Chemical Dependency is common. It is most likely more common than one would think. The 2013 report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found the percent of people 12 years of age and over with any illicit drug use in the past month: was 9.4%. The statistics also show people 12 years of age and over with any nonmedical use of a psychotherapeutic drug in the past month was 2.5%. These rates are significant. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIH, 2014) found abuse of and addiction to substances costs Americans more than $700 billion a year in increased health care costs, crime, and lost productivity. Unfortunately, each year illicit and prescription drugs and alcohol contribute to the death of more than 90,000 …show more content…
There is such an extensive list of drugs that have the ability to be abused. This this is not a comprehensive list. Depending on the location in the United States, some drugs will be more common to abuse than others. However, if the person is addicted to a certain drug, they will find a way to obtain it or make it if the drug is not readily available. will find a way to obtain it or make it if the drug is not readily available.
Risk Factors and Protective Factors
According to Walsh (2012), experimentation with alcohol and drugs is the most prominent risk to becoming a substance abuser. There are neurologists and mental health professions that agree some people are more susceptible than other people to becoming addicted to substances because of genetic, biological, or environmental differences. Some of these risk factors include, but are not limited to: family history of substance abuse, mental disorders, childhood trauma, and early experimentation with substances. Even someone who does not have these risk factors but experiments with substances can still become addicted. Typically, the more risk factors a person has, the more likely are chances that using drugs will lead to abuse and addiction. Alternatively, having protective factors reduce a person’s risk of developing addiction. These protective
Could it simply be that we have inherited some gene that makes us more susceptible to being a drug abuser or a lack of self-control? Well look at how theory may explain why sally began using drugs, risk factors and treatments to help her overcome this problem. Case Study This case study is about a 16 year old girl named sally.
The risks a person has for addiction is influenced by his/her biology, environment, and stage of development. The more risks an individual has, the higher the chance of becoming addicted. Ascribed statuses, such as gender and ethnicity, might influence drug addiction and food addiction in general. A person’s environment involves many influences, from family and friends to socioeconomic status and generally the quality of life.
“The total "economic burden" of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement”. -The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Genetic factors have been directly linked to the risk of an individual’s vulnerability to addiction (APA, 2008). In addition, other risk factors that play a
Many people have turned to substance abuse or experience chemical dependency for a variety of reasons. Nurses experience chemical dependency as well. According to Kunyk (2013), “healthcare professionals, including nurses, are also potentially vulnerable to substance use disorders regardless of any special knowledge, skills or insights they might have owing to their education and professional experiences” (p. 54). This paper will define what chemical dependency is, report causes of chemical dependency in nurses, describe behaviors associated with chemical dependency, and explain what needs to be done upon reentry into the work place.
People will go to great lengths to get their hands on the drug of
Drug abuse and addiction remain large and persistent problems. Nationally, addiction and abuse of all substances costs the economy an estimated $600 billion dollars annually. Indeed, over the past decade, illicit drug use appears to be steady or rising (2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health; DHHS). From this we see that prescription and non-prescription opioid use is particularly problematic. For example, prescription pain reliever misuse has remained consistently high for most of the last decade and makes up the largest portion of misuse of prescription drugs (Figure 1). In addition people who report using heroin within the last year has increased by over 50% since 2001 (Figure 2).
And this included the cost of treatment, medical care, and criminal justice versus prevention. Harwood, Fountain and Livermore (1994-1999) made it clear in the economic costs of alcohol and drug abuse in the United States that, nearly two-thirds of drug issues costs are related to crime and criminal justice, with only one-third of the costs related to health. Additionally, core health-related costs account for more than 90%, and this is (costs) associated with alcohol problems (p. 631-635). In other words, the issue with alcohol result in over three times more core health costs than illegal drug issues ($135.2 billion as compared to $40.5 billion), and the bulk of economic costs is $57.1 billion, also associated with illegal drugs, which are a direct result of criminal justice response to the problems (Sctchfield,
Individuals who suffer with mental illnesses are more likely to abuse drugs. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research there is a “Definite connection between mental illness and the use of addictive substances.” Alone people who are afflicted with some sort of mental illness, are thought to consume 38 percent of all alcohol, 44 percent of all cocaine, and 40 percent of cigarettes. There are many reasons and theory's to why this trend occurs. Depending on the case, the involvement of drugs can cause mental illness. Drugs such as meth, cocaine, and heroine, can change the way a brain works. The use of these drugs, and others can cause a multitude of different mental illness's, ranging from depression or anxiety, all the way to schizophrenia and cognitive impairment. In other circumstances, an individual may turn to drugs to help them manage their symptoms. Another reason is that mental illness, and addiction are caused
According to Psychologist Ellen Pastorino, a Professor of Psychology at Valencia College, “In 2012, an estimated 23.9 million people (9.2%) in the United States aged 12 or older admitted to using illegal substance in the past month” (Pastorino, 149). Prescription medication is useful as a method of treatment for illness, but irresponsible use of a psychoactive substance can lead to addiction. Psychologists, and medical doctors are concerned about misuse of psychoactive substances since it can lead to physiological, and psychological distress, decreasing overall wellbeing. Anyone has the potential of developing an addiction, which is the key danger to these psychoactive medications – they are a useful tool in the medical
What is causing this high rate of addiction in the elderly population? Primarily, it seems, depression and anxiety. One study found that 63 percent of elderly people that abused drugs said that their use was influenced by these twin totems of mental health disorder. These feelings were related to the realities of aging, such as physical pain, loss of friends and family, and problems with financial stability.
A person who is addicted might do almost anything—lying, stealing, or hurting people—to keep taking the drug. This could get the person arrested.
They assume addicts lack moral principles or self-discipline and that they can quit by simply deciding to. The reality is, people who have struggled with substance abuse have often found it extremely difficult to quit due to the physical and/or mental addiction. Drug have the ability to change the brain patterns and cause health complications, making things harder in the long-term and may determine life or death. Fortunately, because of more research, there are more ways to back out of an addiction and seek help through an enduring and extensive treatment. Factors that affect the likelihood and speed of developing an addiction are environmental and individual factors, including genetics and
Patient’s will become dependent on the pain relief and begin to crave the drug; once they have continually taken their
Many first try drugs out of curiosity, to have a good time, because friend are doing it, or in an effort to improve athletic performance or case another problem, such as stress anxiety, or depression. Use doesn’t automatically lead to abuse, and there is no specific level at which drug use moves from casual to problematic. It varies by individual. Drug abuse and addiction is less about the amount of substance consumed or frequency, and more to do with the consequences of drug use. No matter how often or how little you’re consuming, if your drug use is causing problems in your life at work, school, home or in your relationship. You likely have a drug abuse or addiction.