The Descent into Drug Addiction

Details the transition from alcohol to morphine, the physical and moral decay, and the final attempt to quit.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The First Injection

The Promise of Relief The Pharmacist's Offer The crippled pharmacist woman gave Yozo morphine, saying it was no more harmful than liquor. He was desperate to escape alcohol and believed her. The Immediate Effect He injected the morphine and felt a rush of optimism and energy. His anxiety vanished. He thought he had found a cure. The False Solution He began to use the drug regularly, believing it was a health tonic. He did not realize he was trading one addiction for a worse one.

The Escalation

The Need Grows The Increased Dosage Yozo started with one shot a day, but soon needed two, three, then four. He could not work without the drug. The Dependency He became a confirmed addict. He was very susceptible to suggestion, and when the pharmacist warned him about addiction, he felt compelled to use more. The Financial Burden His debt at the pharmacy grew. He had to draw pornographic pictures to pay for the drug. He was trapped.

The Ugly Affair

The Desperate Bargain The Kiss Yozo begged the pharmacist for more morphine. He said, "I'll give you a kiss," and she blushed. He began a repulsive affair with her. The Mutual Tears They both wept. She was a crippled woman with a sick son; he was a drug addict. Their relationship was a pact of misery. The Shame Yozo felt a deep shame for using her. He was at the lowest point of his life, willing to do anything for the drug.

The Letter to Father

The Last Hope The Confession Yozo wrote a long letter to his father, confessing everything except his relations with women. He begged for forgiveness and help. The Silence No answer ever came. His father's silence was a death sentence. Yozo's anxiety increased, and he used more morphine. The Abandonment He felt that even God had abandoned him. His only way out was to die.

The Refusal

The Miracle of Rejection The Offer Yoshiko handed Yozo his hypodermic needle and the remaining morphine. He refused, saying, "I won't need it any more." The Significance It was the first time in his life he had refused something offered. He may have been struck by Yoshiko's divine ignorance, or he may have been too exhausted to continue. The End of Addiction This moment marked the end of his drug addiction. But it was too late; he was already a broken man, and he was about to be committed to a mental hospital.

after Yoshiko's violation, winter

weeks after the first injection

during the addiction

during the addiction

at the mental hospital