Yes, this is a big issue. I really think these things are basically like cigarettes used to be when they were ubiquitous.

I'd have a hard time blaming someone in the 1930s for being addicted to cigarettes. Everyone constantly smoked everywhere and their harm was rumored, but not proven.

Try to quit smoking in that environment: the thing you're trying to get away from is inescapable and it's not even clear why you should quit. They might blame themselves for not being motivated enough.

We're in that exact environment for the things I describe above.

>> I think the „my brain isn’t the same anymore“ sensation is pretty universal.

Another pretty universal thing is that we compare to younger versions of ourselves. That might explain the gap.