Addiction

Addiction

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Author Note

Addiction

Introduction

A harmful compulsion, or an obsession, is a tragic human flaw. It can make them lose their morals and their beliefs and all that they stand for in a heartbeat just to feed their addiction. Substance or drug abuse is one of the most common, forms of addiction in the 21st century ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"a5OQ2amO","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Amlung, Vedelago, Acker, Balodis, & MacKillop, 2017)","plainCitation":"(Amlung, Vedelago, Acker, Balodis, & MacKillop, 2017)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":225,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/H36LSVNP"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/H36LSVNP"],"itemData":{"id":225,"type":"article-journal","title":"Steep delay discounting and addictive behavior: A meta‐analysis of continuous associations","container-title":"Addiction","page":"51-62","volume":"112","issue":"1","author":[{"family":"Amlung","given":"Michael"},{"family":"Vedelago","given":"Lana"},{"family":"Acker","given":"John"},{"family":"Balodis","given":"Iris"},{"family":"MacKillop","given":"James"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2017"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Amlung, Vedelago, Acker, Balodis, & MacKillop, 2017). Given how easy it is to access the drug of your choice using the internet, the number of teens and young adults being obsessed with this life-threatening form of addiction comes as no surprise. It not only adversely affects their social lives, but it also takes a toll on their bodies, both physically and mentally ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"nc5SPFfY","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Hall, Carter, & Forlini, 2015)","plainCitation":"(Hall, Carter, & Forlini, 2015)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":226,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/HM7XXNSE"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/HM7XXNSE"],"itemData":{"id":226,"type":"article-journal","title":"The brain disease model of addiction: is it supported by the evidence and has it delivered on its promises?","container-title":"The Lancet Psychiatry","page":"105-110","volume":"2","issue":"1","author":[{"family":"Hall","given":"Wayne"},{"family":"Carter","given":"Adrian"},{"family":"Forlini","given":"Cynthia"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2015"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Hall, Carter, & Forlini, 2015). An estimate carried out by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows that drug use is more prevalent between the ages of 17 to 32. However, more concentrated use was found among the members of the age group 21 to 27 CITATION UNO18 \l 1033 (UNODC, 2018). This shows how alarming the situation has been and is becoming, given the number of people going through addiction, drug abuse and over-dosing is increasing per annum. This increases the need for an immediate interventive measure to be put in place.

Discussion

Characterized as a chronic disorder, addiction can be described as a compulsive need to both seek and use the drugs despite their detrimental effects on an individual physical and mental wellbeing. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), Americans spend more than $700 billion in a year to feed their nicotine, alcohol and illicit substance addiction. This figure is not limited to expenditure towards access to these substances, but also on healthcare, criminal tendencies and even loss of productivity among its users CITATION NID16 \l 1033 (NIDA, 2016). Furthermore, a stark decline in the health and well-being of teenagers and those in their twenties have been observed in recent years. Given the inclination of this group towards processed, fatty and fast food, poor lifestyle choices and affinity to substance abuse, people belonging to this particular age group need an effective change ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"xkWO5M4d","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Van Wormer & Davis, 2016)","plainCitation":"(Van Wormer & Davis, 2016)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":227,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/IJV6D5DZ"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/IJV6D5DZ"],"itemData":{"id":227,"type":"book","title":"Addiction treatment","publisher":"Cengage Learning","ISBN":"1-337-51410-1","author":[{"family":"Van Wormer","given":"Katherine"},{"family":"Davis","given":"Diane Rae"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2016"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Van Wormer & Davis, 2016).

The impact of drug addiction is seen on the streets as well as within the confines of high-end hotel suites and clubs. This shows that this disease is equally effective with its adverse effects in both high and low socioeconomic classes of society ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"A1CeLyHK","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Lewis, Hoffman, Garcia, & Nixon, 2018)","plainCitation":"(Lewis, Hoffman, Garcia, & Nixon, 2018)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":228,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/JL2NPYIZ"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/JL2NPYIZ"],"itemData":{"id":228,"type":"article-journal","title":"Race and socioeconomic status in substance use progression and treatment entry","container-title":"Journal of ethnicity in substance abuse","page":"150-166","volume":"17","issue":"2","author":[{"family":"Lewis","given":"Ben"},{"family":"Hoffman","given":"Lauren"},{"family":"Garcia","given":"Christian C."},{"family":"Nixon","given":"Sara Jo"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Lewis, Hoffman, Garcia, & Nixon, 2018). Considering the avid lack of opportunities available to them, it is highly likely that the people from poor socioeconomic class of society would be at a higher risk of not only developing a long term habit of addiction and drug abuse, but their general quality of life would be poor at best ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"N1mqhyiO","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Marques et al., 2015)","plainCitation":"(Marques et al., 2015)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":229,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/M3I6XKM3"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/M3I6XKM3"],"itemData":{"id":229,"type":"article-journal","title":"The impact of oral health conditions, socioeconomic status and use of specific substances on quality of life of addicted persons","container-title":"BMC Oral Health","page":"38","volume":"15","issue":"1","author":[{"family":"Marques","given":"Tais Cristina Nascimento"},{"family":"Sarracini","given":"Karin Luciana Migliato"},{"family":"Cortellazzi","given":"Karine Laura"},{"family":"Mialhe","given":"Fábio Luiz"},{"family":"Castro Meneghim","given":"Marcelo","non-dropping-particle":"de"},{"family":"Pereira","given":"Antonio Carlos"},{"family":"Ambrosano","given":"Glaucia Maria Bovi"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2015"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Marques et al., 2015). Furthermore, they would also find it harder to kick the habit to the curb. On the other hand, drug abuse and substance addiction showed signs of alcohol and drug dependences between the ages of 23 and 27. According to the results obtained, it is shown that parental protective power is the biggest reason for inclination towards drug abuse among the youth belonging to high socioeconomic classes. This follows them into adulthood as well. However, they have a better chance of being admitted to a rehabilitation facility to recover from their drug abuse, probably a number of times over the course of their lives ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"SafarQ2l","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Thomaidis et al., 2016)","plainCitation":"(Thomaidis et al., 2016)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":230,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/U69FW6BX"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/U69FW6BX"],"itemData":{"id":230,"type":"article-journal","title":"Reflection of socioeconomic changes in wastewater: licit and illicit drug use patterns","container-title":"Environmental science & technology","page":"10065-10072","volume":"50","issue":"18","author":[{"family":"Thomaidis","given":"Nikolaos S."},{"family":"Gago-Ferrero","given":"Pablo"},{"family":"Ort","given":"Christoph"},{"family":"Maragou","given":"Niki C."},{"family":"Alygizakis","given":"Nikiforos A."},{"family":"Borova","given":"Viola L."},{"family":"Dasenaki","given":"Marilena E."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2016"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Thomaidis et al., 2016)

This presents a need within the community to work towards the betterment of all, despite their socioeconomic backgrounds or relative history of drug abuse. They are a vital part of a thriving community. Thus, through rehabilitation and better lifestyle choices, they have the potential to become contributing members of society ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"C90d43mB","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(DiClemente, 2018)","plainCitation":"(DiClemente, 2018)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":231,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/GBPSP8B8"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/5VyEEXyp/items/GBPSP8B8"],"itemData":{"id":231,"type":"book","title":"Addiction and change: How addictions develop and addicted people recover","publisher":"Guilford Publications","ISBN":"1-4625-3323-X","author":[{"family":"DiClemente","given":"Carlo C."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2018"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (DiClemente, 2018).

Conclusion

Educating the masses on making good lifestyle choices is vital towards ensuring the fact that the detrimental effects of drug abuse are taken care of. They need to understand how this issue affects society as a whole and what measures can be taken to promote healthy lifestyle choices among teens and young adults that are at high-risk towards developing drug abuse. Furthermore, ostracized and marginalized groups like the addicts and the homeless are also part of our society. Thus, taking the steps necessary to rehabilitate them would be a step in the right direction.

References

ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Amlung, M., Vedelago, L., Acker, J., Balodis, I., & MacKillop, J. (2017). Steep delay discounting and addictive behavior: A meta‐analysis of continuous associations. Addiction, 112(1), 51–62.

DiClemente, C. C. (2018). Addiction and change: How addictions develop and addicted people recover. Guilford Publications.

Hall, W., Carter, A., & Forlini, C. (2015). The brain disease model of addiction: is it supported by the evidence and has it delivered on its promises? The Lancet Psychiatry, 2(1), 105–110.

Lewis, B., Hoffman, L., Garcia, C. C., & Nixon, S. J. (2018). Race and socioeconomic status in substance use progression and treatment entry. Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 17(2), 150–166.

Marques, T. C. N., Sarracini, K. L. M., Cortellazzi, K. L., Mialhe, F. L., de Castro Meneghim, M., Pereira, A. C., & Ambrosano, G. M. B. (2015). The impact of oral health conditions, socioeconomic status and use of specific substances on quality of life of addicted persons. BMC Oral Health, 15(1), 38.

BIBLIOGRAPHY NIDA. (2016). Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction. Retrieved from National Institute of Drug Abuse: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-misuse-addiction

Thomaidis, N. S., Gago-Ferrero, P., Ort, C., Maragou, N. C., Alygizakis, N. A., Borova, V. L., & Dasenaki, M. E. (2016). Reflection of socioeconomic changes in wastewater: licit and illicit drug use patterns. Environmental Science & Technology, 50(18), 10065–10072.

UNODC. (2018). Drug Use. Retrieved from United Nations on Drugs and Crime: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/statistics/drug-use.html

Van Wormer, K., & Davis, D. R. (2016). Addiction treatment. Cengage Learning.