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Addiction Movie Analysis Men, women, and children live through the harmful effects of drug abuse and dependence. “Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry” (American Society of Addiction Medicine, 2016, para, 1). Addictions can have undesirable effects on the individual’s job duties, relationships, and well-being. People with addictions may not notice or realize that their behavior is uncontrollable and initiating difficulties for themselves and others. In this paper, it will discuss the various addictions and how it begins, the physical effects of addictions and how it impacts relationships, long-term problems, confronting the substance abuse and taking responsibility. Addictions …show more content…
Laney would abuse alcohol, drugs, and sex and suffered from a mental illness (depression). However, depression has been a factor in her entire life and her father left when she was 9, and she has battled with the fact the family was abandoned. Also, Laney had stopped taking Lithium, which is a medication that given to people that suffer from depression and it helps to stabilize moods (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2016). Also, in the movie she did mention that the drug Lithium makes her gain weight, so she often medicated herself to deal with her depression and abandonment from her dad and madness by using alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and amphetamines. Mental disorders can contribute to drug abuse (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011). When a person comes off a cocaine high, it can cause depression and cause an individual to commit murder or suicide if they cannot get more drugs (Foundation Drug-Free World, …show more content…
Drinking and using an excessive amount of drugs can harm an individual health. When consuming alcohol for an extended period, it can cause alcoholism, heart attacks, depression, and family problems (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2016). Cocaine is highly addicted drugs that can cause a poor diet since it reduces the desire for food and loss of smell (NIH, 2016). People that use marijuana can have difficulty understanding and remember information (The Foundation for a Drug-Free World, 2016). The use of amphetamines for an extended period can affect the brain not to function proper (Foundation for Drug-Free World, 2016). When people that use drugs and alcohol, it can impair their ability to think clearly, which could lead to unexpected pregnancy or sexually transmitted
That being said, drugs and alcohol, can cause ones to lose their lifestyle and even their loved ones. Using and abusing drugs and alcohol can also lead to addiction. This creates a whole different empire in one’s life. Some may even steal, lie and cheat, just to obtain their ability to get there next fix. Sometimes getting their next fix can even create a door way to putting them in jail or prison. Even to the point of no return, this could create the loss of one’s own
According to Leshner, drug addiction is a chronic brain disease that is expressed in the form of compulsive behaviors (Leshner, 2001). He believes that drug addiction is influence by both biological, and behavioral factors, and to solve this addiction problem we need to focus on these same factors. On the other hand, Neil Levy argues that addiction is not a brain disease rather it is a behavioral disorder embedded in social context (Levy, 2013). I believe, drug addiction is a recurring brain disease that can be healed when we alter and eliminate all the factors that are reinforcing drug addiction.
David Sheff’s memoir, Beautiful Boy, revolves around addiction, the people affected by addiction, and the results of addiction. When we think of the word addiction, we usually associate it with drugs or alcohol. By definition, addiction is an unusually great interest in something or a need to do or have something (“Addiction”). All throughout the memoir, we are forced to decide if David Sheff is a worried father who is fearful that his son, Nic Sheff’s, addiction will kill him or if he is addicted to his son’s addiction. Although many parents would be worried that their son is an addict, David Sheff goes above and beyond to become involved in his son’s life and relationship with methamphetamine, making him an addict to his son’s addiction.
According to the document Substance abuse by World of Health, the social effects of substance abuse may include dropping out of school, losing a series of jobs, engaging in fighting and violence in relationships, and legal problems. Drugs and alcohol are a go to when one is on the street because they help them fight the agonizing pain of having nothing. However, Drugs and alcohol have their side effects that lead to the human body destroying itself which results in the inability to contribute to society. A few examples according to World of Health state, “Opioid drug users may move slowly, lose weight, have mood swings, and have small pupils. Benzodiazepine and barbiturate users may appear sleepy and slowed, with slurred speech, small pupils, and occasional confusion. Amphetamine users may have excessively high energy, sleep problems, weight loss, rapid pulse, high blood pressure, occasional psychotic behavior and enlarged pupils. Marijuana users may be sluggish and slow to react, exhibiting mood swings and red eyes with dilated pupils. Cocaine users may have wide variations in their energy level, severe mood disturbances, and a constantly runny nose. Crack cocaine may cause aggressive or violent behavior. Hallucinogenic drug users may display bizarre behavior due to hallucinations and dilated pupils. LSD can cause flashbacks” in Substance
Drug addicts lie and steal from their families, lose jobs, and do not live stable lives. Abuse of Prescription medication and marijuana is among one of the greatest concerns in the United States, especially in young people because drugs are causing issues between families, money, etc. Addicts find ways to create different drugs. This is making drug abuse difficult to control and ultimately change. In addition, addiction is not only a physical dependence, but also mental. Drug abuse has various causes, effects, and treatments. Based on the pamphlet, “Another Look,” published by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc., states “If we can find greater agreement on what addiction is not, then perhaps what it is may appear with greater clarity” (3). If people can see drug addiction for what it really is, a sickness, then an addict’s family and friends would better understand that addicts do not choose to become addicted to drugs. Addiction is a routine of compulsive behavior (3). In addition, recovering addicts feel very restricted with freedom because they are afraid of abusing drugs again, but want to be free to do as they please at the same time (3). Addicts have a need to control everything because they fear there will be obstacles in life that they may not be able to handle (3). If addicts can find ways to deal with their problems, they may not use drugs as a way to escape reality. There are many ways for addicts to cope with life, such as, counseling, drug rehabilitation centers, family and friends support.
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 throughout the text as it shows addiction from a whole person's perspective. The book covers the development of addiction from desire through the experience of addiction. The key focus is on looking at the matter of addiction from multiple stand points 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.
The Substance Abuse Leading Health Indicators are teenagers using alcohol or any illegal drugs and adults engaging in binge drinking during the past 30 days. Health Impact of Substance Abuse Substance abuse contributes to a number of negative health outcomes and public health problems, including cardiovascular conditions, pregnancy complications, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), domestic violence, child abuse, motor vehicle crashes, homicides, and suicides. The website healthypeople.gov provides examples of how the abuse of substances can damage health and lives. The use of drugs have been associated to abnormal cardiovascular functioning, like abnormal heart rate and heart attacks. STDs can also be caused by injection drug use.
Substance disorders affects all social, educational, cultural, and age groups. Substance abuse research often focusses on the abuser and the family as a whole but not how it affects their spouse. United States misuse is linked to approximately 590,000 deaths and is responsible for injury or illness to almost 40 million individuals every year. (Cox, R., Ketner, J. & Blow, A. 2013). The consequences resulted from this disorder, are not only related to the substance abusers, but also have a great influence on their behavior and other layers of their life, especially their wives (Salehyan, Bigdeli, & Hashemian 2011). When the husband or boyfriend has an addiction the wife takes on responsibilities of her spouse which causes an increase in stress. Marriage is generally described as a protective factor against substance use. The concept of codependency was developed to explain what happens to the spouse of a substance abuser.
It has become one of the major social problems of our day, leaving a great number of families and communities within our country devastated and without hope of recuperation for any of their afflicted members and loved ones. Growing to become a big social challenge affecting all aspects of the American society, addiction rates have escalated to enormous proportions within the country as reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Addiction has been described as a chronic brain disorder,” resulting from adaptations in the brain that leads to changes in behavior”, according to Dr. Nora Volkow, who also assert that it can be treated (NIDA 2006).
So, it is clear that addiction is all around us and can attack anyone of us at any given time. Even studies conducted show that people neglect to speak around their dependency for two primary reasons. Foremost, because people do not comprehend, or they bear a total misconception to their addiction, that they do not realize that addictions can be critical to their overall wellness. Moreover, second, many people believe being an addict will never happen to them, but, in reality, most addictions start off as simple little habits. Such as starting with one drink after dinner and before you know it you are drinking several drinks a day. However, one does not opt to be addicted to a substance, because addictions are physical defects in the brain, a disease, and not one’s choice.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help transmit signals from one nerve in the brain to another (Drinkaware). Drinking decreases our mental sharpness and judgment. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor-vehicle crashes” (NIAAA,). Another problem that affects us mentally is addiction. Alcohol is very addictive and people go through withdrawal. (Brittanica, Mark Keller). Alcohol affects human’s bodies and causes them to die at a young age. Alcohol harms your organs such as the heart, liver, pancreas, and the brain. (NIAAA). Also, there is an increase of developing cancer around the mouth, esophagus, throat, liver, and breast (NIAA). Consuming alcohol came lead to people taking actions they might not have taken when sober. Regular drinking lowers the levels of serotonin in your brain. This leads to depression and
Drug abuse dates as far back as the Biblical era, so it is not a new phenomenon. “The emotional and social damage and the devastation linked to drugs and their use is immeasurable.” The ripple of subversive and detrimental consequences from alcoholism, drug addictions, and addictive behavior is appalling. Among the long list of effects is lost productivity, anxiety, depression, increased crime rate, probable incarceration, frequent illness, and premature death. The limitless consequences include the destruction to personal development, relationships, and families (Henderson 1-2). “Understandably, Americans consider drug abuse to be one of the most serious problems” in the fabric of society. And although “addiction is the result of voluntary drug use, addiction is no longer voluntary behavior, it’s uncontrollable behavior,” says Alan Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Torr 12-13).
Perhaps most substance abuse starts in the teen years when young people are susceptible to pressure from their peers. One of the main concerns when dealing with substance abuse is the long term problems with substance such as addiction, dependency and tolerance. The physical state of an individual, who is addicted to a substance, will deteriorate over a long period of time. This is due to the chemicals that are being put into an individual body. One of the most important aspects of the effect of substance abuse on society includes ill health, disease, sickness, and in many cases death. The impact of substance abuse not only affects individuals who abuse substances but it affects our economy. Our government resources are negatively impacted by individual who abuse substances. According to (Lagliaro 2004) the implication of drug users extend far beyond the user, often damaging their relationships with their family, community, and health workers, volunteer and wider
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.
Abuse can cause countless medical problems to the body. A person who is addicted will continue to stimulate themselves regardless if they are aware of the negative chain reactions. Once addicted, it becomes difficult to stop due to how the body has become dependent. Health will be harmed the more a stimulant is used. Health effects include: cardiovascular disease, strokes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, lung disease, mental disease, birth defects. Mental health is what keeps a person in the right mind to make better decisions and have better control in life. Drugs have the ability to change mood and behavior. If drugs have affected the brain already, the desire increases which changes mental health. Some may not realize that they have been affected their health negatively. “A person who abuses drugs may not realize they have a problem until pronounced effects of drug abuse are seen, often physically. While drug abuse effects on the body vary depending on the drug used, all drug abuse negatively impacts one 's health (Addictions Community). Since drugs create many health issues, treatment is not a simple task. Treatments are hard to obtain and addictions often go