While it is generally assumed that a persistent epidemic must be dealt with as efficiently and effectively as possible, I would like to know why drug addiction, an epidemic of enormous proportion, is treated as a social problem as opposed to the disorder that it is?
I propose that we understand drug addiction as a disorder, like heart disease, diabetes, and depression. In what follows, I will suggest that we understand the issue from the perspective of two primary sources.
Addiction is the term used to describe or define a complex behavioral disorder. The most common symptom is that addicts reach a point where they cannot control their own actions even when they see the harm they inflict on themselves and others; they continue this
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I’ve worked with people suffering from drug addiction and learned that many of them live in abject poverty, were either victims or perpetrators of domestic violence, uneducated, severely depressed, and emotionally and physically abused as children and adults. Some suffered from severe psychological trauma due to rape or witnessing the rape or murder of loved ones. Almost all had severe mental health issues that went undiagnosed and/or untreated. Nonetheless, they were addicted to drugs and many used them to escape the depravity of their everyday lives.
Jerry Nelson, an internationally known freelance writer and ghost writer, covers social issues globally. In one of his blogs he gives his opinion about some of the most common myths concerning drug addiction. He says that addiction is not a gene because institutions have studied this model and found that although many try to explain it as such, there is no way to determine if a person will become an addict. On the other hand, he says, if parents are drug addicts and frequently expose their children to their drug use, the children are at higher risk of becoming drug addicts (Jerry Nelson, 2015). In my experience, home life plays a critical role in whether or not the children follow in the footsteps of their parents or peers. If the home life is frequently violent, physically and emotionally abusive, and the children are exposed to this treatment at an early age, it is almost certain that
The society we all live in today is unforgiving and vicious when it comes to opinions on a person. Labeling a person an addict has a negative connotation and in a result negatively affects the mental status of any person who is battling with addiction. Mr. Leshner once again enlightens us by stating that society already has preconceived notions on what type of person an addict really is. Which are that addicts are simply “too weak willed” to stop. (Leshner, “Addiction…”). When someone is told negative things about oneself, she will eventually believe in the false words spoken. Our society is always chastising addicts and saying how they are blemishes in our world. This is an unforgivable wrong, instead of persecuting addicts and making them believe that they can never get clean or that they are too weak to get clean is wrong. We, as a society, need to offer them a safe haven. A person who is in, what they feel, a safe, comfortable, and relaxing environment will not go and look for drugs. An individual in a stressful, unsafe, and chaotic situation; where one feels out of control, is when a person looks for relief in any form, even drugs. Kevin McCauley, a nationally recognized author and speaker on the subject of addiction medicine, indicated in an article that the amount of stress an individual endures in their environment is a primary cause to drug abuse (McCauley). When under intense amounts of
Children who have addicts in their family can be genetically predisposed to become addicts. When we support programs that help these children develop coping mechanisms to overcome this predisposition, we can potentially halt the cycle of addiction. Studies have been conducted to determine why addiction seems to run in families. Some of these studies have concluded that some people who are addicts have fewer dopamine receptors than other people. This shortage of dopamine receptors can make the experiences in life seem dull and even depressing. In order to improve their life experience, many people turn to drugs or alcohol to make life more exciting. Unfortunately, this condition is sometimes hereditary. Also, when a child is raised in an environment where they feel neglected and unwanted, they are at risk of developing mental
Drug addiction is a disease that affects every aspect of one’s life and Is a serious health issue. It begins with one-time use, which leads to full dependency. The symptoms of being addicted is loss of control, cravings, physical dependence, and tolerance. You can tell the difference between drug abuse and addiction. Addiction is when one loses the ability to willingly stop using drugs. When one is addicted to drugs the only thing they care about is how they are going to get their next fix. They
Drug addicts, particularly those who are addicted to prescription drugs and recreational drugs such as marijuana, cocaine etc are generally viewed in a negative light in the US today. In many ways, this is logical and justified, but upon further examination, it is also possible to develop understanding and sympathy towards drug addicts and to view them in a different light.
Addiction is a condition that develops when a person consumes a substance that can cause pleasure but the continued use of the substance becomes overwhelming and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, relationships, or health because of the urgent need for this substance. In most cases the substances people are addicted to are drugs, and drugs are illegal. As a result, they end up getting caught and being sent to prison. Prison is not the correct place for someone battling addiction, a person battling addiction needs help and guidance. For this reason, drug addicts should be sent to rehab alternatively to prison.
Within the approximate 27 million illicit drug users in the United States, 7.1 million of them have met the criteria for drug addiction. Our brain is predetermined in a peculiar way that fabricates us to become more susceptible to things that pleasure us, hence making it more likely for us to repeat it again. This is a process that adjusts how the pleasure center along with other parts of the brain operates. All drugs are inevitably going to alter the way the brain functions by simply affecting the chemical neurotransmission. Studies have also shown that children who possess traits that are genetically influenced are likely to become more vulnerable to drugs within their lifespan. This is predominantly the case when the mother of the child utilizes drugs during her
There may be several factors that contribute to an individual becoming addicted. Research has found that genetics may have a significant amount of responsibility in this event. According to Volkow and Li (2005), 40-60% of vulnerability to addiction is due to genetic components. This number not only considers the effects of genes themselves but also the effects of gene-environment interactions. Individuals may have a genetic factor that puts them at a higher risk for becoming addicted, however, the environment in which these individuals grow up in may be the determining factor in the end. The individual may learn certain behaviors from an addicted parent, have easy access to drugs and alcohol in the home, or may be left unattended or given too much freedom from parental control at an early age. These scenarios may be considered high-risk environments for starting drugs at an early age or the individual may
Actually, Drug addiction is a complex illness. It is characterized by intense and, at times, uncontrollable drug craving, along with compulsive drug seeking and use that persist even in the face of devastating consequences.
I know that drug addiction can be on any kind of drug even prescription medication and it can consume your life and make you do things you wouldn't normally do just to be able to get your next fix it's a bad epidemic that can happen to everyone, it can also damage the brain and have horrible side effects when mixing drugs with other substances but still people continue to use them and some want to stop but can't because they don't know how and they're afraid that they won't be able to do anything without them, what i would really like to know is how to help with addiction instead of enabling it because some have had family members or someone they care about in a battle with addiction and they don't know how to help in the right way instead
Addiction is very commonly associated with drugs and alcohol. Addiction is not only related to drugs or alcohol, but it is also tied with things and activities. Addiction to drugs or alcohol are quite similar yet slightly different to addictions to activities and other things. Addiction to drugs and alcohol over time leads to a buildup of tolerance causing the user to need more of what they are addicted to in order to experience the same or more of an effect than they once needed to attain the same effect. They take drugs to avoid or relieve withdrawal symptoms. Addicts start putting people close to you at risk and jeopardizing your social life just for a little more of what you are addicted to. Addiction to an activity can be just as bad for you as addiction to a drug. Addicts will put their addiction to whatever activity before the rest of their normal lives. Some may become codependent on these drugs and activities. Codependency is a psychological condition or a relationship where a person is controlled or manipulated by another who is affected with a pathological condition When an addict is not doing such activities, they are thinking about it, letting their mind consume itself.
At three levels the social issue of drug and addiction can be seen in society. These three levels are Micro, Macro and Meso. The social issue under Micro level theory of drug abuse and addiction
Drug addiction is worldwide problem that only seems to get worse with time. Drugs have been used for thousands of years by many different ingenious peoples. Stimulants like tobacco and coca leaves produce different effects than depressants like alcohol but both are highly addictive. Humans emotional habits and experiences create neural path ways of addiction. Our brain starts making these new pathways and before a he or she knows it, something that they enjoyed so much start negatively impacting their lives. Once a person becomes dependent off a drug, it becomes very difficult to get off of because of the horrible withdrawals that follows from quitting. For many people, even without growing up around an environment influenced by drugs or alcohol, some are genetically predisposed to addiction to certain substances. My family is predisposed to alcohol addiction and tobacco addiction. Our environment, childhood, and genetics all individually have a part to play in predisposition to addiction of drugs.
Drug addiction, as emphasized by the experts of the World Health Organization, is the biggest threat to health worldwide.
In going through the counseling process with Marge she was explained that there is the possibility that it could be a factor of genetics. When considering her background one has realized that she not only has an alcohol addiction, but it was the same for her father and her uncle, both of whom had lost their lives to the disease. In talking about the disease model with Marge she seemed to be more at ease with the situation and more willing to accept the fact that she does have a problem. Per the disease model, addiction is a brain disease which alters the brain and how it functions (Horvath, Misra, Epner, & Cooper, 2016, para. 2).
When it comes to teenage drug abuse, marijuana, cocaine, LSD and other illegal drugs might come to mind. In fact four out of five people, when asked what they believed was the most abused drug among teens, answered: alcohol, heroin, cocaine, meth and caffeine. While all these drugs are of concern, the use of them in teens is declining. Adolescence are becoming more aware of the side effects and consequences of using these drugs. Narcotic pharmaceuticals are a rising issue in teens today. Yet most people seem to be unaware of pain killers as a problem. It could be due to most pain killers only being able to be obtained by doctor. Doctors have to hand out prescriptions in order for a person, whom ever it may be, to obtain the medications. Here is where the issue arises. Any person can inside a hospital screaming in agony and receive pain medication. But what if those people don’t need the medication? What if the symptoms they are portraying aren’t real? Many people take advantage of our health care system. Without realizing the effects it not only has on one, but on the people closest to them also.