Indiana gonna Indiana?

[twenty02]

I'm only quoting you because it seems like the best place to jump in with you and CO.

I work for a large painting contractor, and I cannot hire good painters. It has been very difficult. I agree with you that there is a shortage in supply of good labor. We pay $15 an hour, but we can't find good candidates.

Part of the problem is us though. I can't afford to pay inexperienced painters. And that is totally on us, the employer, than it is on anything else. I wish we had a training program to bring in Noobs and get them headed in the right direction. It is just too costly because our customers expect the job to be done right by skilled professionals.

Where's the balance? I don't have a good answer to that question.

Good point. Not enough margins when bidding those jobs to pay extra labor as apprentices. Maybe you need to take a few jobs as break even, or even a loss, and make that your training program.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

I'm only quoting you because it seems like the best place to jump in with you and CO.

I work for a large painting contractor, and I cannot hire good painters. It has been very difficult. I agree with you that there is a shortage in supply of good labor. We pay $15 an hour, but we can't find good candidates.

Part of the problem is us though. I can't afford to pay inexperienced painters. And that is totally on us, the employer, than it is on anything else. I wish we had a training program to bring in Noobs and get them headed in the right direction. It is just too costly because our customers expect the job to be done right by skilled professionals.

Where's the balance? I don't have a good answer to that question.

How would a $15 minimum wage

affect your ability to hire people who want to be professional painters? I'm guessing the price of a paint job will go up quite a bit.

 

[mjvcaj]

I think you hit upon a critical point. Businesses used to provide more training or offer apprentice positions. Today there is a huge demand for already trained and experienced. But how does one get experience without demand for inexperienced?

Part of this problem is cultural, people used to stick with an employer. But now both sides want to be able to move on to greener pastures ASAP. So I get why businesses do not want to invest a lot in providing training and experiece.

But it does seem we have an experience mismatch more than a skills mismatch.

It isn't just that @dahldc doesn't want to invest in new employees, it is probably also a matter of time. In order to train, the opportunity cost is immense for SMEs.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

It isn't just that @dahldc doesn't want to invest in new employees, it is probably also a matter of time. In order to train, the opportunity cost is immense for SMEs.

I agree it isn't necessarily a case of someone not wanting to. But it is an interesting problem we face, if business either does not want to nor can afford to give workers experience, where do they get that experience?

In my earlier post comparing welders to McDonalds shift managers this can be seen. McDonalds starts people out on line, then they move up to shift manager. There isn't a necessity for them to attend any sort of trade school or anything like that. A welder has to pay for the training then has to find someone willing to hire someone with zero experience. The safer rout for many people is to take the McDonalds job. They'll be making more than a welder and not have to invest their own money.

I have no idea how to make training newbies more desirable for business. I'd almost suggest a government program that might be akin to a stimulus/jobs plan. Get new painters/welders or whatever into 6 month long jobs rebuilding America's crumbling infrastructure. That would give them experience to then go out into the real world. In theory, eventually the money they make working real jobs will be taxed to offset some of the cost of the jobs program.

 

[mike41703]

I'm only quoting you because it seems like the best place to jump in with you and CO.

I work for a large painting contractor, and I cannot hire good painters. It has been very difficult. I agree with you that there is a shortage in supply of good labor. We pay $15 an hour, but we can't find good candidates.

I work here in Indiana, and the co. I work for pays labor rates of $18/hr within a few months of being hired, and we can't fill the positions with quality workers. Hell, they can't even rely on the back shift workers to come into work regularly.

 

[SuperHoosierFan]

The shortage of welders has been a story for at least a decade. What is interesting are stories like this, which asks the question who makes more, a welder or a shift manager at McDonalds?

There are a lot of Reddit discussions on welding salaries. It appears most of them agree the concept of someone getting their credentials and making $140,000/year are so rare that they shouldn't be mentioned. One discussion started with a job posting for experienced welders being offered full-time work for $13/hour. No mention of other benefits. Now in some parts of the country, $13 isn't terrible money. In other parts of the country, one can't possibly raise a family on it. And mind you, that is for experienced welders.

There was a welder in that Reddit who said the big money are for those on 100% travel, which he is. He said he has no idea what country he will be in when his current assignment finishes. It is an option, but let's be honest, that life isn't necessarily for everyone. And of course there are multiple welding types, and some pay more than others.

If that is the poster child for a skills mismatch, I'm not sure it doesn't illustrate a different problem - the under valuing of manual labor. If there is a tremendous shortage of welders and there are still jobs offering $13/hour for experienced welders then the market is broken.

I thought this Reddit post was interesting:

Let me answer, because the article may as well have been written about me. I have an AAS degree from an accredited technical college and multiple industry certifications in CNC machining and quality management. I spent nearly $20k on my education and many years slumming it in underpaid manufacturing positions learning everything I was exposed to.

After all this, I've been through interviews with companies ecstatic about my experience and then at the end they ask me what I consider a fair salary for my experience and they laugh at a measly $18. Several share what they considered fair, and one even came in at a low $13 - that was the most they would pay new machinists.

Why? Because they were poorly managed manufacturers who relied on an abundance of cheap labor to mitigate their lack of technological advancement. They haven't invested in the high productivity machines, the process control, the advanced inspection tools or the software that will enable them to compete with the foreigners.

And they struggle to stay afloat with unqualified staff and subpar equipment. That is life in small time midwest manufacturing right now. The best of those manufacturers are the ones who have the right knowledge to leverage technological advancement - the rest get left in the dust.

We have several open positions for techs in our ER. We call them "techs" instead of "aides" because they are made up of both LPNs and CNAs. Anyways, I can understand a shortage of LPNs with all the local nursing homes where they can make ~$17/hr as opposed to the ~$12 they get paid to work as a tech. When it comes to CNAs I'm wondering if some of them are opting to just work in local fast food restaurants or other places. The local McDonald's has signs up offering $10/hr which is roughly what CNAs get at the hospital. CNA work is stressful and physically demanding. I hear patients and family members treat them like shit and then there's the added stress of having people's lives in your hands to one extent or another. I wouldn't be surprised if some are opting to take the food jobs for the same money. Less stress, no lives in your hands, no charting, no state board of nursing inspectors up your ass and threatening your license all the time...just flip and wrap some burgers and be done with it. Maybe even become a supervisor at some point. They're never going to move up at the hospital without going back to school which is not only expensive, but difficult as a lot of them are single mothers. I'm also wondering how the minimum wage increases will affect jobs like this in the years to come. Will all wages gradually go up in order to stay competitive? Or are some of our more extreme politicians correct and all businesses will just suddenly close and the economy collapse?

 

[SuperHoosierFan]

I agree it isn't necessarily a case of someone not wanting to. But it is an interesting problem we face, if business either does not want to nor can afford to give workers experience, where do they get that experience?

In my earlier post comparing welders to McDonalds shift managers this can be seen. McDonalds starts people out on line, then they move up to shift manager. There isn't a necessity for them to attend any sort of trade school or anything like that. A welder has to pay for the training then has to find someone willing to hire someone with zero experience. The safer rout for many people is to take the McDonalds job. They'll be making more than a welder and not have to invest their own money.

I have no idea how to make training newbies more desirable for business. I'd almost suggest a government program that might be akin to a stimulus/jobs plan. Get new painters/welders or whatever into 6 month long jobs rebuilding America's crumbling infrastructure. That would give them experience to then go out into the real world. In theory, eventually the money they make working real jobs will be taxed to offset some of the cost of the jobs program.

Are we having trouble passing infrastructure bills that would add well paying construction jobs? I wonder what I'll find if I look up why these bills aren't being passed? Hmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[dahldc]

How would a $15 minimum wage

affect your ability to hire people who want to be professional painters? I'm guessing the price of a paint job will go up quite a bit.

It won't we already pay employees a minimum $15 per hour wage.

 

[dahldc]

It isn't just that @dahldc doesn't want to invest in new employees, it is probably also a matter of time. In order to train, the opportunity cost is immense for SMEs.

That's the thing, we want and NEED new employees. But business demands we have professionals. The cost to train in house is outrageous when we add in all the possible negatives of it too. We have plenty of people applying, and I've been interviewing and testing applicants nearly non stop for two weeks. Unfortunately, most of those applicants couldn't paint a snowman on a piece of loose leaf.

I can argue both sides here, and I just don't have a good answer to sway anyone.

Is it my fault I need experienced painters? Or is it their fault they aren't experienced? I don't know.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

It won't we already pay employees a minimum $15 per hour wage.

I think you want to separate yourselves

from the people who take out that garbage at McDonalds, don't you? You said you wanted "professionals" as employees. That implies a level of employee committment, longevity, education, ability, and experience, that for varous reasons, we don't see in the normal minimum wage employee.

 

[dahldc]

I think you want to separate yourselves

from the people who take out that garbage at McDonalds, don't you? You said you wanted "professionals" as employees. That implies a level of employee committment, longevity, education, ability, and experience, that for varous reasons, we don't see in the normal minimum wage employee.

I don't really know what your problem is, but can you engage in a conversation without leading it down a path of stupidity?

 

[i'vegotwinners]

That's the thing, we want and NEED new employees. But business demands we have professionals. The cost to train in house is outrageous when we add in all the possible negatives of it too. We have plenty of people applying, and I've been interviewing and testing applicants nearly non stop for two weeks. Unfortunately, most of those applicants couldn't paint a snowman on a piece of loose leaf.

I can argue both sides here, and I just don't have a good answer to sway anyone.

Is it my fault I need experienced painters? Or is it their fault they aren't experienced? I don't know.

and what benefits do you offer?

free healthcare?, pd vacation?

or do hire them as 1099s.

point being, in the internet age, why would a professional experienced painter need to work for someone else who's taking a cut, unless they were paying very well or offering lots of perks.

if they're working as subcontractors, might as well be working for themselves, being their own boss, and making more than you're offering.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

I don't really know what your problem is, but can you engage in a conversation without leading it down a path of stupidity?

You lost me

What is stupid? You said your business demands professionals. On the other hand, people who earn minimum wages when they are in their 30's or 40's suggests to me that they have issues, some of them beyond their control, others because of choices they make about life and responsibility. I think minimum wage increases often affect wages above the minimum scale. This is one reason why unions are always in favor of minimum wage hikes. I would think your business would be forced into wage hikes if the minim were $15.

Oh, I have no problem. What makes you think I do?

 

[twenty02]

I agree it isn't necessarily a case of someone not wanting to. But it is an interesting problem we face, if business either does not want to nor can afford to give workers experience, where do they get that experience?

In my earlier post comparing welders to McDonalds shift managers this can be seen. McDonalds starts people out on line, then they move up to shift manager. There isn't a necessity for them to attend any sort of trade school or anything like that. A welder has to pay for the training then has to find someone willing to hire someone with zero experience. The safer rout for many people is to take the McDonalds job. They'll be making more than a welder and not have to invest their own money.

I have no idea how to make training newbies more desirable for business. I'd almost suggest a government program that might be akin to a stimulus/jobs plan. Get new painters/welders or whatever into 6 month long jobs rebuilding America's crumbling infrastructure. That would give them experience to then go out into the real world. In theory, eventually the money they make working real jobs will be taxed to offset some of the cost of the jobs program.

But govt doesn't know how to do things like paint and build....they contract all such work out to private firms. So you are right back where you started.

 

[Lucy01]

I'm sorry, but I cannot absolve these people of making their own choices. My best man's father is addicted to painkillers, but he actively requests them and has reverted back after rehab attempts. Then you have Patrick Kennedy, a spoiled rich kid with everything handled to him on a silver platter that blames all of his problems on mental health issues related to addiction of painkillers, alcohol, etc.

There are people with real mental disorders and they were born with those without any choice in the matter. For people to sit here and tell me that a mentally healthy person gets to blame poor choices on mental disorders is absolute bullshit.

This is exactly what I'm talking about with the lack of accountability in our country.

Didn't his Grandady have them their holes drilled in his aunts head for bein a retard?

 

[mjvcaj]

Didn't his Grandady have them their holes drilled in his aunts head for bein a retard?

 

[wiede]

http://time.com/4287782/hiv-indiana-austin-2/

The number of HIV cases in the small rural town of Austin, Indiana has reached 190 since December 2014, when the outbreak began to make headlines, USA Today reports. But the town of about 4,000 people — where drug use is rampant and many live in poverty — is now in recovery after the crisis brought much-needed services, health officials told the newspaper.

Expected this type of story from Missouri...

Have you ever been to Austin before???

It's like a little slice of the most backwoods part of Eastern KY/WV in southern Indiana.

True story. I ran cross country in high school. During an invitational, several of their runners tried to fight me. In the middle of the damn race!

My wife and I stopped there to eat once on the way from Clarksville to an IUBB game- and immediately regretted doing so. It's an exit of I-65. The Dairy Queen felt like time had stopped somewhere in 1983. This was in 2007.

I was told that families from Eastern KY basically founded the town- and I believe that 100%. There's several embarrassing things about Indiana- and Austin probably tops the list. If you haven't gone there, don't go.

 

[mjvcaj]

Have you ever been to Austin before???

It's like a little slice of the most backwoods part of Eastern KY/WV in southern Indiana.

True story. I ran cross country in high school. During an invitational, several of their runners tried to fight me. In the middle of the damn race!

My wife and I stopped there to eat once on the way from Clarksville to an IUBB game- and immediately regretted doing so. It's an exit of I-65. The Dairy Queen felt like time had stopped somewhere in 1983. This was in 2007.

I was told that families from Eastern KY basically founded the town- and I believe that 100%. There's several embarrassing things about Indiana- and Austin probably tops the list. If you haven't gone there, don't go.

Of course not. I can think of 50,000 other places to go.

 

[twenty02]

Have you ever been to Austin before???

It's like a little slice of the most backwoods part of Eastern KY/WV in southern Indiana.

True story. I ran cross country in high school. During an invitational, several of their runners tried to fight me. In the middle of the damn race!

My wife and I stopped there to eat once on the way from Clarksville to an IUBB game- and immediately regretted doing so. It's an exit of I-65. The Dairy Queen felt like time had stopped somewhere in 1983. This was in 2007.

I was told that families from Eastern KY basically founded the town- and I believe that 100%. There's several embarrassing things about Indiana- and Austin probably tops the list. If you haven't gone there, don't go.

Nobody would ever go there intentionally.

Eastern Kentucky is the most shocking place I've ever been. Felt like a different country.

 

[wiede]

Nobody would ever go there intentionally.

Eastern Kentucky is the most shocking place I've ever been. Felt like a different country.

I never thought I'd ever be in a place that felt like Eastern KY (I used to have KY as a sales area). Until I stepped foot into Austin.

Never again. And you're right. NOTHING feels like Eastern KY. It's almost as if a whole group of people just gave up- on life in general.

Another true story. I went to get gas in Eastern KY. When I walked in, there were three coolers full of 20 oz. Mountain Dews. I mean entirely full, of nothing. It Mountsin Dew. Every other drink literally occupied a row within a cooler.

I could tell some crazy stories about my experiences in Eastern KY. To this day, I've never experienced anything like it. And I hope I never do again

 

[CO. Hoosier]

I never thought I'd ever be in a place that felt like Eastern KY (I used to have KY as a sales area). Until I stepped foot into Austin.

Never again. And you're right. NOTHING feels like Eastern KY. It's almost as if a whole group of people just gave up- on life in general.

Another true story. I went to get gas in Eastern KY. When I walked in, there were three coolers full of 20 oz. Mountain Dews. I mean entirely full, of nothing. It Mountsin Dew. Every other drink literally occupied a row within a cooler.

I could tell some crazy stories about my experiences in Eastern KY. To this day, I've never experienced anything like it. And I hope I never do again

Did you watch the TV show "Justified"?

It's set in Harlan County Ky. Based on your comments I think the producers did an excellent job of capturing the flavor of the place. You can buy the series on Amazon. The show is taken from Elmore Leonard stories and characters. Pretty good.

 

[mjvcaj]

Did you watch the TV show "Justified"?

It's set in Harlan County Ky. Based on your comments I think the producers did an excellent job of capturing the flavor of the place. You can buy the series on Amazon. The show is taken from Elmore Leonard stories and characters. Pretty good.

Great show. Boyd Crowder was one of the best characters on TV.

 

[twenty02]

I never thought I'd ever be in a place that felt like Eastern KY (I used to have KY as a sales area). Until I stepped foot into Austin.

Never again. And you're right. NOTHING feels like Eastern KY. It's almost as if a whole group of people just gave up- on life in general.

Another true story. I went to get gas in Eastern KY. When I walked in, there were three coolers full of 20 oz. Mountain Dews. I mean entirely full, of nothing. It Mountsin Dew. Every other drink literally occupied a row within a cooler.

I could tell some crazy stories about my experiences in Eastern KY. To this day, I've never experienced anything like it. And I hope I never do again

I was in that region once. I had a GF for a bit in college that went to UK (cue the hate, but Lexington is a fun place).

She had a friend she met there that was from Pikeville. Now I've never heard of Pikeville, certainly never been there. One weekend we made a trip over to her hometown.

I've spent time in TN, KY, WV, NC before, including a lot that would be called Appalachia. But never that "region" so was not all prepared for that one trip I ever took there. There is nothing at all that compares with that little slice of America. It's almost worth a trip once in your life.....just once.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

Great show. Boyd Crowder was one of the best characters on TV.

Yep

He was much more of a mean racist SOB in the book.

 

[twenty02]

I never thought I'd ever be in a place that felt like Eastern KY (I used to have KY as a sales area). Until I stepped foot into Austin.

Never again. And you're right. NOTHING feels like Eastern KY. It's almost as if a whole group of people just gave up- on life in general.

Another true story. I went to get gas in Eastern KY. When I walked in, there were three coolers full of 20 oz. Mountain Dews. I mean entirely full, of nothing. It Mountsin Dew. Every other drink literally occupied a row within a cooler.

I could tell some crazy stories about my experiences in Eastern KY. To this day, I've never experienced anything like it. And I hope I never do again

I'll just add....that it's a fact that most poverty in this country is white, rural people.

Doesn't fit the narrative of urban black welfare mommas....but it's the reality.

However, white poor people are so spread out across the vast geography of our country, they are totally out of sight, out of mind.

Compare that with poverty (minorities or otherwise) that is in very close proximity to the upper middle class urban areas. That then becomes the association of poverty for those of us that are well off.

I've noticed my own biases change over the years...as someone who grew up in a rural area, but has lived in urban areas of different sizes for the last 15 years.

 

[dahldc]

and what benefits do you offer?

free healthcare?, pd vacation?

or do hire them as 1099s.

point being, in the internet age, why would a professional experienced painter need to work for someone else who's taking a cut, unless they were paying very well or offering lots of perks.

if they're working as subcontractors, might as well be working for themselves, being their own boss, and making more than you're offering.

I can tell you know nothing about my industry. No offense, but I'm not going down this rabbit hole with you. Thanks for responding.

 

[dahldc]

You lost me

What is stupid? You said your business demands professionals. On the other hand, people who earn minimum wages when they are in their 30's or 40's suggests to me that they have issues, some of them beyond their control, others because of choices they make about life and responsibility. I think minimum wage increases often affect wages above the minimum scale. This is one reason why unions are always in favor of minimum wage hikes. I would think your business would be forced into wage hikes if the minim were $15.

Oh, I have no problem. What makes you think I do?

I think you have a problem because I can't for the life of me figure out where you're going with all of this. You're talking about minimum wage and wage hikes and unions. I'm talking about the two sides of the issue of people need work vs business needs experience.

Do you intentionally lead discussions down a different path because you're trying to make it look like you have something to say? I honestly have no idea where you're going or where you're coming from. I think I'll exit stage left now and let you all wallow around in the water cooler cesspool.

Thanks for the response, even if it was out of left field.

 

[hootch1]

My in-laws grew up in eastern Kentucky and we go there every year. It is such a sad place. The hotel we stay in a couple of blocks from one of the Hatfield and McCoy's shootouts.

There is a documentary, though set in West Virginia, that is almost hard to believe - The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.

 

[Cream&Crimson]

This goes back to @TheOriginalHappyGoat 's post that Americans truly are stupid. These people know the risks and choose to use. Hard to have any sympathy or empathy for that behavior.

You under-estimate the power of addiction to opioids.

Some don't "choose" to use; they get addicted to pain meds. Others do choose to use opioids, for various reasons (maybe for recreation, maybe not). Once addicted it's too late for many.

 

[mjvcaj]

You under-estimate the power of addiction to opioids.

Some don't "choose" to use; they get addicted to pain meds. Others do choose to use opioids, for various reasons (maybe for recreation, maybe not). Once addicted it's too late for many.

At the end of the day, the person has to make the choice to acquire more and take them. People used to blame smoking on nicotine instead of self-control. Americans have been blaming addiction for decades.

I've been on Oxy and Percocet post-surgery and didn't have a problem weening off. I've admittedly been temporarily addicted to gambling (horse racing, Hold 'Em, sports), but I acknowledged that I was beginning to become addicted and forced myself to stop, well before I suffered the monetary and emotional damage that many seem to endure. And this was without any help from either a professional or family member.

People need to have to some self-control.

 

[mjvcaj]

Yep

He was much more of a mean racist SOB in the book.

I appreciated the sly cleverness of Boyd's plots in the show. The fact that he was more subdued on the outside, yet clearly had inner deamons, made his character much more interesting and provided depth.

 

[Cream&Crimson]

At the end of the day, the person has to make the choice to acquire more and take them. People used to blame smoking on nicotine instead of self-control. Americans have been blaming addiction for decades.

I've been on Oxy and Percocet post-surgery and didn't have a problem weening off. I've admittedly been temporarily addicted to gambling (horse racing, Hold 'Em, sports), but I acknowledged that I was beginning to become addicted and forced myself to stop, well before I suffered the monetary and emotional damage that many seem to endure. And this was without any help from either a professional or family member.

People need to have to some self-control.

Then you weren't addicted.

 

[mjvcaj]

Then you weren't addicted.

Exactly. I'm saying addiction is a deflection of personal blame and accountability.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Exactly. I'm saying addiction is a deflection of personal blame and accountability.

Really, you don't believe there is any sort of biological or medical condition that causes addiction? It seems interesting to me that some people can have tremendous willpower in some areas, but still be addicted to some drug. Professional athletes that push their bodies to extremes would be one example. That makes it seem unlikely to me it is just some willpower shortcoming.

 

[TheOriginalHappyGoat]

Exactly. I'm saying addiction is a deflection of personal blame and accountability.

This has been proven wrong over and over again.

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/teaching-packets/neurobiology-drug-addiction

Good for you for realizing you were starting to show signs of a problem and quitting before you became addicted. It doesn't always work out that way. I was young and invincible when I smoked cigs only on the weekend when I was partying. Never thought anything of it. More than fifteen years later, I still have no idea when I actually became a "smoker," i.e., addicted, but it happened.

 

[IUJIM]

Exactly. I'm saying addiction is a deflection of personal blame and accountability.

I disagree. There are physiological traits that some people have (The meetings that I have been to mention 15%) that the other 85% do not have. You can see this thru actual brain images of different people. I believe I could drink every day for a year, and quit cold turkey. There are some that absolutely could not. Their brain is not wired the same as mine, or maybe yours. They have a much higher propensity of addiction, whether it be drugs, gambling, alcohol, food, work, etc. I did not believe it myself, until these last several years going thru the worst of the worst with a family member. My thoughts have been changed completely, due to the many doctors, counselors, and rehab specialists that do this for a living, and showing me the actual evidence pertaining to addiction. My take 5 years ago was screw'em, they made their bed, now lay in it. It is most definitely not that simple.

 

[dahldc]

Exactly. I'm saying addiction is a deflection of personal blame and accountability.

I said I was going to stay out of the cesspool, but I just got sucked back in.

That's a lousy definition of addiction and shows that you know nothing about addiction beyond your own inability to understand it.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

I think you have a problem because I can't for the life of me figure out where you're going with all of this. You're talking about minimum wage and wage hikes and unions. I'm talking about the two sides of the issue of people need work vs business needs experience.

Do you intentionally lead discussions down a different path because you're trying to make it look like you have something to say? I honestly have no idea where you're going or where you're coming from. I think I'll exit stage left now and let you all wallow around in the water cooler cesspool.

Thanks for the response, even if it was out of left field.

You are trying way too hard

To find something to be indignant about.

Just a simple question about how minimum wage hikes affect non- minimum wage jobs for those businesses striving for high quality and dedicated employees.

 

[SuperHoosierFan]

Then you weren't addicted.

Some people are more prone to addiction and someone saying "I took them and I'm not addicted, so those other people must be screw ups" is really just someone being an asshole. There are people out there who ARE screw ups, but not addicted to drugs.
I've taken opioids and I didn't become addicted. We lost a fellow nurse recently to opioid addiction. She had chronic issues with kidney stones (something like 50+ diagnosed by the time I started working with her) and always got put on hydrocodone to help with pain at home. She eventually got hooked. I've seen people who are what we call "dope sick" and it's not a pretty sight.
I smoked cigarettes off and on for a few years and then just stopped completely one day. I never really got "hooked". I have friends who have tried to quit and failed so many times you don't even bother to keep track.
I've been to casinos and had fun, but I don't get the "itch" that some of my friends get when it comes to gambling. I think it's been, roughly, four years since I've been to one.
I like beer. Wait, I love beer. I'm picky about my beer. I'll drink 3-4 beers one night and not drink another for a month, simply because I don't feel like it. We'll be out at a restaurant or bar with friends and everyone is drinking and if they don't have a beer I like, I'll just drink coke.
In other words, I don't think I'd be considered as someone who has an addictive personality.
Opioids are one of those really outwardly ugly addictions we see. Same is true of meth. Addictions like nicotine, alcoholism, gambling, sex, food (ok, food addiction can be ugly) are generally accepted.
Now that I think about it, I do have some addictions. Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead, and Better Call Saul. I was a huge fan of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul had me hooked after the first episode.

 

[SuperHoosierFan]

This has been proven wrong over and over again.

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/teaching-packets/neurobiology-drug-addiction

Good for you for realizing you were starting to show signs of a problem and quitting before you became addicted. It doesn't always work out that way. I was young and invincible when I smoked cigs only on the weekend when I was partying. Never thought anything of it. More than fifteen years later, I still have no idea when I actually became a "smoker," i.e., addicted, but it happened.

Nicotine and opioids are tough for a lot of people. You actually have specific receptors for those chemicals. That's why people give up drinking easier (relatively) than smoking. You don't have specific alcohol receptors. Alcohol mimics other chemicals and binds to those receptors.