Part 1: Video Lesson
In this video by Lean Enterprise Institute, the presenter teaches a business problem-solving method developed by Toyota Motor Company called, “The 5 Whys.” This same method can be used to get to the root cause of addiction.
This video was neither produced nor supported by the Addiction Help for Me. Any reference to persons or products are not from Addiction Help for Me or its personnel but are, instead, added by the video creator or the platform storing the video.
Source: Lean Enterprise Institute. (2018, July 19). The 5 Whys – Lean Problem Solving [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrlYkx41wEE&t=4s
Part 2: Discussion
Taken from A Bible Guide to Overcoming Addiction by Stephen Baker.
Sam has a very stressful job. Every weekend, he unwinds by using cocaine. He does not use during the week. He goes to work on time and does an efficient job, every day. He hardly ever calls out for any reason. He is a model employee. Yet, his wife and children never enjoy spending time with him on the weekend because he goes into his home office, shuts the door, and gets high. Let’s get to the root of Sam’s triggers for using cocaine.
Why? Sam uses cocaine on the weekend to unwind from a stressful week at work.
Why? Sam does not like stress because he feels his life is stressful enough without being stressful on the job. He puts pressure on himself to perform. He does not need the added pressure from his boss.
Why? Sam puts pressure on himself to perform because he always has. Even when he was a child, he pressured himself to make straight A’s in school to please his father and mother.
Why? Because his father and mother were very demanding. They never seemed satisfied with Sam doing good. He had to be the best! They never were pleased with anything else. One day, he had come home with a B, and his father yelled at him for being a disappointment!
Why? Obviously, his father had some issues that Sam could not understand as a child.
Source: Baker, S. (2020). A Bible Guide to Overcoming Addiction [E-book]. CrossLife Press. https://www.amazon.com/Bible-Guide-Overcoming-Addiction-ebook/dp/B08PB2HDFV/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Now that we have gotten to some of the root causes of Sam’s Cocaine use, we will challenge each one. This is similar to what was done with the ABC method. In the business model of the 5 Whys, these challenges are called countermeasures.
Root Cause 1.
Sam uses cocaine on the weekend to unwind from a stressful week at work.
Countermeasure: Sam could find other ways to unwind from stress. Cocaine is certainly not the only option, and there are probably many more positive options available.
Root Cause 2.
Sam does not like stress because he feels his life is stressful enough without being stressful on the job. He puts pressure on himself to perform. He does not need the added pressure from his boss.
Countermeasure: Sam is a good worker. There is no need for him to put added pressure on himself to perform when his boss puts enough pressure on him and he does a good job anyway.
Root Cause 3.
Sam puts pressure on himself to perform because he always has. Even when he was a child, he pressured himself to make straight A’s in school to please his father and mother.
Countermeasure: Sam is no longer a child and does not have to do what he has always done. He is an adult. He can make new decisions and find new ways of doing things. The Apostle Paul said, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1 Corinthians 13:11)
Root Cause 4.
His father and mother were very demanding. They never seemed satisfied with Sam doing good. He had to be the best! They never were pleased with anything else. One day, he had come home with a B, and his father yelled at him for being a disappointment!
Countermeasure: Just because Sam’s mother and father were demanding does not mean that he must be so demanding on himself. Life is short. He should learn to enjoy it and not create extra stress in his life.
Root Cause 5.
Obviously, his father had some issues that Sam could not understand as a child.
Countermeasure: Now that Sam is an adult, he has his own issues. There is no reason to add his father’s problems. He has enough to deal with without doing that.
Part 3: Download
Below, you can download a question chart that includes the 5 Whys. Each time an incident occurs in which you give in to your addiction, try completing this chart. It will help you to develop appropriate countermeasures and get to the root of the problem.