...Journal in May of 2006 entitled, “Don’t blame me, I’m just the junkie”, written by Theodore Dalrymple, purposes that criminality is more likely to cause heroin addiction than heroin addiction is to cause criminality. The author of this article, in my opinion, clearly has an unrealistic view of addiction and has obviously never experienced withdrawal. Mr. Dalrymple begins this article in a disturbing tone when he states that most addicts in prison say “I would give up the heroin if only I got the help”. He goes on to interpret this statement to mean that the addict is of course implying that there is a technical means by which the behavior of addicts can change with no further effort for abstinence on the part. I personally cannot comprehend how that interpretation can be derived from someone saying that they need help to change. The author point out that addiction to opiates is incompatible with working or maintaining a job, despite problems with supply. The author uses the example of William Wibeforce taking a “tincture” amount, or “trace” amount of opium daily and continuing to function well, to that of 40 milligrams of heroin that the average heroin addict takes to maintain their addiction. That’s like saying that someone who breathes in second hand cigarette smoke doesn’t have a problem with cigarette addiction so why should it be any more difficult for the person smoking the cigarette. I find it disturbing that the author has performed this study based on information...
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...HOW SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AFFECT RELATIONSHIPS Substance use disorders leave many lasting effects that touch upon every member of families and society as a whole. It is an ever-growing epidemic that can easily take over a person’s whole life if they let it. Anyone who listens to the news or is aware of his or her surroundings can see that we are engulfed in a drug crisis. This paper will examine how the relationships of friends, family, co-workers and society suffer from exposure to an addict. It will also look at how we as a society can help to foster reform. Addiction touches everybody in some way, shape or form. It affects people physically, psychologically, and financially to name a few. Substance use disorder negatively affects emotional...
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...The term addiction is most commonly associated with drug abuse. Until recently, food specifically sugar has gained enough momentum to be compared and classified as addictive as cocaine is (Ahmed et al.). There are 300,000 deaths per year related to obesity in the United States, making it the second most preventable cause of death (Flegal et. al). In comparison, there are only 47,000 deaths related to drug use (National Center for Health estimated Statistics). This essay will explore, sugar, the underlying issue contributing to the obesity epidemic. In the documentary from “Sugar Coated” they state that “in the past 30 years obesity rates have doubled to 600 million… and diabetes rates have tripled to 347 million worldwide.” Comparably in that...
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...Substance Abuse and Addiction Position Paper For many years, individuals have battled substance abuse and addiction. My position comes from hearing about it, seeing results from it, reading about it, and developing my own thoughts of it. Substance abuse and addiction is a problem within the individual and how string their mind-frame is. Substance abuse and addiction Addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use. ( Robinson, Smith, and Saisan, 2014) Most people or first time users will just use the drug to experiment with it, for reasons of curiosity, peer pressure, depression or anxiety. A person may become addicted because the power of the drug take over their minds and they feel the need to cannot go on without having the drugs. Some people believe that addiction is a brain disease. More than three decades of research supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has proven that addiction is a complex brain disease characterized by compulsive, at time uncontrollable, drug craving, seeking, and use that persist despite potentially devastating consequences. (Volkow) I do not think addiction is a brain disease, it is thought or feeling that is formed for the need of wanting a drug all the time. Who’s prone to becoming addicted? I think weak individuals are prone to becoming addicted to drugs. If a person is going through something and they try drugs, it may make them feel better, so every time that person is down and out, they will turn...
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...Addiction Rehabilitation The use of drugs can impair a person’s judgement, causing the person to par take in criminal behaviors. Also the use of drugs may lead a person to steal money or property to be able to support their drug habit. More often than not they will commit crimes while under the influence of drugs and many drug users are sent to jail or prison. Yet if these offenders would have to attend some type of addiction consoling while incarcerated and have to continue after their release date as a stipulation of their probation they may never go back down that same path again. Drug-related crimes are often committed to obtain money or goods to sell to get money to support drug use. According to BJS national surveys, the most comprehensive information available, an estimated 17% of 1991 State prison inmates and 13% of convicted jail inmates in 1989...
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...He who conquers sugar is the real master above all of this because if he can control sugar cravings, he can control almost anything. A sugar addiction is a mental addiction. Sugar cravings are a major issue not just for ketogenic eating, but any diet program. These cravings are often what throw people out of ketosis because they give into them. Sugar causes a natural production of opioids in the brain that produces a drug-like high. Many people with addiction type of personalities who choose not to abuse illegal substances may opt for sugar because of its strong pleasurable effects. Since it is a legal substance, there are no real risks in consuming it. Sugar is ok. Sugar releases that "ahh" feeling that most of us like. Who would have ever...
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...Drug Addiction and Recovery Carmen Dunagan Com/156 Professor Paul Neuhausen Many people do not understand why or how other people become so consumed in drug addiction. Often drug addicts are mistaken as weak individuals with no will power and assume they can stop using drugs at any time. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease and being able to quit drugs takes more than good intentions and strong will. Drugs change the brain in ways that foster compulsive drug abuse, so quitting is very difficult even for those who say they are ready to quit. Through scientific advances we know more about how drugs work in the brain and we know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and lead a productive life. Drug addiction is a problem that has increased in our society greatly over the years. Drug addiction stops lives and can cause you to forget about any dreams or goals you may have made for yourself. It ruins lives slowly and with a big impact. I found this topic to weigh heavy in my mind and heart since my family has struggled with drug addiction my whole life. I have often wondered how the addiction could be so important in their life. It isn’t just a habit I have learned it is an actual disease and it’s very sad how it controls people’s lives. It doesn’t only ruin and effect the abusers life but their family’s as well and I can share first hand with that. Since I was...
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...Itzel Guzman Five paragraph Essay test Language arts Overcoming an Addiction The problem starts out with just wanting to try because my friends do it, and then soon it is an addiction one cannot overcome. The brain fools us into thinking everything is fine when really it is not. Picture living in the streets with no money or food, and you just want to peel your skin off because of all the meth, and other drugs you have taken. Your heart is racing and you are screaming, but you have no one left. You lose hope and you just want to die. That is hitting rock bottom. My uncle was fifteen years old when he started drinking alcohol. His parents focused on their jobs rather than their children. He also hung out with up-to-no-good kids who would...
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...crack cocaine addiction. Crack cocaine addiction treatment facilities focus on therapies that change the behavior by educating the patient about the effects on our mind and body. Crack cocaine addiction is rarely premeditated, and recovery is possible when decision is made by the patient. The process is not easy, nor short. Patients and friends, family develop the skills to support long-term abstinence. For many there are physical and emotional underlying conditions that instigated the used of the drug. Reversing the body’s tolerance and the mind’s dependency is a slow progression as patients go through treatment. Acknowledging the need to change is the first...
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...As you prepare yourself for rehab for your heroin addiction, you must first be congratulated for taking one of the most important steps in your life. It takes a great deal of courage to admit you have an illness and finally be willing to seek help in order to regain a normal way of living. As you begin this next phase of your life, you could probably use a little information to set you on the right path. The Process First and foremost, it's important for you to take the time necessary to find the right rehab environment. By doing so, you will be able to secure a treatment that gives you the best opportunity for a lasting recovery. Prior to setting off for rehab, you will most definitely need to spend the requisite time needed in a heroin detox center. Heroin, as are all opiate based drugs, is an insidious monster that pleases your nerve centers and befriends you into believing you can't live without it. The only way your rehab stint is going to bring the desired results is if you can eliminate the residual chemicals from your body and minimize the physical and psychological cravings for the drug. A stint in a heroin detox center in best and safest way to accomplish this. Where Can You Find a Reputable...
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...Sex addiction has been a topic among researchers for quite some time. The validity of such a condition has been questioned because it cannot be defined simply by saying it applies to some who desires to have sexual experiences on a frequent basis. Most scientists feel the condition must be linked to an existing condition that could be affecting mental health and daily functionality because it hinders the ability to function as a normal individual. Those that suffer from the condition experience thoughts and perform acts of a sexual nature that overshadow basic interests and needs (Hyde & DeLamater, 2017). Sex addiction, also known as hypersexual disorder, would differ from those who enjoy the frequency of sex because hypersexuality refers...
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...What Is An Opiate Addiction? A drug addiction is a chronic brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking despite the consequences of it. People who have an opiate addiction may go to great lengths to obtain the drug, such as doctor shopping. Opiates are prescribed to alleviate pain. Most people use opiates as prescribed. However, opiate abuse is on the rise. It is estimated that anywhere from 24 million to 36 million people in the world abuse opiates. Long-term opiate abuse can result in dependency. The reason that people who abuse opiates often become addicts is because they often develop a tolerance. Once a tolerance develops, people need more of the drug in order to experience the same effects. Opiate Withdrawal Treatment...
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...Imagine if you will, having this overwhelming urge to do something. You must complete this or face suffering if you do not. This is a small glimpse into the mind of an addict. If you are wondering what is considered an addiction, dictionary.com defines an addiction as “being the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming to such an extent that its cessation can causes severe trauma.” Therefore, the drive to get a tattoo can be linked to the spikes in certain chemicals in the brain, which in turn prompts a person to get another one making tattoos overall more socially acceptable. Some psychologists would argue that “the biological approach believes us to be as a consequence...
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...The effects of cocaine are more than just physical and mental. Over time, it can effect every aspect of the family's life. From ruining the financial health of the family to making relationships difficult, cocaine causes significant problems in the home. As the addiction continues, it only becomes more difficult to mitigate the effects of cocaine use. The Immediate Effects of Cocaine Early on in the addiction, husbands and wives may not realize that a problem exists. Partners often try to hide their addiction, so it is difficult to find out about the problem until later on. Physically, the effects of cocaine happen almost immediately. A small amount of cocaine cause the user to be extremely energetic, alert, euphoric and talkative. If a spouse has an addiction, the only noticeable thing at first may be a sensitivity to touch, sight and sound. When they are using, they may no longer need sleep or food. A husband or wife may seem suddenly talkative and...
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...Some Treatments You Might Receive When Seeking Help For Heroin Addiction Heroin addiction is very difficult to overcome because of the side effects of detoxification from the drug. One effect of heroin is that you need to use increasingly larger quantities to feel the same high. As the amount you use increases along with the length of time you've used the drug increases, the detox reaction becomes stronger. Heroin addiction treatment is a combination of medical detox to help you manage physical symptoms when you stop using the drug and psychological treatment to help you overcome the triggers that make you want to use heroin. Here's an overview of what you can expect when you want to overcome your heroin addiction. Inpatient Medical Detox When you begin an addiction recovery program, you'll probably need to enter a medical facility for a couple of days or longer so you can detox. When you stop using heroin, you'll have...
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