The Stigma Of Drug Addiction

The definitions have progressed from tolerance or withdrawal symptoms from a specific drug to chronic intoxication, continued use with increased dosage, dependence, and damaging effects to user (Reinarman 2005). Both of these definitions proved to be too restrictive because all drugs do not have the same effects on every user. The current definition used by physicians and the criminal justice system is based on seven criteria (Reinarman 2005). The constant evolution of how the professional world views drug dependence mirrors society’s change in the understanding of addiction. Historically, “the drink” was viewed as the devil and drugs were often thought to be the cause of many criminal acts (Schneider 2003). After the medicalization of addiction and dawn of decriminalization of drug abuse, public opinion of deviant alcohol and drug use has changed. For the family unit, it is much simpler to accept and approach treatment for addiction if it is classified as a medical disease. In society, drug users can be framed as patients instead of criminals based on current standards. By looking at addiction as a treatable set of signs and symptoms instead of holding the individual accountable for actions they committed while intoxicated, the disease concept releases a lot of the stigma that goes along with

First of all, there is the Structural-Functional perspective way people view drug addiction as. The structural-functional perspective is the role the drugs do for the person or the weakening of the norms. It is the way they affect the person and what it does to them that makes them be addicted to drugs. For some people drugs relieves them. It takes them away from their problems from a while and they feel stress free and because of that feeling they receive from the drugs they like it and continue to take more and more. Those with this type of perspective well most likely disagree with this view of drug addiction and would want the problem to decrease.

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).

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse 2014, the disease model addiction is considered a brain disease that can affect multiple circuits in the brain, which involve motivation, learning, memory and inhibitory control over one’s behavior. Because drug addiction and abuse have so many dimensions and disrupts aspects of one’s life, treatment is just not that simple. Addiction treatment must be able to stop an individual from using drugs and continuously maintain a drug free lifestyle, and achieve productive functioning in working, family and society. Because a person’s addiction is typically considered a chronic disease, those who have the disease cannot simply stop using drugs in a few days and totally be cured. Some require long-term and repeated episodes of care to be able to achieve one’s ultimate goal of sustaining abstinence and recovery of their lives. A report conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the

For many years, we as a society have assumed that those who become addicted to drugs or alcohol do so out of character weakness and / or moral depravity. While choices and judgment make up a part of why some people become addicted, it does not account for all people. Many people who initially are treated with prescription painkillers for legitimate pain soon discover they have exchanged a pain problem for a full-blown and life-threatening addiction.

Addiction is a term that has traditionally been used to refer to psychiatric syndrome that is caused by illicit drug use. Actually, addition is the only psychiatric condition whose symptoms are regarded as an illegal activity. In most cases, this term is described on the basis of drug use, which is the main focus of many research and treatment programs. Generally, drug addiction has significant negative effects on individuals using the drug and those around them such as family and friends. Family and friends are usually forced to watch their loved ones wilt away in illicit drug use. While addiction has traditionally been regarded as a psychiatric condition, there are numerous debates that have emerged on

These beliefs include: bad kids’ use drugs, goods kids’ do not use drugs, and individuals suffering from addictions are hopeless, fragile, and sinners. The treatment and prevention for addiction has struggled to receive sufficient funding from the government. The author believes without the financial support from the government, prevention campaigns and research involving effective new treatment methods is not plausible. The prevention campaigns help by creating additional awareness for children and adolescents about drugs, and the short and long term side effects drugs have on an individual’s body and mind. The reason for the lack of support from the government is due to a negative stigma on addicts. The negative stigma is that individuals suffering from addictions are choosing to cause harm to themselves, rather than being in need of help and support. When viewing the stigmas that the health insurance companies and the clinical teams have placed on treating individuals that are suffering from addictions. The health insurance companies feel that they are not obligated to treat individuals that are suffering from addictions. The reasoning following that is insurance companies believe that drug use is not technically viewed as an illness unless they are considered to be in crisis. Once an addict is in crisis the clinician may struggle to offer effective services to the client. When a client is tackling a

The term addiction holds many different meanings in today’s society, but in the past it has been referred to as a sort of devotion to something. Over time, a more modern definition of the term has developed that links addiction to harmful involvement with drugs that eventually has potential of produce withdrawal or tolerance in an individual (Alexander & Schweighofer, 1988). Although the word addiction holds a more general meaning in a modern context it pertains to any kind of compulsive use. Current psychological authorities refer to drug addictions as substance abuse rather than simply an addiction for many reasons; the two conditions can be differentiated by the specificity of the substance being

‘Addiction is a mental illness that nearly 22.7 million Americans (eight percent of the population) needed treatment for in 2013’ many people in the world today suffer from addiction (National Institute on Drug Abuse).Becoming aware of what addiction is, the effects of it, and how to prevent it will help keep the cycle from occurring.

Understanding the theories of addiction is not only helpful towards us understanding our own notions that we will uphold in our practice. They are important in reminding us to have an open mind and be welcoming of those that work within a different theories framework or believe a different perception of their own addiction. The different theories/models in which practitioners may work within towards addiction include the moral - personal choice; sociocultural - external factors; psychological - secondary to psychological condition; disease - primary disease; and the biopsychosocial model - multivariate syndrome (Fisher, G. & Harrison, T., 2013, Ch 3). Additional models include cultural – part of moral model; temperance – part of disease model; social educational model – learned behavior; blended model – numerous causes (Rocke, C. 2016). That ultimately the reason in which addiction manifested is not the only concern, but treating those who need support in a way they feel helpful, comfortable and supported with in relation to their health and beliefs of the upmost important whether differing from our own notions or

There has been controversy surrounding the most recent issue on drug addiction, especially when it comes to treatment opportunities. To start, many people in our country don’t know how to define addiction or understand how drugs affect the brain. A drug addiction physically takes over the brain and body, and in many cases inflicts a psychological issue on an individual. For example, anxiety or depression. Addicts can also experience physiological symptoms that are uncontrollable and intolerable. Many scientists and psychologists have performed extensive research on the mind of an addict, proving its disease-like nature. There are treatment options for those with disease, some with similar characteristics to those that treat universally known

Society has a worldview on how they characterize a person who is an addict, that worldview is determined from personal beliefs, family beliefs, or experiences through interacting with an addict. Usually, people assume that addiction is a choice not a chronic disease, believing that they can just stop whenever, no realizing that the drug is what “shaped” them (Gawne-Kelnar). People stigmatize a person who is an addict without complete understanding. Most people have a fixed mindset of what an addict is since a young age, but fail to realize that addiction is a complex illness and disease. Addiction is a psychological problem that interacts with the stimulation of the brain. It is a chronic disease that triggers the frontal lobes of the brain

There are different stigmas with addictions. “Addiction related stigma affects people in different ways”. “As a result there is a wealth of ways

7 MYTHS ABOUT DRUG ADDICITON THAT UNDERMINE RECOVERY Addiction is one of the conditions where a person indulges in compulsive and repetitive behaviours that have potential negative impacts on the person’s mental health. One such addiction is drug addiction which involves a compulsive habit of consuming drugs. Coping up with drug addiction is tough and the myths revolving around it only make the situation worse. To help drug addicts find a better future, we must erase a few myths about drug addiction. Keep reading to find out 7 myths about drug addiction that we need to discard right away.

Sociologists, religious adherents, and government agents see addictive behavior as being criminal or sinful. These kinds of social judgments do little to help the addict, yet, they do cause harm, making the addict feel shameful, weak, or helpless. Suddenly he feels like a child who wets the bed, or cannot