The Relationship Between Stressful Socioeconomic Conditions and Substance Abuse

I recently read a book by a famous rock star, documenting his battle with substance addiction; namely alcohol, cocaine, and heroin. According to this person, he believes that his childhood has played a major part in his addiction becoming so out of control. His father left when he was young, his mother passed him off to his grandparents when she would find a new guy to run off with, and even though his grandparents were very loving and supportive, he spend much of his childhood wondering why his mother didn't love him enough to have him with her all the time. He also bounced around from school to school in his childhood years, so making friends was hard, and he was made fun of frequently for being the new kid.

All this combined led him to fit in where he could, which was generally with the other outcast kids, which frequently included drug use. He began experimenting at a young age, to escape the realities of his life, and it escalated with his success. This book documents, in explicit detail, what it is like to be a heroin junkie. Completely with bloody and gory detail of what substance addiction can do to your body. After OD'ing countless times, and becoming ever tired of his anxiety and failing career, he decided to get help to overcome his addiction. He relapsed many times, but eventually has remained sober and is currently doing well.

The Sociocultural View suggests that substance abusers most likely developed their abuse or dependence when they were faced with stressful socioeconomic conditions. To prove this, studies have shown that people who live in lower socioeconomic conditions are more likely to developed substance abuse or dependence. Socio-culturist’s also believe that substance abuse and dependence i...

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...eek out drugs as a way to become anti-social, and not have to accept who he had become, or where he came from.

Substance abuse is a problem that knows no discrimination. It affects all ages, cultures, races, and religions. It can affect those we love, who we admire from a distance, and people that we encounter on the street. It is important to recognize this as a disease, and a work in progress. That people affected with it need time, therapy, and patience.

Works Cited

Comer, R. (2011). Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology. (Vol. Sixth Edition,). Worth Publisher.

Sixx, N. (2008). The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star.. United Kingdom: Simon and Schuster.

Woliver, R. (2010, June 29). Heroin use among suburban teens grows because it’s ’no big deal.’ Message posted to http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/alphabet-kids/2010...