lifelong. 'Jesse Bishop was a lifelong drug addict who had spent 20 of his 46 years in prison' {Guardian}. You might be a lifelong resident of New York or a lifelong church-goer or, at a stretch, a lifelong lover of music. But unless the unfortunate Mr Bishop had turned to drugs at a remarkably early age, lifelong is much too literal a word to describe his addiction.
Jesse Bishop's life was marked by a continuous struggle with drug addiction, which led him to spend two-thirds of his life in prison. His story highlights the challenges faced by individuals trapped in destructive lifestyles, raising questions about the permanence of labels like "lifelong" when applied to addiction.
On the other hand, the term "lifelong" can often be misleading. While it can denote an enduring commitment to something positive, such as a passion or a community, it fails to accurately encapsulate the complexity of addiction unless it begins at a very young age. Bill Bryson underscores this nuance in his writing, suggesting that the term should be used more thoughtfully when discussing compulsive behaviors.
