Ben: Diary Of A Heroin Addict, is a documentary filmed by Ben Rogers, a heroin addict. Ben appeared to come from a very loving family and did not want for anything. He was popular at school, he had a good home, and his family appeared to be very close knit. However, as his friend commented, he seemed not to know how well liked he was and he always had to do something extra. He began using cannabis as a teenager and then moved onto heroin, a drug which is illegal, highly addictive and is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of certain varieties of poppy plants. The documentary did not disclose how old he was when he admitted to his parents that he was using the drug but it must have been …show more content…
Ben’s addiction to heroin had a huge impact on his social life. As a result of his addiction, he didn’t have any real friends. He hung out with other drug users and persons who wouldn’t oppose his habit. His own family, even though they loved him, didn’t want him around on several occasions as a result of his habit. His sister spoke of not wanting to come to family gatherings because she knew there would be a “Ben issue.” Also, the parents stopped having guests over to their house because Ben had caused scenes on several occasions while guests were at the house, and the guest had to leave early. In my opinion, one of the greatest social impacts that Ben suffered was the loss of his girlfriend. Ben at one point became involved with a high school friend who wouldn’t live with him until he was able quit using heroin. Even though his family commented that they thought if anything would have make him quit would have been his girlfriend, even she wasn’t enough to make him quit. Ben lied to her over and over and even stole from her. On several occasions she would call his parents crying because the situation was too overwhelming. After she realised just how dependant and unwilling to quit Ben was, she eventually left him which caused him to sink even deeper into his
From interviewing celebrities such as actress Kristen Johnston and politician Bill White, the film identified substance abuse can happen to anyone. I found more sympathy to those once I learned the facts, not opinions, of substance abuse users. It was interesting to find how the physiology of ones’ brain may change over time, thus proving it is not always a person’s free will of choice to use. People of addiction are like anyone else who may have fallen down the wrong path. Some who have found substance abuse for coping, did not realize they were becoming addicts. Others have found the media and advertisement placing pressure on them because it looks entertaining and fun. With limited outreach programs, it is crucial to increase the awareness among young groups for prevention. With fear of being judged, the stigma and health disparities of addiction cause many to not seek help. Equal opportunity should be available to everyone. As a future nurse, I find an important role for me is to lead in educating and being opened minded to the struggles of each one of my patients. My job is to refrain from stereotyping and being an advocate. As healthcare is always evolving to provide the most adequate care, I look forward towards the future as more people are educating and trying to eliminate those struggling through addiction
The book I chose to read for this assignment is called “Stay Close: A Mother’s Story of Her Son’s Addiction”. The target audience can be parents, adolescents, recovering addicts, college students and mental health professionals.
Nic struggles so much why attempting to satisfy his need for the drug. This is the most important part of the book where I expected to know how drug users handle their addiction. The book narrates that Nic became a nuisance and a big problem both in the society and the family. Drug addiction erodes the morals of the users. Nic Sheff occasionally stole from everyone in the household. He took money from her mother, stole her sister 's diary, raided her brother’s little bank. In result, he was so much hated by her family. Again what increased the level of hatred towards him is his behavior of encouraging others into relapse. He regularly claims that the substances took away his values and morals leaving him caring less for his family. Addiction can be blamed largely for changing Nic Sheff into an immoral monster. However, we cannot quantify whether the family has an obligation of accepting his apology and forgiving him or whether she should be told off
Soma protects Brave New World’s society from the true hardships of life, thus concealing emotions that could lead to rebellion. Due to this the state condones use of soma to control social order. This is why the Deltas actually act against John when he pleads they throw away their soma. Just as soma strips Brave New World’s society of their individuality, alcohol and many drugs do as well. Marijuana leads to absence of emotional connection and a lack of interest. Through continued use it leads to and intensifies depression. Crack use also causes distant and removed feelings. Due to the onset depression caused by the drug abuse key relationships are left astray. After the initial effects of MDMA that result in a false feeling of emotional closeness, the low levels of serotonin cause anxiety and depression. In Brave New World there are many of these false relationships that exist. Bernard even in Morgana’s embrace feels no connection after the Solidarity Service, where he could only participate if he took soma. With all successful rehabilitation treatments those with relationships with the addict must participate. Brave New World severs all relationships to allow no opportunities for support. Consequently, the only thing the society can do is turn
I have first hand seen the childish ways of a drug abusing parent and my overall standpoint is everyone has a weakness, you just need to find a light to bring you out of the dark hole which the monster and sends you down and see what's worth living for. “I believe if you want to write a memoir, you have to tell the entire truth (yes, I understand it will be colored by your personal lenses), and that means truly opening yourself and those around you to public inspection” (Par. 15) said Ellen Hopkins displaying that she takes informing teens as a serious role. A prediction i could infer based upon the parallel relationship between Kristina and her father is if her son is exposed to drugs he will most likely fall in the same path if her she does not tell him the danger of these substances. This novel is a great tool to get the word out there that hard drugs will hurt you, hurt your family and make you a whole new
Drugs is one of the themes in this story that shows the impact of both the user and their loved ones. There is no doubt that heroin destroys lives and families, but it offers a momentary escape from the characters ' oppressive environment and serves as a coping mechanism to help deal with the human suffering that is all around him. Suffering is seen as a contributing factor of his drug addiction and the suffering is linked to the narrator’s daughter loss of Grace. The story opens with the narrator feeling ice in his veins when he read about Sonny’s arrest for possession of heroin. The two brothers are able to patch things up and knowing that his younger brother has an addiction. He still buys him an alcoholic drink at the end of the story because, he has accepted his brother for who he really is.
In the film, Bob entered himself into a methadone treatment for 21 days, and got a job working in a machine shop. There he runs into a character by the name of Father Murphy, he too was an addict. It just goes to show no matter what our occupations are, addiction can happen to anybody. When Dianne comes to town to visit, she seems to be somewhat in disbelief about his choice to remain sober. The life choice that Bob made was the right choice he made, yet that still did not stop Dianne from gifting him some drugs for old time’s sake. In some case the environment that we subject ourselves to can keep us from completing our goals in
(2.) Nic Sheff is a chronic slipper when it comes to staying sober. He has gone in and out of rehabs faster than you would think possible. Finding excuses to use drugs again and eventually hit rock bottom seem to be his only skills in life. After what seemed to be an infinite struggle with himself, Nic finally pulls through and stays sober. His book shows these hardships and how he deals with them on the road to recovery. Some of his decisions are well thought-out, and others, not so much. He keeps the story alive by believing in a higher power, his passion for living and his love of others. While sober, he continues to be painfully aware of how much he has hurt others by using, especially his mom. "Sometimes I think she would just prefer it if I was gone completely, so she wouldn't have to deal with me and so her children would be safe. It hurts my feelings, but I don't blame her. I know what I've done." (197, Sheff) Nic's parents feel like they can't trust him after all the lying, cheating and stealing he has done while under the influence of drugs. I wouldn't either, but they find it somewhere in their hearts to forgive him and cautiously let him into their lives in the end. Honestly, I cannot relate to much of this at all. I have never used drugs, been kicked out of my parent's house or prostituted to make money to buy even more drugs. Nic had a terrible childhood filled with screaming fights between his (now-divorced) parents and nights left alone while mine was just fine. He has a bipolar disorder and severe depression while I do not. The amount of differences are uncountable.
Dr. Hart argues that social support systems shape how a person deals with their addiction. He brings in the story
The film Requiem for a Dream conveys to its viewers the destruction to an individual’s life if they fall victim to addiction. Sara was placed in a mental hospital, Harry lost his arm, Marion partook in explicit sexual endeavors, ripping her of her morals, and Tyrone was arrested and jailed, where he experienced critical withdrawal symptoms. These are all situations that could have been avoided. It is important for someone to think before they intake any drug even the mildest of forms because, who knows? They may be next to fall victim to
Even though they may want to other factors are usually at play. It takes a team in this instant to work through and accomplish the goal of sobriety. This novel has aided me in understanding the world of an addict better. It gave the insight that only a person in the addiction can give you. It helped me to see that whatever the driving force is in an addict, it can sometimes consume you. Some people can fight the urge to use, while others give in to the temptation. The most important task in addiction is to surround yourself with positive people and positive activity. Correspondingly, loss or drastic change should always be handled with caution. The divorce of his parents and going between his dad and mom’s house was upsetting. Nic not feeling like a part of his dad’s new family was depressing
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.
When people hear the word addiction, most people picture an alcoholic that spends hours a night at the bar, or meth addict that sleeps in the streets and prostitutes herself out to obtain money for another hit, but what various people refuse to realize is that addiction has become an epidemic in the United States. Addiction is everywhere from the UPS man that takes smoke breaks every few delivery’s, to your best friend 's dad whose appears to have everything put together but spends his evenings at the casino. In my opinion, it 's essential to share your story, I’m restless to tell you experience with addiction.
Addiction has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, from my earliest memories of my father, until now as I am a licensed professional in the field of addiction as well as a person in long term recovery myself.
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.