I was reading trainspotting by Irvine Welsh. And one of the characters expresses his biggest fear about becoming clean: the boredom.
Do we turn to our drugs of choice to combat boredom? This may be true of teenagers. And I've read so much literature that paints such a pessimistic picture of human nature. That addicts never recover , they just get addicted to other things. Children of some addicts just become workaholics. Which is not as bad but a mal adaption and not healthy. Ex addicts or drinkers just become addicted to other highs or obsessions like endorphins from exercise. We always need one obsession to replace another.
If you work hard for money you have no time to spend or enjoy it. Before your earning when your young you don't appreciate your time and wish you had money all the time to fill the gaps, to buy things or drugs to pass the time. So We are never happy. I guess it all comes down to finding a balance. A little boredom is ok. It's better than being stressed out and miserable doing a job you hate or that wears you thin just to please others. Earning a living to survive but not really living. Or being addicted to drugs. Kill yourself working or distract (destroy) yourself with drugs. For some working class kids this seems like the only two paths we have.