Effects of Drug Addiction - Research Paper Example

? Social Research: Drug Addiction of Introduction The body of an organism is programmed such that each metabolicprocess has specific conditions it best works at. Any deviation from this normalness causes inappropriate response and behavior in an organism. Julien et al. (2010) and Selye (1978) consider introduction of a foreign material to the body as one cause of deviation from this normalness. Exposing systems of an individual to a foreign material over a long period results to addiction. That is, addicts of a particular substance develop the behavior after being exposed to the substance over some time. Drug addiction is an example of a behavior that not only affects an addict, but also persons whom the addict interacts with. This paper presents a social research assignment about effects of drug addiction. Drug Addiction Drug addiction describes a chronic feeling associated with forceful drug seeking and use. The compulsive effect makes an individual overlook harmful consequences of a drug to his/her health and to those around him/her. Julien et al. (2010) assets that in most addiction cases, initial decision to take a drug is deliberate. However, the voluntary decision changes brain functioning resulting to the individual being incapable of controlling and/or resisting an intense urge to take the drug. Effects of Drug Addiction Psychological and physiological dependence on a potentially dangerous or harmful substance has effects both on an addict and on those who are around the addict. McKim (2006) groups effects of drug addiction into five categories. The classes include effects on health of a person, family, society, law, and on economic development. In health, addiction alters brain chemistry, leading to a change in behavior. While exploring behavioral effects of addiction, Goldstein (2001) considers outcomes of addiction on a person’s health more devastating. According to Goldstein (2001), even though addicts do consume drugs to “feel better,” unplanned consequences include overdose, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and transmission of various intravenous diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Stress and related maladies are also a host of problems related to drug addiction. Depression and anxiety often result to suicide, which is another effect of drug addiction. Apart from deteriorating an individual’s health, addiction tears down bonds between family members. Gezon (2012) warns that drug addiction is capable of taking over individual roles or responsibilities of addicts in their families. Martin (2012) affirms that most addicts confess that a drug addict realizes the devastating effects of addiction only when the problem has taken a significant toll on the family. In addition, in rehabilitation centers, therapists and counselors report that most addicts often face a challenge of “getting their family members back.” It is, therefore, clear that drug abuse and misuse breaks bonds within a family. Gezon (2012) further considers family as a tool for both advancing addiction and an organ for mitigating an addiction behavior. The positive role of a family is demonstrated if all family members offer support and strength to one another such that fighting an addictive behavior is a collective responsibility. However, if all members passively handle issues related to drug abuse, then families are powerful tools of advancing drug addiction. In a society, addiction leads to moral degradation making society to produce individuals who do not recognize the importance of societal norms. Goldstein (2001) argues that drug addiction forces societies to deviate from normal roots, taboos, or culture through behavioral changes. For instance, as estimated by Martin (2012), at least 20% of United States’ citizens use prescription drugs for non-medical purposes. The proportion excludes cases of illegal substances such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine among others. It therefore implies that when the illegal substances are included, a significant proportion of every society is a victim of addiction. World Health Organization records indicate that a combination prescription drug misuse and illegal drug use has significantly derailed the value of various societies (Martin, 2012). Drug addiction influences law making processes of every nation. That is, law arms consider issues related to drugs from the law developing stage to full implementation of a state’s rules and regulations. Apart from media reports, news about daily struggles with drive-by shootings, theft, illegal trafficking, drug busts, and manufacturing of drugs are ever on air. Courts are also full crimes ranging from murder to child neglect. Victims in these cases are more likely to be drug abusers. While correlating drug addiction and crime rates, Goldstein (2001) observes that there is a strong correlation between the two variables. The association is attributed to impairing effect on reasoning ability that a drug has on an individual. In economic growth, drug addiction has several economic effects, ranging from personal health issues, devastation in families, and increase in community crime rates. Every nation spends a considerable amount of funds to combat drug addiction. In other words, as a step in battling drug abuse and misuse, significant proportions of resources in a country are spent in law enforcement, treatments, incarcerations, and traffic injuries. Treatment and Management of Drug Addiction Several studies have been done to discover effective treatments for drug addiction. Perkinson et al. (2009), however, argue that two major treatment options are available. The authors identify behavioral therapies and addiction medication treatments as solutions to addiction patients. Behavioral therapies aim at modifying behaviors of an addict such that an individual’s urge for a drug is reduced. Behavioral therapies also entail identifying reasons or problems an individual has for taking a drug. The procedures further involve preoccupying an addict with other activities that require intense concentration. By diverting attention of an addict from taking a drug, behavioral therapies significantly reduce the time an individual has for thinking about taking a drug. Medical approaches, on the other hand, tailor an addict’s drug abuse patterns. Perkinson et al. (2009), however, advises that effectiveness of treatment medications is enhanced by psychiatric therapies. Apart from treatment options, McKim (2006) observes that drug addiction has successful management procedures. The procedures, however, focus on behavioral modifications. While studying relapse cases, Gorski (1996) observes that relapse to drug abuse again is not an indication of failure of a treatment option. Relapse, according to Gorski (1996), shows that a treatment or management procedure should be adjusted, reinstated, or an alternative procedure be applied. Rationale for Selection of the Topic Growth and development of a nation is a major objective that every state yearns for. Each state fully utilizes its resources to achieve the objective, which is easily achieved by a healthy population. A healthy population is characterized by absence of any threat that impairs the effectiveness of the populace. Every nation, in effect, develops various policies and/or strategies that yield a healthy population. Drug addiction is an example of health related issue that deteriorates efforts of a population in economic development. As a way of minimizing excess resources spent in fighting drug addiction, more studies should be carried out to identify cheap and effective methods of treating and reducing addiction cases. Therefore, as an economic impact, discovery of cheap and effective treatment options enables a country to spend surplus resources in other aspects of economic growth. Drug abuse and misuse is also considered as a major threat to law enforcement processes (Goldstein, 2001). It is, therefore, imperative to identify ways of minimizing drug abuse and misuse cases, as a step in establishing strong law enforcement programs. Because drug addiction leads to death and moral degradation, exploring more about addiction is, surely, a step in reducing overall national mortality rates as well as upholding quality moral standards in every society. Literature Gaps Several researches about effects of drug addiction have been done. Findings of the studies indicate that addiction has more negative effects in an individual’s life than positive consequences. Also, studies have been done to identify possible treatment and management options available for drug addicts. While exploring the concept of drug addiction, certain gaps still exist. As one loophole of previous studies, researches have majorly concentrated on the general effects of drug addiction on a general population. Little attempt has been made to study individual effects of drug addictions. In addition, little demographic information about the specific effects of addiction exists in literature. There is, therefore, need to research on demographic variations in relation to drug effects. As another literature gap, most studies start looking at drug addiction when an individual has already become an addict. That is, little attention is given to investigating factors that promote initial drug abuse or misuse. As advised by Perkinson et al. (2009), while devising ways of curbing drug addiction cases, it is important to understand factors that prompt an individual to initial drug use. Thus, further studies about factors that compel an individual to abuse or misuse of a drug should be done. Moreover, much attention has been given to individuals within the age bracket 15-35 years. However, for comprehensive study on drug addiction, it is important to also consider individuals outside this age bracket. Research Question Main research question should, therefore, be, how do demographic characteristics vary with individual effects of drug addiction? In an attempt to answer the question, the following sub-questions should be used as guidelines: 1. What is the demographic information concerning individual negative effects of drug addiction? 2. What is the demographic information about withdrawal consequences of drug addiction? 3. What factors prompt an individual to start abusing or misusing a drug? 4. What are the possible cheap and effective remedies to drug addiction? Conclusion In sum, drug addiction alters brain functioning resulting a change in overall behaviors of an individual. Effects of drug addiction are more pronounced in the health of an individual and in the relationship between an addict and other people. Nevertheless, effects of addiction can be surveyed in terms of health effects, family effects, and effects on a society, economic growth, and law enforcement processes. Even though several surveys about drug addiction have been done, certain gaps still exists. There is, consequently, a need for more studies that comprehensively touch every aspect of drug addiction. Findings of an extensive study about drug addiction are not only important in curbing the discussed effects of addiction, but are also vital to psychologists who provide therapies to addicts. References Gezon, L. (2012). Drug effects: Khat in biocultural and socioeconomic perspective (Advances in Critical Medical Anthro). Left Coast Press. Goldstein, A. (2001). Addiction: From biology to drug policy. 2nd Edition. USA: Oxford University Press. Gorski, T. T. (1996). Relapse prevention counseling workbook: Practical exercises for managing high-risk situations. Herald Pub House Julien, R. M., Advokat, C. & Comaty, J. (2010). Primer of drug action. 12th Edition. Worth Publishers. Martin, S. (2012). Opium fiend: A 21st century slave to a 19th century addiction. Villard Press. McKim, W. A. (2006). Drugs and behavior: An introduction to behavioral pharmacology. 6th Edition. Prentice Hall Press. Perkinson, R. R., Jongsma Jr., A. E. & Bruce, T. J. (2009). The addiction treatment planner: Practice planners. 4th Edition. Wiley Press. Selye, H. (1978). The stress of life. McGraw-Hill. Read More