Drug Abuse in the United States of America
In the United States of America, we, the people value several things, some of which
are freedom, expanding and taking care of our families and our financial security.
We, the people, take such things for granted. We also discourage some behavior, such as
crime, laziness and use of illegal drugs. Drug abuse is one of the most discouraged
behaviors in our country.
Addiction is a progressive, chronic, and ultimately a fatal disease. It is progressive in the sense that if it is left untreated it will get worse. Chronic means long term. Once one becomes dependent, it is like diabetes, in that diabetes is an incurable disease that can only be controlled. Long-term addictions have the high potential to lead to death through overdose, AIDs, suicide, or an accident (Aronson 17). The cycle of addiction tends to follow a pattern.
There are many different definitions in which people provide regarding addiction. May (1988) describes that addiction “is a state of compulsion, obsession, or preoccupation that enslaves a person’s will and desire” (p. 14). Individuals who suffer from addiction provide their time and energy toward other things that are not healthy and safe. The book
In the United States alone, nearly 18 million people have an addiction to alcohol. This drug can be a mild to chronic addiction and sometimes can turn out fatal for some people (Chakraburtty). Almost 100,000 people have died from overusing this drug (Chakraburtty). Alcoholism and alcohol abuse is not only damaging emotionally, physically, and mentally to the person who is doing it, but to the people around them as well.
Egan, Pamela. “23 Million Americans Addicted to Alcohol and Other Substances.” Pamelaegan.com, 2007. Web. 8 January 2012.
Alcohol causes much more deaths than any other drug in the world, and so it is one of the greatest killers of mankind now days. 1994 CDC report by NIH states that cocaine and crack combined deaths accounted for 3,300 per year, heroine and morphine combined are accounted for 2,400 per year, while alcohol alone causes105, 000 deaths per year (Straight talks about drugs and alcohol). Statistics show how fatal is this addiction an...
Addiction is the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice; to something that is psychologically or physically a habit. Addiction can be a form of severe trauma. Being addicted to something is not a good idea, it can cause a lot of negative effects as well as affecting your personality and health. There are many people that have addiction to a variety of addiction forms. From the “okay” to “most gross”, here are some types of addiction freaks, you might come across one day. Some people might stop that habit due to practicing different methods but for others it might be impossible because of how addicted they are.
“For every family that is impacted by drugs, there are another 10 to 15 families impacted by alcohol abuse. It's a pretty big deal. We have a tendency to only look at part of the puzzle.” (Kevin Lewis). As a society we tend to categorize the severity of addiction in a way that drugs are the most dangerous and alcohol being just a problem. Because alcohol addiction can be a slow progressive disease many people don’t see it in the same light as drug addiction. An addiction to drugs is seen as being a more deadly and dangerous issue then that of alcohol because a drug addiction can happen more quickly and can kill more quickly. Alcohol is something that is easy to obtain, something that is found at almost every restaurant. People with an alcohol addiction can not hide from alcohol as easy as a drug addict. Approximately 7 million Americans suffer from alcohol abuse and another 7 million suffer from alcoholism. (Haisong 6) The dangers of alcohol affect everyone from children with alcoholic parents, to teenagers who abuse alcohol, then to citizens who are terrorized by drunk drivers.
An addictive behavior is a behavior which implies reinforcing and rewarding. It can involve such things as substance, activity, object, or even behavior that becomes the primer focus of one’s life resulting in mental, physical as well as social withdrawal from the routine. An individual most likely starts addicting a substance to alleviate the pain arising from certain emotions. The phenomenon occurs after the first trial where the individual feels the pleasure which constantly increases with additional and more frequent usage. Permanent usage leads to psychological strengthening which eventually turns into physical dependence or psychological dependence.
Addiction, a compulsive psychological need for a habit-forming substance according to an online dictionary (p). In this instance, the substance is sex or masturbation. A sex addict needs progressively more and more explicit pornographic material in order to become aroused. Their behavior becomes centered on different sexual experiences and the desire to attain them. The person cannot control their sexual appetites resulting in severe consequences for themselves and others. Sex addiction is a lifelong problem that needs to be contained in order to avoid continued complications. Shame, secretiveness, and abusiveness in a person accompany the addiction. Treatment is available in different forms; however, because this subject is relatively new a cure is not known. An important question is arising around this subject is whether or not sex addiction results from nature or nurture.