Addiction : Trauma And Resiliency

Holly Indelicato 1 Professor Ryan-Moore INTD 105 March 5, 2024 How to tell the story of addiction In the memoir, The Recovering Leslie Jamison voices that addiction is a hard story to tell, because many people have already heard many variations of it. It is hard to create a unique experience when so many have already gone through it themselves, “Oh that book, they seemed to say, I've already read that book” (Jamison 9). Jamison is right, in the sense that it is a very hard and complex story to tell. It can be triggering to some, and not conceived well by others. It can also be seen as repetitive in nature because of just how many people have experienced addiction and written their story about it.

As results of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both the brain and behavior. A disease is an interruption, cessation, or disorder of a body system, or organ structure, or function; according to Stedman’s Medical Dictionary. (Sheff ,2013) cites, the disease od addiction has an etiologic agent, identified by a group of signs and symptoms or consistent anatomic alterations. There are significant changes in the brain. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) states that addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristics biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathology pursuing reward and /or relief by substance use and other behaviors. (Addiction is characterized by inability to consistently abstain, impairment of behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships and dysfunctional emotional responses. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse, and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death. (ASAM Adopted as Policy, February

Addiction is has been around for a long time. The fear of people becoming addicted to certain substances has lead to policies changes. However, there has not been a major federal law passed that dealt with addiction in over forty years. In 2016, President Obama signed a law that covered all the major points of addiction and recovery. This topic this important to me because some of my loved ones are addicts. I may also have clients that are addicts.This paper will take a look at that law. First, we have to define a few key terms.

Once someone enters treatment, there are a number of addiction recovery options that they may be given. Since every addiction is different, patients are given the unique blend of treatment options that work best for their circumstance. Most patients will need to start by going into a detox program. Afterward, rehab may include options like counseling, peer support and relapse prevention.

Addiction is everywhere, from celebrity tabloids, to television, and possibly to a family member or close friend. There is alcoholism, drug abuse, and gambling addiction; the effects of such are devastating. For example, the following excerpt is from the harrowing Leaving Dirty Jersey: A Crystal Meth Memoir by James Salant:

At the end of the course, it would only make sense that we turn to the question that we considered at the beginning of the course: What is addiction? Although the many decades of research on the topic have focused on many of the same topics, there are still disagreements on the answer to this question. Despite differences in opinion related to some of the most basics aspects in the field, there have been improvements in treatment and the way the topic is discussed. When I began this course, I was firmly ground in the belief that addiction is a disease, but there were some different parts of the course that have encouraged me to reexamine my initial understanding of addiction. This final paper will detail the process in which my beliefs at the

Addiction is a brain disorder defined by the compulsive engagement in rewarding behavior, despite negative consequences (Angres and Bettinardi–Angres 696). From the outside looking in it can be easy to judge and condemn adicts for pursuing their vice. However, don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that addicts are just people with weaker morals or insufficient spiritual guidance. Addiction is a medical disease with a complex etiology. Social dislocation and family stress appear to contribute significantly to the development of the disease. Social dislocation is the removal of an individual from their community, family or friends. The lack of social support can be devastating to an individual. It can create a painful void that they may attempt

Addiction treatment is a complex and paradoxical issue. Despite the fact that most of the medical and academic institutions define addiction as a chronic brain disease, it is too often treated on an acute basis. Chronic conditions are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as requiring ongoing management over a period of years or decades and cover a wide range of health problems. The goals of chronic care are not to cure, but to enhance functional status, minimize distressing symptoms, prolong life through secondary prevention and enhance quality of life.

Addiction is a chronic brain disease that often results in some sort of relapse. Addiction is characterized by inability to control drug use which results in problems with one’s behaviors and interpersonal relationships. This disease causes compulsive behaviors such as the need to use drugs despite the many harmful consequences that affect the addicted individual and those around him or her. Although for most people, the initial decision to use drugs is a one time lapse in judgement, the brain is easily affected by these drugs if the person decides to use these drugs multiple times. The changes that occur to the brain over time will cause the addicted person’s ability to resist the intense impulses of drugs to be altered causing the addict to often give into the temptation of these drugs. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death. Drug addiction is an issue that many people deal with whether they are the addict or the addict is their loved one; but with a good source of support anyone can over come the challenges and consequences of addiction.

Most become addicted because they want to numb their pain or try to gain some control in their life. For this reason, PTSD and substance abuse often lead to legal problems, incarceration, poverty, broken families and unemployment. “A startling 34% of all men and 27% of all women with PTSD will also suffer from drug addiction, while 28% of women and an astonishing 52% of men with PTSD will eventually be classified as alcoholics.” (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and

Addiction has a way of pulling your attention away from your basic needs and making it harder for you to succeed in life. It's a sad truth that I've seen happen to so many people over the years. These are good people, with good brains and real potential, but addiction takes over and they can only focus on that aspect of their life.

The experience of trauma can bring about feelings that are difficult for anyone else to understand. The feelings become even more complicated with addiction. It is important for practitioners to first understand the relationship of trauma and addiction to one another. Once the relationship is better understood, connections can be made to possible treatments and why those treatments should be used. Research testing these treatments can give possible avenues for practitioners to venture when faced with someone who is recovering from trauma and also facing a substance use disorder. The research available is a good start when trying to define the relationship between this co-occurring disorder.

Trauma, as well as a one time, numerous, or a long lasting repetitive happenings, it has an emotional influence and affects every person in a different way. Some people may clearly show conditions that are connected with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but then several

2.1 Million people in the United States suffer from a disorder relating back to the abuse of opiates. (America’s Addiction to Opioids: Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse, Volkow). Opiates build a wall around your thoughts and every wall of your life. When this happens, their lack of communication is cut off leaving them alone and making them make difficult decisions on their own. (How Does it Feel to be Addicted to Opiates, Donnelly). The substance takes everything from you including your money, family, and sanity. Without these things in their life, most abusers believe they have nothing left to rely on (How Does it Feel to be Addicted to Opiates, Donnelly). When people become addicted, they worry that they will never be back to normal. The substance had such a strong effect on them that they forget how life was before the abuse (How Does it Feel to be Addicted to Opiates,

Addiction is all around us. It may be that cup of coffee in the morning for the caffeine stimulation, the cigarette that is smoked for the nicotine, or an alcoholic drink used to relieve a stressful day or situation. For some, the addiction may not be to a substance, but to compulsive behaviors such as gambling, playing video games, or shopping. Consequences to addictions can impact an addict’s physical or mental state. Addiction can also have detrimental impact on the people that surround them. Watching a relationship fall apart because a person has an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or another addictive behavior is a sad thing to happen to anyone. Unfortunately, those with addictions usually won’t admit they even