Addiction And Substance Abuse Essay

Recovering from addiction presents you with challenges to say the least. You have to give up your drug of choice, which can be scary, literally painful, and sometimes, even sad. It’s the sadness, or rather the emotional side of addiction that I want to address here.

Substance abuse disorders are common in our society. It is a disorder that each one of us will most likely experience through a family member, friend, or our self. I felt very drawn to this topic due to the fact that I have a family that has background of substance abuse and I myself have battle the demon. Not until I struggled with my own addiction did I become more tolerable and understanding to those that have a substance abuse disorder. Substance abuse is not something anyone wants to have; it is a disorder that takes control of a person’s life. It is a beast that tears a person apart; from their being to the lives of their loved ones. This disorder is not biased in anyway; rich or poor, male or female, employed or unemployed, young or

Prescribed drugs are usually potent. The common medications that patients normally abused are opioids, stimulants and CNS depressants. Abusing these drugs can be as dangerous as using illicit drugs. Many varieties of therapeutic interventions include community prevention programs that combine two or more effective programs can be more effective than a single program. An intervention requires strategy and a plan of action in order to be successful and it is individualized to each patient situation. Programs directed to treat drug addictions should address all forms of drug abuse, especially the causes of abusing prescribed drugs, the type of drug abuse problem in the community and inappropriate use. Early detection can enable treatment and reduce the debility and co-morbidity that can associate with the disorder. A prevention strategy that can be used by individuals is locking medication in a secured place so that prescribed drugs are kept safe from unwanted hands. Another way is an appropriate disposing medication safely. Families can be familiarized themselves with the warning signs, such as missing prescription script and frequent borrowing of money from friends and

This book report will discuss addiction and the effects of alcohol on the brain according to Dr. Harold Urschel’s Science Based Alcoholism and Addiction Recovery Program as described in his book, “Healing the Addicted Brain”.

Prescription drug abuse is defined as using prescription drugs in a way that is not prescribed by a doctor or using someone else's prescription. People abuse prescription drugs for a variety of reasons (Misuse of Prescription Drugs). Some people abuse them to get high, others keep using to avoid withdrawals from the drug. Whereas stimulants such as adderall are often abused by students to improve academic performance.

According to the recent Monitoring the Future study, which is the largest survey of drug use among young people. Prescription drugs are the second most widely abused drugs besides marijuana. The latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that 70 percent of people abusing prescription drugs got them from friends or relatives. 5 percent of those got the drugs from a drug dealer or from over the Internet. The CDC reports that drug overdose is the leading cause of injury death. 60% of those were caused by prescription drug overdose. Pain relievers, tranquilizers, and stimulants are the most abused of these substances. These drugs are fairly easy for people to get. Many people will go to multiple doctors and after hour clinics to get these drugs. A lot of them go to pill mills, which are run by cash. All you do is walk in, pay the money and the doctor will write you a prescription for the pills you want. So this leaves people that are going to multiple doctors doing this with pills not only for themselves, but enough for them to sell on the streets.

It's scary to think that we live in a world where drug addiction is a growing epidemic plaguing families on a daily basis. One of the most common drug abuse problems to date is that of addiction to prescription medications, but more specifically opiates. Opiates are used to help treat chronic and severe pain, but the drug can become highly addictive. In recent years, more people have overdosed as a result of prescription medications than both heroin and cocaine combined.

Prescription drug abuse is the use of prescribed medications for reasons other than intended by a doctor or medical professional. Prescription drug abuse involves the misuse of any and all drugs to alter the physical or mental status of a person. The misuse of prescription drugs is described as taking excess amounts, more frequently, or for much longer than originally prescribed.

Many people just have the desire to simply relax or relieve tension, some people like to experiment then when they get addicted you need to maintain your addiction to prevent withdrawal. Teens face struggles of being accepted by peers so when they are the only one in the group not doing drugs you soon get singled out or get made fun of, causing them to cave and try it, causing them to possibly abuse the drug later. Then the most simple cause of prescription drug abuse, just to simply get high. A more complicated cause that isn't anyones fault technically, Genetics. Drug abuse is sometimes known as a genetic problem, In which a first-degree relative struggles with addiction you are at higher risk. Not all people agree with this statement but I think it is true but not always. Children who grow up watching this and thinking its normal are more likely to think it's okay so then they follow the same path as their family member. Once one would get addicted they will soon fear the withdraws that come with stopping the drug, to prevent it they will keep doing the drug if not the same amount but

Substance use disorder, misuse, and dependence are among the most prevalent causes of adolescent morbidity and mortality in the United States (Brannigan, Schackman, Falco, & Millman, 2004; Newcomb and Bentler, 1988a; Sussman, Dent, and Galaif, 1997). Substances of all types are being widely used or misused by teens and emerging adults in the United States (Johnston et al., 2004). Adolescent substance misusers experience numerous social, economic, physical, and legal consequences, for example, truncated development (Newcomb and Bentler, 1988b). Substance use–related disorders are associated with such problems as poor academic performance, job instability, teen pregnancy, and the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. Crimes such as stealing, vandalism, and violence are associated with “heavy drug use” in adolescence. Adverse immediate consequences occur (e.g., overdoses and accidents). Also, drug-using youths are more likely to develop disorganized thinking and unusual beliefs that may interfere with problem-solving abilities and emotional functioning and may lead to greater social isolation and depression (Sussman and Ames, 2001), though the prevalence of dysfunctional thinking is not known. Substance dependent adolescents endure consequences of additional problems such as drug tolerance effects, withdrawal symptoms, and preoccupation with using a drug to the exclusion of other activities.

Prevention methods for substance abuse are taught to children as early in their kindergarten years and follow throughout their lifetime. Current programs available are school-based programs, parent and family, work programs and community and public media campaigns.

The cognitive behavioral models say that incentives make way for the right conditions for the need for drug abuse. Drug use is associated with experiences such as self-exploration, religious insights, altering moods, escaping boredom or despair, enhancing creativity, performance, sensory experience or pleasure, and so on (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2012). Cognitive behaviorism has brought in appreciated data at the same time refining theories and treatments. This model stands out from other addiction models because it stands out from the expressive, organic or public causes for addiction. Because it focuses on the patient's own beliefs rather than the

Alcohol abuse is a serious problem, driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs is an even bigger problem that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Abusing either one of these substances can lead to the death of you or the death of someone else or even cause a major change in their life like Jacqueline’s story, her whole life has been changed because of another person’s ignorance and carelessness. Therefore, you should know the facts about drug and alcohol abuse before you do something you may regret for the rest of your life.

“Addiction is a brain disease expressed in the form of compulsive behavior,” says by Alan Leshner in his article, “Addiction Is a Brain Disease” featured in the book Drug Abuse: Opposing Viewpoints. Addiction has a variety of meanings depending on what your viewpoint of addiction. According to dictionary.com, the concrete definition of the word addiction is, “the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.” Basically various doctors and therapist consider addiction to be a genetic disorder. “Provocative, controversial, unquestionably incomplete, the dopamine hypothesis provides a basic framework

Alcoholism and Drug Addiction may be conceptualized as crime without victim that is, addict himself is the victim who becomes a prey of its misuse. This devastating melody is eroding the roots of social, economic and cultural fiber of Indian Society and all across the globe. It gives rise to criminality and criminal behavior which eventually leads to social disorganization.