The Hidden Costs of Addiction: How the System Profits from Your Pain

(Part 3 of “The Economics of Your Alcoholism”)

“The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.” —Psalm 37:21

In Part 1, we exposed how alcohol prices have outpaced wages. In Part 2, we revealed the billionaires getting rich off your cravings. Today? We’re pulling back the curtain on the system designed to keep you paying—financially, physically, and spiritually—long after your last drink.

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1. Legal Extortion: DUIs and “Recovery” Fees

The $10,000 Drunk Tax

• DUI Costs:
  • Attorney fees: $2,000-$10,000
  • Court fines: $1,500-$5,000
  • “High-risk” car insurance: $3,000+/year (for 3-5 years)
  • Mandatory classes: $500-$1,200 (often taught by… who profits? Rehabs.)

“They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.” —Amos 2:6

The Trap

These “punishments” don’t cure addiction—they fund a legal-industrial complex that needs repeat offenders.

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2. Lost Wages: The Hangover Tax

Your Body’s Invoice

• 10 “sick days”/year @ $200/day = $2,000 lost
• Passed-over promotions (drunk you isn’t leadership material)
• Job loss (50% of chronic alcoholics face unemployment)

“Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” —Proverbs 10:4

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3. Medical Shakedowns: Treating Symptoms, Not Addiction

Big Pharma’s Cut

• Blood pressure meds: $600/year
• Migraine prescriptions: $1,200/year
• Diabetes/insulin costs: $5,000+/year

All while doctors rarely ask about your drinking. Why?

“My people perish for lack of knowledge.” —Hosea 4:6

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4. The Ultimate Hidden Cost: Your Soul

• Broken marriages (50% of divorces cite alcoholism)
• Estranged children (trauma passed to kids)
• Stolen purpose (you were made for more than barstools)

“Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.” —Ephesians 5:18

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Your Escape Plan: The Truce

If AA failed you or you’re not ready for abstinence, try this:

1. Calculate Your Annual “Addiction Tax”
   • Add up DUIs, lost wages, meds. The total will terrify you sober.
2. Redirect Those Funds
   • Pay down debt → Build emergency savings → Fund a vacation
3. Moderate with Boundaries
   • Example: *”No more than 9 beers/week, never past 9 PM”*
4. Replace Rituals
   • Swap happy hour for prayer walks or gym sessions
5. Arm Yourself
   • Read Psalm 69 (David’s cry for deliverance)
   • Memorize 1 Corinthians 10:13 (“God provides a way out”)

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Final Warning

The system wants you drunk, broke, and compliant. But you serve a God who:

• Turned water into wine (John 2:1-11)
• Then warned against drunkenness (Luke 21:34)

Your truce starts today.

P.S. Share your “addiction tax” total below—I’ll go first: $25,700 in one year before my turnaround.

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