Drug Addiction: An Epidemic- Macie Oliver

                                               Drug Addictions: The Epidemic

    Imagine one day you look around and 158 of your family members have dropped dead. On

average that’s how many people die of drug overdose a day (“Opioid Overdose”, 1). Drugs are

common no matter where you go. We see drug users everyday, some more identifiable than others.

Opioids can be traced back to 3400 BC in early Mesopotamia. Drug use has been around for ages,

literally. Although in recent times there has gradually been a spike in the amount of people that

abuse drugs or take them solely for recreational purposes. This growing epidemic is causing harm to

communities high and low. Aforementioned drug use can affect anyone; from your distant family to

people as close to you as your own mom and dad. It is important to realize how serious the misuse of

prescription drugs or any for that matter can negatively impact you and those around you. Some

people think they have control over their addictions, but does this problem actually have a solution?

History of Drug Addiction

        To understand the history of drug addiction we first need to define it. An addiction is the

dependency on a substance, thing, or activity. In this case a drug addict is classed as a person

chronically dependent on but not limited to: heroin, methamphetamine, ketamine, crack cocaine,

prescription pills such as valium, hydrocodone, oxycontin etc. These drugs are usually taken

singularly, but a combination of narcotics in someone’s system is not uncommon as well.

        Addictions can be traced back to a time before Christ to early Mesopotamia, 3400 BC to be exact.

In this time people were dying of dropsy, cholera, debilitating diarrhea, ague and rheumatism. Any

form of relief was welcomed and opiates were often abused because of the healing properties they

contained ( hehealthcaretriage, 1).

   

   The problem with these substances is that when isolated they are no longer curative but

addictive. Heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine while in coca leaf form, are all things that started off

with actual healing intentions and were singularized, then later manipulated to be man made killers.

The people using these substances take them in multiple fashions which can lead to even more health

risks (Patterson, 1).

    In recent years the history of drug addiction has not been improved or cultivated but at an

increasing standstill. The more the government tries to crackdown on drug abusers and their

suppliers the more that seem to appear. The routes taken to attain these drugs are not limited to one

source and there are a plethora of ways that illegal substances get into the hands of the people we

know and love.

Social Changes

    The most important thing to realize when talking about the social effects drugs have on society is

that drugs don't just affect the addict, they affect everyone around them. They negatively impact

people's finances, relationships both romantic and platonic, and even employment.

The cost of drugs vary depending on the substance. When you take into account the cost of

policing, rehab centers, and other outlets and protections from drug users the prices continuously

rise. Addicts might steal from family members, steal from places of business or even perform

inexplicable actions to attain their drug of choice. On an even bigger scale when addicts can no

longer function they can no longer work. This increases the rate of unemployment and even affects

tax revenue in a way.

    The damage drug addicts put out onto their loved ones and friends is undoubtedly the most

impactful. One choice an addict makes can shape those around him/her for years to come. In some

cases when a parent is addicted to drugs, their offspring can be effected in utero physically. The term

“crack baby” is often referred to a baby who has an addict for a mother and was dependent on crack

in the womb because the incessant exposure to it as a fetus. They often are born with complications

and can even experience withdrawals after birth (“What is a Crack Baby..”, 1). The mental effects

drug addicts put onto their kids is also inexplicable. It can make children feel as if they are not

adequate enough to fill the void these substances fill in their parents lives.

     On the other hand in the employment spectrum, drugs can greatly affect a person's personality,

which in turn effects work ethic. If a business drug tests employees, an addict can either take

precautions and stop using or take illegal precautions and find other ways to pass. In some instances

the addict will fail, and that can in turn transform that persons home life and further damage

relationships in the home.

     In all cases no matter the semantics of the situation, drug use has effects on people socially and this

never results in positive ways.

Before and After heroin use

Examples

     We see drug addicts in all walks of life. They have no specific traits on how they act but there

are some telltale signs. In one case, a mother was using heroin at least once a day and no one in her

immediate family realized until it was too late. In another case, a man had started to ingest ketamine

and his peers immediately noticed the shift in his work ethic and attitude. Additional real life

examples can be viewed as well: “ My goal in life wasn't living...it was getting high. I was falling in

a downward spiral towards a point of no return. Over the years, I turned to cocaine, marijuana and

alcohol under a false belief it would allow me to escape my problems. It just made things worse. I

had everything, a good job, money, a loving family, yet I felt so empty inside. As if I had nothing.

Over twenty years of using, I kept saying to myself, I’m going to stop permanently after using this

last time. It never happened. There were even moments I had thought of giving up on life.” —John

(DrugFreeWorld, 1). Drugs can seriously affect a person’s mental complex and it shows.

Solutions

   One out of every six people in the US are, or have been in some form addicted to drugs.

Approximately 21.5 million Americans struggle with drug abuse. To decrease this number there are

not many options. Solutions should be based on the age group of the addict. Developmental aspects

of the human brain are different throughout a person's life which is why different approaches might

be needed for different age classifications (Powell, 1).

Firstly lets address young abusers. People between the ages of 12-25 represent a higher

percentage of drugs abused (Powell, 1). It is no secret that young adults are usually always feeling

pressured when it comes to school, coming of age, work, and other obligations they might have. If

they had an outlet other than drinking, or abusing drugs such as valium or marijuana the statistics

could drastically change. Other outlets might include outreach programs, picking up a hobby, or

even exercising to relieve unnecessary stress. It is important to notice the signs of a young addict

because up until 25 they are still developing; so it would be easier to waive such strong

dependencies.

     For older addicts the approach might not be the same. Most addicts over the age of 25 are stuck in

their ways and require more persistent coercion to stop using their drug of choice. Adults have

tremendous burdens on their shoulders and for some the only escape is drugs. While they do still

need an outlet like their younger counterparts, that outlet might not be the same. Adults might need

rehab, or even interventions to realize what they're doing with themselves and the things they

worked hard for. Most addicts have family while some do not. Companionship might be a key to

negatively affect the curve that drugs cause.

Absurdity

     Drug addiction can be a seriously absurd topic. Most teenagers that are addicted to drugs

believe in what Albert Camus has to say and his views on life. Hallucinogens, along with many other

opioids and prescription drugs give people this out of body experience. People addicted to these

drugs are ultimately saying they don't feel like their life has a purpose. Knowingly taking drugs that

harm them is a definite sign that they often times feels empty and this is absurd. Camus believed that

there was no God, and that there was no true purpose in life. People involved, or those that

contribute to aiding addicts are ultimately supporting this view on life because they know the

outcome of these detrimental substances.

Conclusion

    Drugs/opioids have been around for so many years its unfathomable. The rate at which drug use

is increasing is alarming and a solution to at least aid addicts should definitely be in the works. Drug

abuse contributes to many aspects of a large amount of most Americans. It ruins relationships,

damages integrity and deteriorates a person's health faster than what is usually expected. It is

imperative that people recognize the signs of an addict and address the issue early to prevent too

much damage in the long run.

 

Works Cited

Koob, George F., and Michel Le Moal. “Drug Abuse: Hedonic Homeostatic Dysregulation.”

 

Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science, 3 Oct. 1997

 

“Opioid Overdose.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, 30 Aug. 2017, www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html.

 

Patterson, Eric. “History of Drug Abuse.” DrugAbuse.com, 19 July 2016,

drugabuse.com/library/history-of-drug-abuse/.

 

Powell. “Statistics on Drug Addiction.” American Addiction Centers,

americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/addiction-statistics/.

 

thehealthcaretriage. “The History of Opioids.” YouTube, YouTube, 2 May 2016,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MIseokXcxY.

 

“What Is a Crack Baby? Crack Baby Syndrome & Symptoms - Drug-Free World.” Foundation for a

Drug-Free World, 13 Oct. 2014