submit, please complete the Pre-Submission Self-Assessment.

What to Turn In

  • 📤

    Action Plan (Markdown file)

💡 A Different Way to Learn

Async Academy courses are inquiry-based. There are no rote answer keys or multiple-choice worksheets here. You learn by exploring, questioning, and building projects you care about.

Because your discovery path is completely unique, you need a human sounding board. Enroll to submit your projects and get personalized video feedback from an Ontario Certified Teacher to guide your work.

Learning Goals

We are learning to:

  • 🎯

    Understand the underlying nature of addiction and its relationship to emotional pain and temporary escape

  • 🎯

    Identify personal patterns of behaviour and develop proactive strategies for healthy decision-making

Success Criteria

I can:

  • ✅

    Explain the effects and implications of addictive behaviors on my personal well-being and mental health

    Expectations Covered: C1
  • ✅

    Apply decision-making and problem-solving skills to create a plan for managing difficult situations

    Expectations Covered: C2
  • ✅

    Identify alternatives to compulsive behaviors that help me stay in control and maintain my well-being

    Expectations Covered: C3

Rubric

Category Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
Plan and Problem-Solving (Thinking / Inquiry)
How effectively does the student apply decision-making and problem-solving skills to manage compulsive behaviors?
 Develops a highly detailed, realistic plan to manage compulsive behaviors; shows deep understanding of personal triggers and mitigation strategies. Develops an effective plan to manage behaviors; identifies relevant triggers and coping strategies. Develops a basic plan with some strategies; identifies some triggers but lacks specificity or depth. Develops an incomplete or unrealistic plan; shows limited understanding of triggers or coping strategies.
Understanding Health Concepts (Knowledge / Understanding)
How clearly does the student explain the effects and implications of addictive behaviors on well-being and mental health?
 Demonstrates a comprehensive and insightful understanding of the physical, mental, and social effects of addictive behaviors. Demonstrates a clear understanding of the effects of addictive behaviors. Demonstrates some understanding of the effects of addictive behaviors. Demonstrates limited or incorrect understanding of the effects of addictive behaviors.
Plan and Problem-Solving (Thinking / Inquiry)
Criteria: How effectively does the student apply decision-making and problem-solving skills to manage compulsive behaviors?
Level 4

Develops a highly detailed, realistic plan to manage compulsive behaviors; shows deep understanding of personal triggers and mitigation strategies.

Level 3

Develops an effective plan to manage behaviors; identifies relevant triggers and coping strategies.

Level 2

Develops a basic plan with some strategies; identifies some triggers but lacks specificity or depth.

Level 1

Develops an incomplete or unrealistic plan; shows limited understanding of triggers or coping strategies.

Understanding Health Concepts (Knowledge / Understanding)
Criteria: How clearly does the student explain the effects and implications of addictive behaviors on well-being and mental health?
Level 4

Demonstrates a comprehensive and insightful understanding of the physical, mental, and social effects of addictive behaviors.

Level 3

Demonstrates a clear understanding of the effects of addictive behaviors.

Level 2

Demonstrates some understanding of the effects of addictive behaviors.

Level 1

Demonstrates limited or incorrect understanding of the effects of addictive behaviors.