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Papers on addiction
History of addiction essay
History of addiction essay
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Addiction is simply a word, a word with grater meaning than we expect. According to the Merriam Webster, “addiction is a strong and harmful need to regularly have something”. Another meaning of addicting from Merriam Webster is “an unusually great interest in something or a need to do or have something”. Unusual huh, what has to make it so unusual? Why does it have to be a strong and harmful need? With that being said, can an addiction have a good impact, or can one be addicted to something for a positive outcome? It really does have more meaning when we get down to it. Addiction has multiple paths and one may go down the righteous lane or one may go down the lane where disaster is waiting to happen. Addiction to me means, something that you …show more content…
All you here are about drug overdoses and being addicted to alcohol. In fact, “the Latin meaning for the word is “enslaved by” or “bond to” (“Understanding Addiction”). In reality there are people out there that are enslaved by the use of alcohol and other substances, a disease they call it. A quick fact about being addicted to drugs is that, “almost 1 out of 10 are addicted to alcohol or drugs” (“Understanding Addiction”). Doctors, scientist, and professors all call it a chronic brain disease. That’s when People “seek out nicotine and alcohol, or engage in gambling, because it makes them feel good or lessens feelings of stress and sadness. Many abused drugs produce a pleasurable feeling by exciting cells in the brain’s reward center” (BrainFacts). Addiction was also defined as “craving for something intensely, loss of control over its use, and continuing involvement with it despite adverse consequences” (“Understanding Addiction”). The consequences can be excruciating once you do get addicted to the terrible things such as alcohol or drugs. These types of addictions could have a great impact on one’s life in a drastic way. You could lose your job, following into losing money, after all, losing your
There are many different definitions in which people provide regarding addiction. May (1988) describes that addiction “is a state of compulsion, obsession, or preoccupation that enslaves a person’s will and desire” (p. 14). Individuals who suffer from addiction provide their time and energy toward other things that are not healthy and safe. The book
Every year, 2.6 million people in the United States suffer from opioid abuse and of that 2.6 million, 276,000 are adolescents, and this problem is only escalating. An individual’s physical and emotional health suffer as well as their personal lives as they lose employment, friends, family, and hope. Opioid addiction begins with the addictive aspects of the drug. People easily become hooked on the relieving effects of the opioids and suffer withdrawal symptoms if they stop using the drug completely because their nerve cells become accustomed to the drug and have difficulty functioning without it; yet the addiction to the drug is only one aspect to the complex problem. The stigma about opioid addiction has wide-reaching negative effects as it
It has been said that addiction is the plague of the 21st century. In an age of unprecedented life expectancy and medical breakthroughs, people are dying from both disease and overdose that are self inflicted and the cure is currently out of reach. Implementing progressive ideas such as safe injection sites have been a battle, both for caring social workers and front line emergency workers looking to minimize the health risks associated with risk taking behaviors that inevitably occur with intravenous drug use. While the addicted population currently uses considerable government funding by way of shelter services as well as prison and jail time, safe injection sites are a necessary step in the battle against drug abuse as is a major prevention
Addiction is defined simply as a strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as drugs) or do something like gambling (Addiction, 2016). Addiction can be crippling and can control all aspects of your life to the point of not being able to function as a productive member of society. Addicts can have a life long struggle, even once sober, or clean, from the addiction.
Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Addiction is normally thought of as drug abuse and alcoholism but people can also be addicted to things such as gambling and sex as well. The controversy on if addiction is a disease or a choice is a continuous debate. Everyone has an opinion on this topic, one side believes it’s a disease, while the other believes it is a choice. Although addiction has been assumed to be a lack of willpower and a weakness, addiction is actually a complex disease that changes the wiring of the brain. Addiction is a brain disease expressed in the form of compulsive behavior (Leshner.) Both devolping
Main Point: What defines an addiction? According to Psychology Today, “Addiction is a condition that results when a person ingests a substance…. or engages in an activity….that can be pleasurable but the continued use/act of which becomes compulsive and interferes with ordinary life responsibilities, such as work, relationships, or health.” This can range anywhere from drug use to eating disorders, to gambling, to even texting in today’s generation. Shocking to say the least, especially when most people do not even know they are addicted or are an addict until they realize this definition.
Addiction is a very strong word that brings along many negative connotations. When we think of an addiction we imagine someone who depends on a certain substance, most likely alcohol to have their needs met. Addiction is defined by the Webster dictionary as, "a compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal." Even though our society sees addiction and only applies the word to drug addicts and alcoholics, there is a much wider range of subjects that fall under the umbrella of what an addiction truly is. An addiction is a dependency on any kind of materialistic object that you use on a day to day basis that brings
Addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive drug and substance use. Despite its harmful consequences to the human body, addicts continue to seek for more drugs to keep their systems active. Millions of people abuse drugs and substances in the world today. As a result of substance abuse, addicts can easily lose control of their actions. Addiction is a long-lasting brain illness that disrupts the normal body functioning. It holds the brain hostage.
Raise your hand if you’re one of 44% of Americans that sleep next to their phones at every night. It’s true, so many of us are dependent on our mobile devices, that psychologists are now calling it the “Invisible Addiction”! Since its invention critics have debated every inch of the cell phone. From its usefulness and size, to its effects on health after prolonged usage. The conversation has since shifted. The cell phone market today is flooded with a plethora devices to choose from, sporting top of the line materials and industry leading software, but this just scratches the surface. With over 968 million worldwide smartphone sales in 2013, consumers are feeding into the latest technology that the market has to offer. Though they may become
Teen Drug Use I once read in an article “Some teens use alcohol or drugs to dull the pain in their lives”. When they are given a choice to take something to make them temporarily feel better, many cannot resist” (Look). The use of drugs will [affect] the everyday lives of many teenagers today. Throughout history, more and more teenagers have turned to the use of drugs to help them through their everyday struggles. Many teens often feel as if they cannot deal with the everyday pain they may be going through.
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the dangers of prescription drugs when not taken as prescribed by your physician or pharmacist.
Drug addiction is a very big problem in today’s society. Many people have had their lives ruined due to drug addiction. The people that use the drugs don’t even realize that they have an addiction. They continue to use the drug not even realizing that their whole world is crashing down around them. Drug addicts normally lose their family and friends due to drug addiction.
Drug abuse has been a hot topic for our society due to how stimulants interfere with health, prosperity, and the lives of others in all nations. All drugs have the potential to be misapplied, whether obtained by prescription, over the counter, or illegally. Drug abuse is a despicable disease that affects many helpless people. Majority of those who are beset with this disease go untreated due to health insurance companies who neglect and discriminate this issue. As an outcome of missed opportunities of treatments, abusers become homeless, very ill, or even worst, death.
The War on Drugs is a government campaign that began from a speech given by Richard Nixon in 1971. Drugs had been proclaimed as “public enemy number one” and there was a goal set out to completely stop, prohibit and to punish those who utilized or were correlated with illegal drugs. The War on Drugs is a long out spoken topic with good intentions but failures within its plan. The War on Drugs should be continued because this engagement can help create a drug-free place/community, reduce drug-related crimes and profits the local authorities. Drugs have been a problem for a long time in our community and there are many individuals that play a part in The War on Drugs.
Growing up everyone changes. Each individual starts to learn more about who they are. As we get older we begin growing our own personality, voice, and style. Sadly, some begin forming habits, which may not be necessarily morally acceptable to others. These morally unacceptable habits are typically: drinking or smoking. These habits are proven to affect lives in terrible ways for many years to come. I am proud to say, I am currently nineteen years old, almost twenty, and I have not yet taken drugs or consumed alcohol. The largest reason I have not done so is not only because I believe it is morally unacceptable, but it is simply – my family.