the disease and choice of drug addiction

the disease and choice of drug addiction Disease vs. Choice Have you ever battled with the idea that maybe being a drug addict is a disease and not a choice? Or that it is a choice and not a disease? This topic is one of the most controversial subjects to discuss because there are many different opinions when it comes to deciding whether its a disease or choice. Some researchers have taken a stance and reported that drug dependence is a disease while other researchers report it as being a choice. My stance with this, even after researching, is that being a drug addict and or abuse is ultimately a choice. The moment we are born we all are born with free will. The things we choose to do at what ever age or time in our life is a choice. We make our own decisions to either say yes or no. Whenever those boundaries are crossed thats a choice being made. By taking into account a first hand story and interview from a woman that used to be addicted to drugs along with the information presented by researchers on both views of addiction as a brain disease and as a choice, I will argue against drug addiction being labeled a brain disease. In todays society it is almost impossible for anyone to say that they do not know someone who is involved in drugs in some sort of capacity. Some of us may know of someone that is a drug addict, ex- drug addict, or even someone that is contemplating drug use. However, no one gets involved with drugs at any point in time without first choosing to do so. With just that first decision and act of actually using, many people ultimately find themselves addicted to drugs or even drug abusers. Several people dont know that there is a difference in being addicted to drugs and being a drug abuser. Although neither of the two is any better than the other, there is still a difference. According to Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior the thirteenth edition by Carl L. Hart, Charles Ksir, and Oakley Ray, drug addiction is when someone compulsively uses a substance, despite its negative and sometimes dangerous effects. Drug abuse is when someone is using a drug excessively, or for purposes which it was not medically intended (Hart, Ksir, Ray). However, someone can abuse drugs without being addicted but the opposite is not true. It is not possible to be addicted to drugs without abusing them. Once that imaginary line has been crossed that spiral downward begins to take place in ones life unless the individual chooses to not take that path. Drug use, like all other choices, is influenced by preferences and goals. It is not gender specific and affects people of all age groups and economic levels. Continued drug use alters good judgment and leads to other risky behavior such as making a decision to drive a vehicle, have unprotected sex, or participate in activities one would not normally undertake, if not for being under the influence of drugs. Those who are addicted or are abusers fail to fulfill their obligations at school, at work, to friends, and even family members. This is all a familiar scene for Kathy Thomas, a woman that used to be addicted to drugs and now have been clean for twenty- one years. She recalls upon the time when she first tried cocaine. Kathy states in the interview that she had just gotten into a fight with her husband, at that time, and as a result of that fight and how she was feeling she made a choice to let someone easily convince her to try cocaine. Eventually Kathy wanted to try the drug agai n and from there on allowed for her self to become hooked on the drug. She chased that high constantly for two years. Throughout the two years she struggled with the idea of wanting to quit but still wanting to feel that first high again. She remembers inheriting some money from her grandfathers estate and blowing approximately one thousand dollars on cocaine within a matter of twenty-four hours. She became very neglectful towards her kids along with her other responsibilities. Kathy states that the circumstances that lead up to her going into rehab was the scare she received from being involved in a drug raid and realizing that if anything happened to her then she would have no one to care for her kids. Those two things frightened her enough to get clean and remain clean. In the interview with Kathy she was asked if she believes whether drug addiction is a disease or choice. Kathy responded by saying that she believes it is a choice because she was not forced into using drugs and t hat she made those choices to do the drug each and every time while realizing how she and her family were being affected. Ultimately it was something she wanted to do and because of her drug use she allowed for her life to be turned upside down. When asked if she accepts full responsibility for her actions she answered, â€Å"yes, because it would be wrong to actually blame others for my actions or on the idea that it may a brain disease when in the end it was all by choice just as it was my choice to get clean† (Thomas). While taking into account real life circumstances from an ex- drug addict on drugs as a choice, lets look into what some researchers have founded. Authors of Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior report that until the 20th century, the most common view was probably that dependent individuals were weak willed, lazy, or immoral, then medical and scientific studies began of users. Through those studies they believed that it seemed as if something more powerful than mere self-indulgence was at work, and the overall view began to be that dependence is a drug induced illness (Hart, Ksir, and Ray 34). But to add insult to it all, Alan Leshner, the former director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, compares having an addiction, although knowing that it begins with a clear voluntary decision, to that of someone with schizophrenia because they cannot control their hallucinations and delusions as well as to someone that has Parkinson disease because they cannot control their trembling (Leshner). First lets get an understanding of what disease means. Disease is a particular destructive process in an organ or organism, with a specific cause and characteristic symptoms; specifically; an illness or ailment (Webster). With this in mind how can one compare any disease to that of a drug addict? Someone with a heart disease, schizophrenia, Parkinson disease, or any other disease does not choose to wake up one day and say that they want to have their diseases however a drug addict does choose to use drugs. No matter how it ultimately affects the user they were affected because of their choice to use. Jeffrey Schaler, a psychologist and author of Addiction is a Choice, views drug addiction as a choice and is very critical of treatments that â€Å"teach† patients that they are not in control of their behaviors (Schaler). However, the Drug Addiction Support website states that the person is no longer in control of it and cannot break free of the diseases power and that â€Å"thing† that says stop isnt there anymore (Drug). If this were true then what about those that voluntarily decide to get clean? And if this were true then we wouldnt have stories like Kathy Thomas. Stanton Peele, a psychologist and source used in the Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior the thirteenth edition, argued that substance dependence does not have many of the same characteristics of some classic medical diseases. He states how we cant X-ray or blood test to reveal the underlying cause or even that there is an underlying cause because all that is present as far as symptoms is excessive involvement. Peele suggests that if substance abuse is a disease then gambling, excessive sexual intercourse, and overeating should also be seen as diseases, but in this sense it demoralizes our normal understanding of the concept of disease. Therefore, stating that substance abuse is like a disease in many ways is ultimately different from insisting that it is a disease (40). Society labeling drug addiction as a brain disease gives drug addicts a way out of taking responsibility for their own actions. My position with this is that they will likely continue to use because they will fall int o the stigma that they use because they have a disease and they cant stop. There are so many things that happen to a human in life that are truly out of our control but unless one is actually held at gunpoint to use drugs then this is one thing that we can control. But even in this scenario if one is forced to use drugs then once free of the torment the victim ultimately has a choice of continuing to use or to quit. Schaler believes that most of the drug addicts resort to using drugs because of problems in their life that they are trying to run away from. Therefore, if one brings forth their problems that they are trying so hard to avoid and learn different ways of coping with them then they are more likely to have a successful outcome (Schaler). The Drug Addiction Support group suggests that whatever the drug of choice, intervention and treatment are necessary for addicts to return to a healthy lifestyle (Drug). When looking back into Kathys story and interview she expressed that there are factors that a drug addict needs to put in place in order to remain clean and drug free. She stated how she had to make choices to change the type of people she hung out with, the type of places she went to, and the things that she did that lead her to use drugs (Thomas). In summary using drugs is a willful commitment or dedication, just like joining an exercising club or committing your self to complete a college education. While heavy consumption of drugs is often foolish and self-destructive, it is still a matter of personal choice. Drug dependence has no specific preference on which person is affected. Bad people are drug addicts, weak people, good people, nice people, well-educated people, the blue collar, the rich, and the poor. People decide their own fate when it comes to drug usage. Labeling drug addicts as having a brain disease is not fair to those that truly do have diseases and made no choice to contain their conditions. Those that are addicted to drugs need to accept responsibility for their choices. Every single time someone picks up drugs and does them then they are choosing to do so. No one else chooses that for them. Those that have successfully gotten themselves into a treatment center or sought other ways of rehabilitating themselv es have done so because they chose to. Just as well, when one relapses it is because they chose to go and use drugs again. Once it is understood that drug addicts are choosing to do drugs and that it is not some â€Å"force† keeping them from stopping then maybe there will be more drug addicts taking responsibility for their action. However it may be, I will still hold my stance in saying that being a drug addict and or abuser is still a choice.

Powder †Story Analysis Essay

Powder is a straightforward story about an adolescent boy and his father on a ski trip. It is a first person story; written from the boy’s point of view who is also a central character in this story. The parents are separated or divorced; the father has promised to have the boy back to his mother in time for Christmas Eve dinner. But the father tarries, deciding to get in a few more runs, and by the time they set off, the mountain road they must take is closed and guarded by a state trooper. Eventually the trooper leaves his post and the father decides to risk the snow-covered road. In this story, everything seems to point to disaster. The narrator (an older version of the boy) consistently conveys a sense of worry, at first only that he will be late for Christmas Eve dinner (which has added importance because the father wants to win back the favor of his wife and is screwing this up), but later we fret about their physical well-being. The father sternly warns the boy against such foolhardy behavior. Disaster looms. Yet the boy, who is so tightly wired that he numbers his clothes hangers, is finally able to relax, to trust his father, to accept his fate and enjoy the journey. â€Å"If you haven’t driven fresh powder,† he says at the end, â€Å"you haven’t driven. † Really helps to wrap up this short story nicely. This story captures the two characters as images very well as we are drawn into their lives by the author (character as presented by the author). For example — â€Å"Criminy. This will have to be a fast one. † Expressed by the father give the reader, a sense of urgency and you can visualize this character on the slope with the proper expression. Then the line â€Å"My father in his forty-eighth year, rumpled, kind, bankrupt of honor, flushed with certainty. He was a great driver. † As expressed by the POV Character kind of brings it all together. The characters were alive from the beginning of this story and it was due to the really good characterization that was done by this author.

Sociological Theories About Gender Inequality Free Essay Example, 1500 words

The other theory is Non-Marxian Materialist one whereby materialist approach or perspective is used (Giddens 2007). Under this theory, the various gender-related roles are seen to be as a result of the changes that have happened and continue to happen in the realm of technological, ecological and economic societal arrangements. Human beings adapt themselves to the roles that fit them more and this has been the trend since the time of hunting and gathering societies. Women were the gatherers and men the hunters which were roles that developed out of adaptive results of the two genders. Women fitted more as gatherers as they also had children take care about while men had all the time to be patient in the hunting grounds. These were roles that fit well within the two separate genders. In today s world not as many women are versant with the current technology nor are they also raising more money in families than men do on general terms and these are the biggest contributing factors to gender inequalities. Immigration problem in the USA Immigration in the United States has been a big problem for many years and it is high time that the government comes up with reforms that aim at solving it once and for all (Briggs 1996). We will write a custom essay sample on Sociological Theories About Gender Inequality or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now The Obama administration has been quite vibrant on this matter since he stepped in as the president. The USA alone has well over twenty million immigrants who are undocumented. There have been debates by politicians, activists and members of the general public on how to deal with this issue. However, my plan for handling this issue is quite simple but hard to follow if the relevant authorities fail to act accordingly. It is important to appreciate that America is having too many undocumented immigrants already and trying to take them back from where they came from will reap no benefit socially or even economically both in the short and long term. Therefore, for those already in the US, we have to start a program of registering them whereby they should take a maximum of ten years to become full US citizens.

The Issue Of Gun Control Laws - 1410 Words

By Second Amendment in the Constitution, the subjects have the benefit to have and remain fight prepared. Regardless, this has remained a basic issue since decades. There have been a lot of senseless murders and killings around the United States. With better gun control laws in effect these killings and murders would not have been possible. The government, the states, and the people all need to work together to come to a solution to prevent things like this in the future. Better gun control laws would mean less killings and murders happening around the world. Think of it like this, you at work and you get a call saying that there was a shooting at your family member’s job, or school, etc. With better gun control laws that call will never come. There needs to be an answer about the issues that the country is standing up to about gun control. If gun control laws were passed and the government were to take all guns away, that would be 300 plus million guns floating around the wor ld. That would be very difficult to do for the government. â€Å"From the perspective of the British strict gun laws means no guns at all.† â€Å"After a couple of horrible mass shootings in Britain, handguns and automatic weapons have been effectively banned. It is possible to own shotguns, and rifles if you can demonstrate to the police that you have a good reason to own one, such as target shooting at a gun club, or deer stalking, say. The firearms-ownership rules are onerous, involving hours ofShow MoreRelatedThe Issue Of Gun Control Laws861 Words   |  4 Pagesgovernment has the responsibility to protect people. Currently, the gun violence has threatened the American public safety, people used gun to kill many people for their own interests. The United States constitution believes Americans have their own gun to protect themselves. Some people said guns will protect their life easily. Whether, America should have strict gun control laws or not bring about the debat e in society. Gun issue is not only a big problem from United States, it’s also a big problemRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control Laws1407 Words   |  6 Pagesits path. There is no exact definition of mass shootings, but most sources believe it is when four or more people are shot in one location. Citizens in America are easily able to obtain a gun and the growing issue is whether this should change and stronger laws in place. Although citizens believe gun control laws take away second amendment and right to protect themselves, mass shootings are increasing yearly and action needs to happen to prevent the next attack. America’s at a high withRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control Laws1701 Words   |  7 PagesA gun has the capacity to convert a conflict into a serious crime. The power of a gun is vast. But it the power of the gun is appreciated in right hands. The effects of a gun can be cherished when it is used by right hands and with the right intention. The effects of the gun are condemned when it reaches in wrong hands. A gun can protect as well as end someone’s life. When it ends the life of a criminal, it is a sign of bravery but when it takes the lives of innocent people it is condemned. ThereforeRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control Laws1536 Words   |  7 Pagesright to bear arms. This Amendment, when written had no limitations or constraints, however there seems to be more laws than ever trying to govern or ban the carrying and even ownership of firearms as a whole. Many say that the reasons for the attempt of gun control laws are due to the safety of the public never theless if you look at the statistics themselves it shows that armed law bidding citizens stop more violent crime involving and not involving firearms if armed than the police department,Read MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control Laws852 Words   |  4 PagesIn about every nation, gun control has always been an issue of controversy. Gun control laws are quite different from country to country, each possessing different requirements, specifications, and ordinances, so on and so on. What will be examined are the specified gun control laws in three international countries, ranging from Canada, Australia, and Japan, as well as a comparison and contrast of the the similarities and unique differences toward American gun control laws and those in other countriesRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control Laws Essay1578 Words   |  7 Pages GUN CONTROL LAWS There is a need in this country for gun control laws as well as benefits for the citizenry who own them. With the current state of our society these days, owning a gun has become a necessity for some, if not all, household. I, myself, conform for every household having a gun. Although we have our police force always ready to rescue anyone in distress, every second matters when we are facing face to face with danger. Granted that the authorities are already underway, having somethingRead MoreThe Issue Of Gun Control Laws2761 Words   |  12 PagesOne of the most debated topics in the U.S. is about gun control laws. Constant dispute between citizens and the government shows that there are two sides; for or against control. Arguments, whether oral or written, point out various ways how it can either help or hurt our society here in the United States of America. Most people however agree by reinforcing these laws violates the citizen’s 2nd Amendment rights which states, â€Å"A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free StateRead MoreEssay about The Issue of Stricter Gun Control Laws1861 Words   |  8 PagesThe issue of stricter gun control laws is an on-going battle that continues to be debated at both the local and federal levels. Regardless of one’s viewpoint on the matter, this subject makes for a very passionate debate on both sides. At question is whether or not stricter laws and regulations help reduce the number of gun-related crimes. Obviously, the answers vary greatly depending on the strongly held viewpoint of the responders. Often, horrible gun-related crimes are committed by peopleRead Moregun control research essay1222 Words   |  5 Pagesarticle that studied gun control. â€Å"Stricter state gun laws associated with fewer gun deaths, study finds.† The article discussed gun control laws in states with stricter laws tend to have lower rates of gun related homicides, and a suicide (ProCon para. 1) Gun control in the United States is becoming a wide spread issue and is becoming a problem everywhere. Although I am living in a city with uprising crime that has been skyrocketing over the years, I wasn’t aware of this being an issue all over the UnitedRead MoreGun Control1724 Words   |  7 PagesEnglish 1302 5th march 2013 Sides of Crime Control Gun control laws have been surrounded by controversy since The Bill of Rights, including the Second amendment was passed in the congress. A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed, the founders wrote. Until recently there was considerable argument over just what the founders intended by their words. Did they mean to provide only for armed