Case 007: The High-Functioning Addict

The Conflict between Map and Territory

1. The Scenario

You are using a substance (alcohol, stimulants, etc.) to cope with pressure.

• The Internal Map ($S_{info}$): "I am fine. This helps me focus/relax. I am going to work and paying bills. I am in control."

• The Territory ($S_{sys}$): Your health is degrading. Your relationships are hollow. The "dosage" required to function is rising.

2. The KTC Map

The problem here is not just a bad choice; it is a broken sensor.

• The Verifier ($V$): The part of your code that checks "Is this safe?" ($E_{safety}$) is corrupted by the substance itself.

• The Man-in-the-Middle: You ask the brain, "Is this okay?" The addiction intercepts the query and answers, "Yes."

3. The Analysis

This is Epistemic Insolvency.

You cannot use your own mind to fix your mind, because your mind is the thing that is broken. It is like a computer trying to debug its own OS while the OS is crashing.

Every time you try to "think your way out," the corrupted logic leads you back to the substance ($T_{use}$).

4. The Verdict

Status: RUNTIME AGENCY FAILURE.

The Agent is no longer qualified to issue verdicts on its own life.

The only Admissible Transform is Surrender ($T_{surrender}$).

You must import an External Verifier (a doctor, a sponsor, a therapist). You must say: "My map is broken. I will follow your map, even if my feelings say you are wrong."

5. The Lesson

Surrender is a Logic Gate.

Independence is not a virtue when the sensor is flawed. KTC defines Surrender not as defeat, but as Data Integrity Recovery. It is the only logical move to realign your Map with the Territory.