The Drug Problem Of Addicted With Prescription Drugs

Drug addiction ruins lives. It alters a person's personality and attitude causing marriages to fall apart and families to experience great strain. It amounts to millions of dollars in lost time and productivity. And it also causes deaths and accidents.

All around the world anyone can find people that are addicted to some form of drug. Drug addiction is a huge issue that has been occurring for about thirty years now and is occurring to this day for many reasons. Some of those reasons may be that something is going on back home and they have had enough, or because of stress, peer pressure, biological reasons and the list goes on. However, there has been law enforcement due to drugs since the mid 1980’s. People have many viewpoints to when it comes to drug use and addiction. There are three perspectives people have that view the use of drugs and drug addiction which are structural functionalism, conflict, and symbolic interactionist.

There are many models and theories which attempt to explain the causes of substance misuse and dependence. They range from those which highlight the importance of genetic and biological factors to those which stress social and psychological factors and those which may consider the ‘blame’ to be that of the dependent individual (Rassool 2009).

The history of addiction goes back centuries, and unfortunately, there is still a long way to go for people to realize the effects of chemical substances do more harm than good. The difference between drug use and abuse relies heavily on a person’s dependence on the substance. The line between the differences is often very fine. Depending on other factors involved, such as morals, values, environment, and genetic predisposition, the line will most likely be crossed without regard to the consequences until treatment and recovery are the only options left. This is essay compares two theoretical explanations

In society, drugs have been the downfall for many people. There are many reasons that a person may use drugs such as: peer pressure, relief of stress, increased energy, to relax, to relieve pain, to escape reality, to feel more self esteem, and for recreation ("Drug addiction and drug abuse," 2011). What is it that causes the obsession and compulsion to use drugs? Why can some people stop and others go on to become addicts? Addiction is often now defined by the continuing, compulsive nature of the drug use despite physical and/or psychological harm to the user and society ("Drug addiction and drug abuse," 2011).

Addiction is a serious problem, especially when it comes to drugs, and can severely impact one's life, which can be seen in these three following stories. First of all, Katrina K. had two addict parents and grew up in a one parent household, where she faced problems such as depression and molesting, which could be escaped through drugs. Next is an anonymous health professional that started his addiction in medical school when his friend offered him stimulants to stay awake to study, which developed into a continued use to keep up with the demanding workload of his practice. Finally, Tracey Helton Mitchell was a good student, but started addiction when she got her wisdom teeth taken out and received opiates, which led to many problems. Each of these previous addicts abused a different drug and started for several reasons.

This week I chose to further explore the article Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction: Past, Present and Future: The Paradigm for an Epidemic written by P. B. Hall MD, DABAM, AAMRO, Denzil Hawkinberry II, MD, DABA, Pam Moyers-Scott, PAC, MPAS, DFAAPA as more and more individuals are abusing and becoming addicted to prescription medications. The article provides a great amount of statistical data for the US but is primarily focused on the population in West Virginia where Governor Joe Manchin III states, “Substance abuse affects a broader segment of West Virginia’s citizens and their state and local governments than any other single issue confronting us today” (Hall, Hawkinberry, II, & Moyers-Scott, 2010). West Virginia is far from the only state facing the prescription drug epidemic as it is becoming more and more prevalent across the US each year. “It is estimated that in 2009, the number of adolescents and adults with a substance abuse and/or dependence problem has reached 23.2 million in the US” (Hall, Hawkinberry, II, & Moyers-Scott, 2010). In the past, addiction has been thought of as the disease of the weak, but with advancement in brain imaging technology to accurately measure neurotransmitters addiction is now recognized as a disease. Prescription drug abuse and addiction has enormous socioeconomic costs in the areas of medical expenses, drug related crime, and unemployment. “Current estimates of the financial burden to society due to substance abuse exceeds half a

Addiction can be one of the hardest things to overcome in an individual’s life. Having to go through the process alone can be extremely difficult, not to mention the withdraws that come from fighting an addiction. However, there are many support groups and different associations a person can join to help them fight of their addiction. Even so, addiction is still extremely hard to fight off. So what can an addict do when they have done everything to fight off their addiction, but they are still addicted? They do what many people have done when they are in need, they turn to a higher power, something or someone who is greater than themselves. Having a higher power when one has an addiction, can help them fight off and possible completely quit

“Prescription drug abuse is the use of a medication without a prescription, in a way other than as prescribed, or for the experience or feelings elicited.” Prescription Drugs are ranked number two in drugs abused (Volkow 7).

Prescription drug abuse is the use of prescription drugs in the incorrect manner, whether it’s taking a larger dose, taking someone else’s drugs, injecting or snorting them, or simply using them to get high. The three types of drugs that are most abused are opioid painkillers, sedatives or anti-anxiety medication and simulants. Opioids are the most commonly used simply because they are easy to obtain. One of the seven deadly sins is pleasure without conscience. The abuse of prescription drugs is a direct reflection of this teaching. People destroy their bodies, life and relationships around them. Too many people are dying and abusing prescription drugs each year; creating informative programs in and out of school

Every year millions of teenagers experiment with prescription drugs and many they think prescription drugs are safer than illicit drugs found on the streets. “According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, teens who abuse prescription drugs are twice as likely to use alcohol, five times more likely to use marijuana, and twelve to twenty times more likely to use illegal street drugs such as heroin, Ecstasy and cocaine than teens who do not abuse prescription drugs” ("Drug free world," n.d., p. A1). These figures demonstrate the need and urgency we must teach our young people to avoid drug use which will minimize their chances of developing other substance abuse problems. The Taskforce will

In a sociological setting, addiction refers to the dependence an individual has on a drug, which has developed to such a vast extent that it has a severe and harmful impact on them (Wincup 2011: 5). Implying, that the individual is so reliant on the substance that without it they feel adverse effects (Wincup 2011: 5). Additionally, creating psychological and/or physiological necessity for the drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms (Levine-Rasky 2017). A common occurrence with an addiction is the abuse of a drug, which can result in some form of physical, mental, or social impairment (Levine-Rasky 2017). Whereas social determinants of health are the economic and social conditions that shape the health of individuals, communities, and jurisdictions (Clarke 2016:100). Multiple studies have demonstrated that the material and social circumstances that individuals are exposed to in their

The social model of addiction tries to recognize and repair systematic problems within society that could impact a person’s choice about substance use (Doweiko, 2015). Cultural, environmental, and family components of a person’s life are all a part of the social model. These influences can either enable the development of addiction or increase resistance against addiction. For instance, in distinct cultures and environments, the manufacture, sale, and distribution of illicit drugs are considered as acceptable behaviors for a person to prosper and gain respect (Doweiko, 2015). Social aspects such as poverty, community immersion, unemployment, and family structure either influence or guard the person from substance abuse. Identification of adverse social influences so that these concerns can be attended to will decrease the probability of the individual relapsing or the continued abuse of substances (Doweiko, 2015).

Drug addiction is a complex problem in society today. Addiction is a condition that extremely affects the person’s mind and body. Addiction also has wide sweeping effects on that person’s social connection and functioning. Unfortunately, many addicts don’t realize the social influence of their addiction until much of their functioning has greatly deteriorated.

Drug addiction is one of society 's biggest problems and it is rampant among teenagers and young adults and one of the most abused drugs is marijuana. Cannabis sativa or marijuana usually grows throughout tropical and temperate climates and then plant 's stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds are then dried. What attracts to most users is the mind altering effect these parts produce which is addictive to some extent. It is usually smoked as cigarette, or in a pipe. It is also smoked in blunts, in which cigars will be emptied of tobacco and refill with marijuana or sometimes it is combined with another drug. It can also be brewed as tea or mixed in food. Hashis is a more concentrated, resinous form which is sticky black liquid, hash oil. The