According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) an addict is classified as a person with a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. Opioids, a class of narcotics, are pain relievers made from opium including hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, codeine and other related drugs. The abuse of narcotics is steadily increasing worldwide with an estimated 26.4 to 36 million people abusing opioids globally. People who become addicted to narcotics often start by trying to either relieve pain, produce euphoria, please a loved one, achieve acceptance in a group, or achieve some other goal (Clausen 38). Addicts are mostly likely to be introduced to the drugs via personal …show more content…
Addicts can choose recovery methods from therapeutic communities, Christian houses, general houses, cognitive-behavioral treatments and 12-Step programs (Gossop, Marsden, and Stewart 119). Addicts can also choose a multi-disciplinary approach consisting of a combination of the treatment plans mentioned above. In a 1992 study conducted by Eric Johnson and Lawrence G. Herringer, from California State University’s Department of Psychology, it was found that frequent 12-step involvement best helped participants remain abstinent after completing a treatment program (Herringer and Johnsen 74). 12 steps programs such as Narcotics Anonymous tend to only be considered effective if attendance is more than three times per week (Brown et al. 157; Fiorentine 93). Individuals who maintain continuous 12-Step meeting attendance are 4.1 to 8.6 times more likely to achieve long-term sobriety (Kelly et al. 78). In order to be successful in the 12 Step program a contributor must actively follow the steps and participate in the program; this will prove effective because active participation engages the addict socially, giving them a support group and it also forces the addict to believe in a higher power thus giving them the control to overcome their
On the typical day, over 90 people will die at the hand of opioid abuse in America alone (National). In fact, as of 2014, nearly 2 million Americans were dependent and abusing opioids. The Opioid Crisis has affected America and its citizens in various ways, including health policy, health care, and the life in populous areas. Due to the mass dependence and mortality, the crisis has become an issue that must be resolved in all aspects.
Addiction may be defined as the chronic use of drugs alongside the problems resulting from their use. Despite the person being aware of the consequences of using the drug, he continues to use it. If not attended to, addiction may cause serious social problems and even death (Hanson et al. 36). In order to address drug addiction, it is vital to understand addiction itself and where it stems from.
The documentary states that over 27,000 deaths a year are due to overdose from heroin and other opioids. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2015 prescription pain relievers account for 20,101 overdose deaths, and 12,990 overdose deaths are related to heroin (Rudd et al., 2010-2015). The documentary’s investigation gives the history of how the heroin epidemic started, with a great focus on the hospice movement. We are presented with the idea that once someone is addicted to painkillers, the difficulty in obtaining the drug over a long period of time becomes too expensive and too difficult. This often leads people to use heroin. This idea is true as a 2014 survey found that 94% of respondents who were being treated for opioid addiction said they chose to use heroin because prescription opioids were “more expensive and harder to obtain (Cicero et al., 2014).” Four in five heroin users actually started out using prescription painkillers (Johns, 2013). This correlation between heroin and prescription painkiller use supports the idea presented in the documentary that “prescription opiates are heroin prep school.”
Almost one hundred years ago, prescription drugs like morphine were available at almost any general store. Women carried bottles of very addictive potent opiate based pain killers in their purse. Many individuals like Edgar Allen Poe died from such addictions. Since that time through various federal, state and local laws, drugs like morphine are now prescription drugs; however, this has not stopped the addiction to opiate based pain killers. Today’s society combats an ever increasing number of very deadly addictive drugs from designer drugs to narcotics to the less potent but equally destructive alcohol and marijuana. With all of these new and old drugs going in and out of vogue with addicts, it appears that the increase of misuse and abuse is founded greater in the prescription opiate based painkillers.
Opioid addiction is a tragedy that affects countless of Americans on a daily basis. Almost everyone is acquainted to someone, who suffers from opioid addiction. Everyone, but specifically family and friends of the victims to opioid addiction need to understand why their loved ones are so susceptible to becoming addicted to opioids. The word opioid in itself is complex to define, but it entails a variety of prescription medications. Most opioids are used as pain management medications and qualify as CII medications also known as narcotics. They are supposed to be used on an “as needed” basis, but that is not the case for many users of opioids. Opioids cause great fear in the health community because they are easily addictive and
3. Elsevier Science, Ltd. (1994). Using AA and other 12-Step programs More Effectively. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, Vol. II. Dr. Peter Johnson and Dr. John Chappel
Opioids are used as pain relievers and although it does the job, there are adverse side effects. Opioids are frequently used in the medical field, allowing doctors to overprescribe their patients. The substance can be very addicting to the dosage being prescribed to the patient. Doctors are commonly prescribing opioids for patients who have mild, moderate, and severe pain. As the pain becomes more severe for the patient, the doctor is more likely to increase the dosage. The increasing dosages of the narcotics become highly addicting. Opioids should not be prescribed as pain killers, due to their highly addictive chemical composition, the detrimental effects on opioid dependent patients, the body, and on future adolescents. Frequently doctors have become carless which causes an upsurge of opioids being overprescribed.
I attended an AA meeting at the 5th street fellowship on October 6, 2015. I looked forward to attending this meeting since the beginning of the clinical rotation. The meeting exceeded my expectations. It was an eye-opener and a life changing experience. The meeting at the 5th Street Fellowship consisted of a leader and two members. Even though there was only a smaller group gather, I could see the positive impact AA has had on each of the members personally, regardless of years of sobriety. The chairman of the group discussed the influence his sponsor, AA, and the 12-step program has had on his life and how he lives a happier, healthier, and a spiritual life due to his sobriety. I learned that all three components - sponsor, AA, and the 12-steps – are important in aiding in the sobriety of an
Opiates are a class of drugs that are used for chronic pain. Opioids are substances that are used to relieve pain by binding opiate receptors throughout the body, and in the brain. These areas in the brain control pain and also emotions, producing a feeling of excitement or happiness. As the brain gets used to these feelings, and the body builds a tolerance to the opioids, there is a need for more opioids and then the possibility of addiction. There are different forms of opioids manufactured such as Morphine, Oxycodone, Buprenorphine, Hydrocodone, and Methadone.
There are many options when it comes to recovery, for example it provides addicts a way to get moral support and sober-living help from others that are suffering from the same neuro-disease. One of the most important of recovery is support groups and meetings, which are set up nationwide. Two of the most popular groups are Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). These groups branch out and offer different types of support .Discussion meetings; a group leader choses a topic about recovery that the group will discuss. Another type of group is a speaker meetings; an addict that has been through recovery will share tips and experiences with the group. AA and NA groups are based off the 12-Step Program. The 12-Steps are a set up through a spiritual aspect. To pass a step one must complete the task given I the step. The first step is, 1 - We admitted we were powerless over our addiction - that our lives had become unmanageable. The task in this step is to show addicts that using the substance are wearing on their life. The 12-Steps also help addicts reconnect with family that they might have hurt in the process of the addiction. The eighth step states, Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Last is, having...
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 suffers 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 of the complex problem. The stigma about opioid addiction has wide-reaching negative effects as it discourages people with opioid abuse problems from reaching out.
By the year 2000 opioid medicine containing oxycodone etc., are being abused and misused and more than doubled in 10 years’ time.
Substance addiction is becoming an epidemic. While some people can quit using a substance without any help, most people need help to their recovery. Narcotics anonymous is an important support group for our society. There are many different narcotic anonymous programs to join that have meetings throughout the week. The members of the support group all share one thing in common, they suffer from different types of chemical dependency. Members help each other because they have the same problems and worries that everyone in the room has. Though they may be struggling with different stages in their life, for the most part, they all relate to what each is going through. Just as AA, NA focuses on the 12-step program. The members of
The world involving drug addiction is a taboo topic to many. However, drug addiction is a very real topic that occurs worldwide. The widespread use of drugs is not restricted to the United States, with roughly five percent of the world’s population using in the past few months (Mosher & Akins, 2014). Many scientists, doctors, and specialists study addiction and try to find an explanation for why so many become addicted.
The use of drugs is a controversial topic in society today. In general, addicts show a direct link between taking drugs and suffering from their effects. People abuse drugs for a wide variety of reasons. In most cases, the use of drugs will serve a type of purpose or will give some kind of reward. These reasons for use will differ with different kinds of drugs. Various reasons for using the substance can be pain relief, depression, anxiety and weariness, acceptance into a peer group, religion, and much more. Although reasons for using may vary for each individual, it is known by all that consequences of the abuse do exist. It is only further down the line when the effects of using can be seen.