The first presenter was the head of the Psychology department at Rivier University. During her speech on the opioid crisis that growing at an alarming rate she gave all of the details of how drugs like Fentanyl and Heroin affect the brain and the parts of the brain that it effects. She also stated that the drug crisis cannot be continued to be swept under the rug and people need to stop pretending that it is not an issue, and instead confront it and treat it as another illness before it gets out of hand. After giving multiple reasons and examples of how drugs affect the brain and that parts they affect. A lot of the information that she gave on her slides were very intriguing to hear, especially how intense of an impact doing a drug just one time can have on a person's mental state and how it can affect a person much longer than previously thought. …show more content…
I feel as though referring to addiction as a disease isn’t correct because it is a choice to use a drug that you know will cause you to get addicted. The reason I feel like people refer to addiction as a disease is purely for marketing reasons and to sell the idea of addiction, which can also be a positive thing because it makes people feel as though there is more help out there than they realized and that their “disease” can be cured.
Kim Fallon who is the Chief Forensic Investigator and working on the frontlines of this epidemic showed some really in depth pictures that showed what's actually happening on the frontlines and the type of gruesome scenes she comes across everyday and the rooms that she walks into with people in them overdosed on drugs like Heroin and Fentanyl. Kim Fallon also addressed the growing crisis of Fentanyl and how much more dangerous of a drug it is than heroin and that pretty much one use of the drug means certain
The film consists of an argument intermixed with various examples of how the drugs are distributed. The argument starts with the fact that children are being overdiagnosed and put on too much medication, then, the experts analyze the different school shootings and how all the school shooters were on medication, and lastly, the film shows how the pharmaceutical companies control the government and the FDA, so there is no way for the government to negotiate with those companies. Throughout the documentary, there is a secondary narrative of a man who is trying to get away from his addiction. Mike details how he became an addict, and his doctor explains how they treat patients like Mike to help them get past their physical dependence on the drugs. Knezev creates a strong argument against the pharmaceutical companies and the drugs they produce. He is a social activist who has written many books combatting social issues as well as creating other films such as American Addict and Fragments of Daniela. His inspiration for creating American Addict and American Addict 2 is the fact that America is “5% of the world population and is ingesting 80% of the world’s pharmaceutical narcotics” (vimeo.com). First, he uncovered the tiered pharmaceutical system; then, he created an argument against the corrupt system he found by interviewing many politicians and investigators who have
Chasing Heroin did a great job of diving into the epidemic and brought to light how the problem began, the effects its had on our nation, and the programs being put in place to address the issue. It presents opioid addiction
Nurses and agencies such as Brideway affect opioid related mortalities by providing information and helping the patients in need. Nurses can help patients understand the medication if they are prescribed it by physicians and the proper way to use the medication so they can decrease their risk of becoming addicted and agencies like Bridgeway can help patients if they become addicted learn how to safety detox from the medication and ways to prevent relapsing on the medication. Nurses need to be able to understand the opioid epidemic and how to be able to help patients so the number of deaths does not keep
Cnn.com. [online], Available: http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/02/23/kiddrugs2_23.a.tm/ Schwarzer, Kathy. A. Interview December 15, 2000 The International Coalition for Drug Awareness. ICFDA.
One major issue that affects the US today is the use of illegal drugs. One of the fastest growing illegal drugs is methamphetamine. Methamphetamine, also known commonly as meth, is "the label given to a homemade substance that is manufactured (typically) in rural labs using fertilizers, cold tablets, and household acids" (Armstrong, 2007, p. 427). When it is manufactured, it is commonly seen as a powder or crystal that is white in color, has no distinguishable odor, and is pungent to the taste (McKinley & Fink III, 2006). There are several means by which meth can be consumed. This can include the product being smoked, inhaled, swallowed, or injected by needles (McKinley & Fink III, 2006 & O’Connor, Chriqui, & McBride, 2006).
...Canadians health, and the availability of clinics. It is not the best answer to this question. How can one answer this question? Through resources. Opening clinics, opening detox centers, but through help, not donations. Doris Slipperjack has changed the way her community sees addiction, by looking past the drugs, and to the mentality behind it and the drive to take opiates.
It is true that drugs and alcohol can cause diseases, but does that make the addiction problem a disease? Perhaps this topic is so controversial because of the lack of knowledge or understanding of drug addiction.
George F. Koob defines addiction as a compulsion to take a drug without control over the intake and a chronic relapse disorder (1). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association defined "substance dependence" as a syndrome basically equivalent to addiction, and the diagnostic criteria used to describe the symptoms of substance dependence to a large extent define compulsion and loss of control of drug intake (1). Considering drug addiction as a disorder implies that there are some biological factors as well as social factors.
A disease is what happens in the body as a result of those choices. As has been noted, many people do believe addiction is a sign of weakness. While the first time may be by choice, once the brain has been changed and affected by addiction. Over time the addict loses substantial control over his or her initially voluntary behavior, and it becomes compulsive (Leshner.) In Marc Branch’s “Drug Addiction. Is It a Disease or Is It Based on Choice? A Review of Gene Heyman’s Addiction: A Disorder of Choice” he discusses and explains Gene Heyman’s opinions on rather addiction is a disease or not. Heyman argues that people do not choose to be drug addicts, rather they make choices that lead to their habit of addiction. Heyman however does not believe addiction is an actual disease. Many others argue that addiction is not an actual disease because people can overcome the addiction without help or treatment. On the other hand, in Alan Leshner’s “Addiction Is a Brain Disease” he declares that addiction is an actual disease and explains “using drugs repeatedly over time changes brain structure and function in fundamental and long-lasting ways that can persist long after the individual stops using them”
Drugs affect your brain and in turn can alter your moods and behavior. Drugs are chemicals that tap into our brain’s communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells receive, send and process information. Drugs interfere with the exchange of information in the brain producing changes that promote repeated drug use. Drugs can imitate the brain’s natural chemical messengers, or they over stimulate the reward circuit of our brain.
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
Drug abuse and addiction are issues that affect people everywhere. However, these issues are usually treated as criminal activity rather than issues of public health. There is a conflict over whether addiction related to drug abuse is a disease or a choice. Addiction as a choice suggests that drug abusers are completely responsible for their actions, while addiction as a disease suggests that drug abusers need help in order to break their cycle of addiction. There is a lot of evidence that suggests that addiction is a disease, and should be treated rather than punished. Drug addiction is a disease because: some people are more likely to suffer from addiction due to their genes, drug abuse brought on by addictive behavior changes the brain and worsens the addiction, and the environment a person lives in can cause the person to relapse because addiction can so strongly affect a person.
Controversies over drugs and the effects they have physically, mentally, and emotionally have been around for centuries. Some argue the fact that smoking marijuana has no health effects on the body. Some also say that other drugs have no long term mental consequences to suffer. Now, thanks to technology and hours of studies, answers have came to show the true long term health effects of drugs on the human body and mind.
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.