Chasing the Scream

by

Johann Hari

Hari’s Ex-Boyfriend Character Analysis

Johann Hari’s ex-boyfriend has struggled with cocaine and heroin addiction for many years, and his addiction was one of the main reasons that Hari decided to research the war on drugs for this book. At the end of the book, Hari watches his ex relapse, but applies his research into drug addiction and recovery to try and help him. Through his research, Hari learns that drug addiction is generally the result of trauma and social disconnection, which means that addicts need love, support, and connection with others in order to recover. Therefore, instead of threatening to cut ties with his ex or staging an intervention to make him quit using drugs, Hari decides to give him company and support. He offers this as a model for readers who want to help drug-addicted people in their own lives.

Hari’s Ex-Boyfriend Quotes in Chasing the Scream

The Chasing the Scream quotes below are all either spoken by Hari’s Ex-Boyfriend or refer to Hari’s Ex-Boyfriend . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Drug Legalization and U.S. Policy Theme Icon
).
Conclusion Quotes

I didn’t threaten to sever the connection: I promised to deepen it.
As I write this, he is passed out on my spare bed. […] I looked him just now, lying there, his face pallid again, and as I stroked his hair, I think I understood something for the first time. The opposite of addiction isn’t sobriety. It’s connection. It’s all I can offer. It’s all that will help him in the end. If you are alone, you cannot escape addiction. If you are loved, you have a chance. For a hundred years we have been singing war songs about addicts. All along, we should have been singing love songs to them.

Related Characters: Johann Hari (speaker), Hari’s Relative , Hari’s Ex-Boyfriend
Page Number: 293
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Chasing the Scream LitChart as a printable PDF.
Chasing the Scream PDF

Hari’s Ex-Boyfriend Quotes in Chasing the Scream

The Chasing the Scream quotes below are all either spoken by Hari’s Ex-Boyfriend or refer to Hari’s Ex-Boyfriend . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Drug Legalization and U.S. Policy Theme Icon
).
Conclusion Quotes

I didn’t threaten to sever the connection: I promised to deepen it.
As I write this, he is passed out on my spare bed. […] I looked him just now, lying there, his face pallid again, and as I stroked his hair, I think I understood something for the first time. The opposite of addiction isn’t sobriety. It’s connection. It’s all I can offer. It’s all that will help him in the end. If you are alone, you cannot escape addiction. If you are loved, you have a chance. For a hundred years we have been singing war songs about addicts. All along, we should have been singing love songs to them.

Related Characters: Johann Hari (speaker), Hari’s Relative , Hari’s Ex-Boyfriend
Page Number: 293
Explanation and Analysis: