Understanding the Root of Addiction

The effect of addiction have consumed billions of individuals all over the world, not only consume but also killed. Individuals have relied on drugs to fill the void in their life that is missing. The addict is not only hurting themselves from the drug use but their families, friends, and their community. In this paper, it will give a description of a 21-year-old male named Anthony. Anthony started using marijuana at the age of 20, trying to hide the pain from the death of his sister. Eventually, marijuana was not enough to get Anthony the extra high he wanted which Anthony made the choice to try another drug and eventually it

From beginning to end, Benoit Denizet-Lewis makes this apparent in his tales about the eight addicts, and even in his own experiences with addiction. The book has the potential to change the way the public thinks about the issue of addiction in America. At the end of the book, I learned about who had succeeded or relapsed. In a statement I wholeheartedly agree with, "Where are the millions of addicts in this country who are sober and have turned around their lives? They need to be on the front lines of this war," Denizet-Lewis mentions, encouraging other recovering addicts to join and make both a political and public stand on the awareness of

Gabor Maté’s essay, “Embraced by the Needle” uses client experiences and research to make a valid argument about how drug addictions are not the results of the drug alone, but from suppressed feelings of unhappiness and a lack of nurturing during childhood. Based out of Vancouver, Maté, a physician at a non-profit harm reduction facility, works with individuals who suffer from drug addiction and mental illness. He explores the underlying reasons behind addiction. Maté supports his argument with various patient stories and direct quotations from addicts to give a real life perspective on their inner feelings. Maté also uses statistics and scientific research to describe early brain development in humans and animals. He explains how neglect can cause vulnerability. He also supports his argument with insight behind addicts that come from loving families. These scientific and personal reflections support Matés argument and encourage the reader to agree with his essay.

Dopamine is defined as a neurochemical that supports fine motor activity, blood pressure, focus inspiration, intuition, and joy, among other functions (“Dopamine”). The brain interprets all items of pleasure in the same manner. Whether someone has sexual intercourse, eats a delicious meal, or smokes marijuana, the brain releases dopamine in the same fashion. Drugs ranging from nicotine to heroin all produce the same signals in the nucleus accumbens, which is a group of nerve cells that sits below the cerebral cortex (“Understanding Addiction: How Addiction Hijacks the Brain”). In “Violence in Movies, Music, and Media,” by Jeanne Nagle, dopamine is compared to a shot of a heavy-duty amphetamine (38). The entertainment an individual finds in shooting another person on a TV screen is the same as one who watches a violent movie that interests them as well. As dopamine is released, the brain naturally wants more as it is very addictive by nature (“Understanding Addiction: How Addiction Hijacks the Brain”). Rosner for example, the man addicted to videogames, could sit down and be vegetative for 18 hours at a time playing his favorite game. The dopamine released while playing was enough to almost shut down his prefrontal regions in his brain that affect judgement and concern – leading him to play more and more violent games (Linden). People who begin as mildly curious or interested in the world of violence, zombies, and vampires can quickly become an addicted expert on the subject

In order to better understand addiction as a disease as opposed to a moral dilemma it first must be broken down. First you must look at the way in which the chemicals affect the brain. The first attempt at partaking in any mind altering substance can be looked at as a choice to the individual. However what happens after that first

The cycle of addiction is like running on a treadmill suspended in air where there's seemingly no way to get off. Fortunately, there is always a way off if you are willing to admit you are suffering from the disease of addiction. There's the rub. The healing process from addiction has to start with you. When you are ready and able to receive help, you will find that a quality addition treatment center like (name) in (location) will be awaiting your call.

In the book, Addiction & Grace: Love and Spirituality in the Healing of Addictions, May explores how addiction develops and can be treated from a psychological, physiological, and spiritual standpoint. This theme is clearly shown through out the text as it shows addiction from a whole person view. The book covers the development of addiction from desire through the experience of addiction. The key focus on looking at the matter of addiction from multiple stand points in then broken down by explaining how addiction is an issue psychologically, physiologically, and spiritually. By focusing on these three areas the author is able to present the reader with a clear understanding of addiction from all sides of the problem. This is then

Substance abuse is a tragedy that touches many lives. Abuse begins with a single use event that, with continued use and overindulgence, transforms into a battle. The abuser most always loses that battle. Personal relationships, social ties, and employment suffers. Irresponsible and erratic behavior becomes the norm, and though the abuser is aware on some level of the reckless and thoughtless acts that they commit, they continue to use and abuse their drug of choice. What starts as experimentation often ends in addiction. The best hope for a person in the grips of substance abuse is immediate,

Addiction is a brain disorder defined by the compulsive engagement in rewarding behavior, despite negative consequences (Angres and Bettinardi–Angres 696). From the outside looking in it can be easy to judge and condemn adicts for pursuing their vice. However, don’t let anyone fool you into thinking that addicts are just people with weaker morals or insufficient spiritual guidance. Addiction is a medical disease with a complex etiology. Social dislocation and family stress appear to contribute significantly to the development of the disease. Social dislocation is the removal of an individual from their community, family or friends. The lack of social support can be devastating to an individual. It can create a painful void that they may attempt

In the 1980’s, Nancy Reagan started the “Just Say No” campaign. This was an attempt to help people avoid the pitfalls of drugs and addiction. Now, imagine if the government started a campaign about drugs that was “Just Say Yes”. Opponents of drug addiction claim that drugs alter brain structures, change thought processes, and causes family issues. However, Aldous Huxley’s book, Brave New World, portrays a more irrational perspective of drugs where addiction is necessary for controlling the population.

In 1981, the iconic video game character, Mario, flashed on television screens made possible by the Nintendo Entertainment System, marking the beginning of video games taking over the globe. The retro, pixel interfaces of video games quickly strides to advance its graphics, gameplay and quality, becoming an ambitious industry as the years continue on. In the early 1900s, this was an unreal thought by society from the technology at the time, including a man named Aldous Huxley. The author of the novel Brave New World, published in 1932, Huxley creates a dystopian science fiction novel in which a futuristic society must be stabilized, kept together by conditioning the individual. The novel bares a resemblance to advancing technology in the modern day world, particularly the video game industry.

An understanding of addiction must remain broad: addiction as a possible consequence of the human desire to alter consciousness; a chief public health concern for its dramatic negative impact on society through the destructive behaviors of the addiction; a chronic, relapsing, biopsychosocial disorder that cannot be understood apart from social context—not simply as a brain disease (Hammer et al., 2013). It is much more than a brain disease and everyone deserves to be treated for their individual issues and/or traumas. The challenge of providing quality care for the addicted is layered not only with careful consideration and social context of the addicts—their ability to cope, their understanding of the nature of

Drug and Alcohol Treatment in America has been based on the Medical Model of Treatment. According to Wikipedia, the medical model of addiction is rooted in the philosophy that addiction is a disease and has biological, neurological, genetic, and environmental sources of origin. Treatment includes potential detox with a 28 day or more stay at a residential treatment facility. The continuum of care can include an additional 28 days at the partial hospitalization level, followed by another 6 weeks of Intensive Outpatient.

Thus far, throughout the semester, I have gained so much awareness and understanding for those whom are struggling with substance misuse. Addiction has played a major role in my immediate family life. Over the years, I have realized that addiction does not discriminate on a basis of race, gender, or social status. Based on my personal experiences, the perspective I have of addiction is that it is like a disease. It does not just affect the individual; it also affects everyone the individual comes into contact with. Addiction overall, is not just associated with drugs and alcohol, it is present with gambling, Internet use, sex, or even food (Van Wormer, 2013). In order to understand an individual who suffers from substance misuse, a therapist must first know the definition of addiction, be able to asses and diagnose a client with an addiction, explore the bio-psychosocial-spiritual aspects of their addiction, laws and ethics related to their addiction, and provide the proper treatment that will help them to recover. Throughout this paper, from a bio-psychosocial-spiritual perspective, I plan to explore the causes of Gia’s addiction to Heroin. In addition, I will examine my personal perspective on addiction and what treatment interventions and laws and ethics might come into play in therapy with Gia. Overall, I hope to provide Gia with an understanding of her addiction and provide the proper treatment on her road to recovery.

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.