Drug Abuse Research Paper

Since I was young I was told I was a quiet child, very mousy like who was always hiding behind her mother’s leg. I would never leave my mother's side and if I was greeted by a stranger, I would retreat from them, so I was shy. My mom would encourage me to go and say hi to others or play with a child that asked me to join in a game. I would at times play with them, but I would always go back to my mom when I had enough playing or was stressed. While I am comfortable to explore and later going to my mom when I want to be safe, I was avoidance of others and never felt comfortable, but I did have fun when I was comfortable.

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

Substance abuse is a significant public health issue across the United States today, especially regarding our nation’s youth. The United States consistently continues to have the highest levels of substance use among all other developed countries and has remained third in regards to alcohol consumption (CDC, 2013). Despite leading the world with drug research, illegal drug policy, and one of the highest legal drinking age mandates, the U.S has the highest rates of illegal drug use and abuse, especially pertaining to marijuana, cocaine and prescription painkillers (Healthy Americans Organization, 2013). Nationally, drug overdose deaths have doubled in 29 states since 1999, with Massachusetts having the 32nd highest rate in the country (Healthy Americans Organization, 2013). A large percentage of drug use is reportedly by adolescents, beginning as young as 12 years old (Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, 2012). Recent statistics show that teenage drug abuse has been on the rise for the past decade with 50 percent of high school seniors reportedly having used an illicit substance of some kind (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). Furthermore, 1 in 10 teens report using marijuana about 20 times per month and 1 in 5 teens reportedly have taken prescription pain killers recreationally (CASA, 2011). According to the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (2012), almost 8 percent of adolescents in Massachusetts, ranging from 12-17years of age, suffer from substance dependence

Drug abuse is a serious problem especially with America’s youth since marijuana and other drugs are very harmful to the developing brains of adolescents. Some of the most commonly abused drugs are Marijuana, Cocaine, Xanax, and Adderall. (Health and Life) Some of these drugs are more harmful

“Substance Use Disorders” are new to the DSM-5. Previously, the terms “abuse” and “dependence” where used instead. In general, the DSM-5 considers a Substance Use Disorder to be recurrent drug use that causes impairment and continued use, despite substance use related problems. The DSM-5 also focuses on how substance use causes a change in brain functioning. The change is primarily responsible for intense drug cravings, as well as repeated relapses. Finally, the DSM-5 divides use into four groups, including impaired control, social impairment, risky use, and pharmacological criteria (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Drug abuse is worldwide problem and one that has plagued the United States for decades. Drug abuse negatively impacts not only the individual user, but also our society as a whole. The fight to prevent the manufacturing and trafficking of illegal drugs into the country has made very little impact on its accessibility to those that wish to partake. According to the National Drug Control Budget Report for 2015, the President of the United States request $25.4 Billion in Fiscal Year 2015 in order to reduce drug use and its consequences in the U.S. (National Drug Control Budget, 2014). In addition to enormous amount of money the federal government has pledged to fight this social problem, there are numerous organizations and institutions committed to keeping people off drugs and rehabilitating those fortunate enough to have survived their use. Two organizations working to do solve the problem of drug abuse and the associated destructive behaviors are the Drug Abuse Resistance Education also known as D.A.R.E. program and Narcotics Anonymous.

“In 2014, nearly two million Americans either abused or were dependent on prescription opioid pain relievers (“Injury Prevention and Control: Opioid Overdose,” 2016.)” The CDC is now saying that the United States is in an epidemic. The purpose of this paper is to explore the increasing drug use in the United States over the last decade. The primary focus is on the administration of opioid analgesics and the addicting mechanisms of these medications, and what they are used for. It will talk about the deaths related to these medications and the health effects, and the other types of drugs these medications can lead to, such as heroin. This paper will also talk about the costs related to opioid analgesics in the hospitals and in the community, and what we as health care providers can be doing to help stop this epidemic.

Drugs and Alcohol have many effects on a person’s mind and body. If prolonged use of these substances continues, the effects can be serious or even life threatening. Parents, teachers, the media, and friends all have a large impact on how others see the world. Teachers and parents must take the time and responsibility to teach and inform the next generation about drugs and alcohol. If a child has the proper awareness and guidance, he will be less likely to use them in his adolescence and adulthood. Parents and teenagers may be overwhelmed by the fear of drug and alcohol abuse. Parents cannot control all of the things their children do. Though they can set an example and provide

The concept of drug use was not always seen as problematic. Instead, students viewed substance use as a means of remedying negative emotions as a sign of addiction. Overall students were able to recognize and share how their peers and close relations had suffered from this type of use, rather than admit that they personally had used substances as a means of self-medicating negative emotions. The idea of using drugs to remedy negative emotions was also named use “as a source of happiness” or a “means of escape.” Despite these different descriptions all of these concepts have roots in dislocation causing addictive behaviors.

It was mid-summer on a beautiful day, where the birds were singing and kids run about here and there. Playing by the playground with my friends and neighbors, I heard a siren. It was all too normal to hear this song of urgency when you live near the highway, but this one was different. It was closer, it was louder, it was outside the towns entrance. People rushed to the site to see what had occurred so close to home. As my group came closer, a white car stare back at us, but it was a stranger’s car, one we were not familiar with, a sigh of relief. Behind that car, another car lies on its hood, flipped and shattered. I heard my friend cried, she screamed to move forward but was held back. Firemen and police officers rushing to pull out two bodies. They were young, younger than we were, one was little girl lying in the ambulance, my friend’s little sister. Only fourteen, her first year in high school, but she was motionless. Her boyfriend, the driver, disoriented, but he was fine, only a scar on the forehead. I found out later my friend, the driver drove drunk and crossed a red light, the oncoming vehicle smashed into the passenger side and little T left us that day.

Substance abuse is when a person uses too much of a substance or when a person uses a substance incorrectly. The substance can be a medicine, a drug, alcohol, tobacco, or a chemical. Substance abuse during pregnancy can harm a baby's health. Poisons from the substance can damage the baby’s organs. If the substance abuse causes the mother to have poor nutrition, it also causes the baby to have poor nutrition.

Substance abuse and addiction have become a social problem that afflicts millions of individuals and disrupts the lives of their families and friends. Just one example reveals the extent of the problem: in the United States each year, more women and men die of smoking related lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined (Kola & Kruszynski, 2010). In addition to the personal impact of so much illness and early death, there are dire social costs: huge expenses for medical and social services; millions of hours lost in the workplace; elevated rates of crime associated with illicit drugs; and scores of children who are damaged by their parents’ substance abuse behavior (Lee, 2010). This paper will look at

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.

A drug is a chemical substance applied into treating, diagnosing and preventing one from disease infections or a substance that is used by a person to enhance his or her physical and mental state in the perceived effect. Drugs used for different purposes and their effect depend on which cause for usage. It causes both positive and negative consequences directly to the user and in the long-run it affects the whole society or community. Drug addiction is the activity of uncontrollable dependence on a substance by the user no matter the harm caused by its usage. It is a habit that has been in many years hard to curb especially among the youths. “We must recognize that substance abuse and addiction is a disease, not a moral failing or easily abandoned self-indulgence,” (Califano, 2008).The cases of drug abuse have been on the rise over the recent years and resulted in crimes. The cases have a great effect affected the society in general since the reliable energetic youths have turned to drug abuse. However, some measures have been initiated to mitigate, curb and treat drug addiction in the society as outlined in the essay.

Drugs are heavily used throughout the entire world. However, it is important to understand and not undermine the variability in which drugs are used. It is clear some are for distinct medical treatment and others are for recreational use. In the United States, marijuana has been and continues to be a very controversial drug. Some states have allowed marijuana consumption for medicinal purposes, while others have completely outlawed the drug. Those who are against the legalization and regulation of marijuana suggest the economical and health risk associated with consumption of the drug are too high. Although there is risk involved with the legalization of the marijuana, our country has already been risking too much banning the drug.